IMF Managing Director, Lagarde, questioned in French corruption probe

The payout of 400 million euros was made to controversial businessman, Bernard Tapie, in 2008 when she was finance minister.
The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, IMF, Christine Lagarde, on Wednesday arrived at a French court in Paris for questioning over her role in a massive state payout.

The payout of 400 million Euros was made to controversial businessman, Bernard Tapie, in 2008 when Ms. Lagarde was finance minister.

The Court of Justice of the Republic is charged with investigating and prosecuting crimes by ministers in the course of their duties.

Ms. Lagarde had already been questioned by the court in May over the payment to Mr. Tapie to settle a long-running dispute over the sale of his sportswear company Adidas.

She avoided charges and was instead given the status of “assisted witness”.

Ms. Lagarde’s ministry was in charge of the Mr. Tapie dossier.

On Wednesday, she was to come face-to-face with her former chief of staff, Stephane Richard.

Mr. Richard, who is now CEO of France Telecom-Orange, is one of five people, along with Mr. Tapie himself, charged with fraud in the affair.

The payment to Mr. Tapie, who had backed then President Nicolas Sarkozy for election, was decided by an arbitration panel.

Critics have argued he would have received far less had the matter been left to the courts, creating suspicion of a political deal to benefit the businessman.

(dpa/NAN)