IMF Chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn Charged With Rape, Sexual Abuse, Unlawful Imprisonment

May 16, 2011— -- International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn allegedly forced a New York City hotel housekeeper to perform oral sex and submit to anal sex, in addition to allegedly attempting to rape her, according to a complaint filed today by the office of Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance.

The complaint charges Strauss-Kahn with two counts of criminal sexual acts in the first degree, one count of attempted rape, sexual abuse in the first degree, unlawful imprisonment, sexual abuse in the third degree and forcible touching.

The complaint says he forcibly touched the housekeeper's breasts, attempted to pull off her panty hose, twice "forcibly made contact with his penis and the informant's mouth" and that "the defendant engaged in oral sexual conduct and anal sexual conduct with another person by forcible compulsion."

Strauss-Kahn sat briefly next together alleged criminals at the Criminal Court building at 100 Centre Street this morning who were brought in to be arraigned on such charges as crack possession or trespassing.

Looking haggard and wearing a raincoat over the clothing he has worn since his arrest Saturday evening, Strauss-Kahn spent a few moments in court before court officers removed him to a holding pen in the back as the judge, Melissa Jackson, worked her way through a docket that included no other bold-face names.

Strauss-Kahn has yet to enter a plea, but his attorney, Ben Brafman, told the court today that his client had a "very important" incentive to clear his name.

He added that it was inaccurate to say Strauss-Kahn rushed to the airport, where he was sitting on an airplane when he was arrested. Brafman said his client had been at a several-hours-long lunch appointment between the time of the alleged incident and the flight from Kennedy Airport.

Brafman also argued that the evidence was inconsistent with a forced encounter. He said his client was willing to stay with his daughter, who lives in New York City, as he defends himself against the charges, but the district attorney had asked that he be held in jail.

The IMF head and possible contender for the French presidency was arrested Saturday after a New York hotel maid went to police, alleging that she was assaulted in Strauss-Kahn's luxury hotel suite.

Strauss-Kahn's attorney said outside a Manhattan court house Sunday that his client is innocent. Strauss-Kahn is "tired and intends to vigorously defend the charges," said Ben Brafman, who has represented pop stars Michael Jackson and Jay-Z.

His attorneys confirmed that Strauss-Kahn agreed to undergo a forensic imaging exam to examine his body for scratches or the accuser's DNA. Police escorted Strauss-Kahn at 11:20 p.m. Sunday from the Harlem Special Victims Unit to a Brooklyn hospital where he voluntarily underwent the testing.

Afterward he was taken to Manhattan central booking at 100 Centre Street for prearraignment processing.

The delay in Strauss-Kahn's arraignment was caused by police seeking a search warrant to examine his body and the timing of the exam.

He is expected to be arraigned no earlier than 11 a.m. today on charges of attempted rape, criminal sexual assault and unlawful imprisonment.

The so-called "perp walk" in which defendants are marched from police stations for all to see, is common here but illegal in France. The French "Guigou" law passed June 15, 2000 (named after a French politician) to protect people's "presumption of innocence" by barring the release of images of the accused in handcuffs without their consent.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, head of the International Monetary Fund, is lead from a police station Sunday, May 15, 2011 in New York where he was being held.

Strauss-Kahn, a man considered a likely French presidential candidate, was initially taken into custody at New York's John F. Kennedy airport Saturday after the hotel maid told police of the alleged attempted sexual assault earlier that day.

The maid identified Strauss-Kahn out of a police lineup on Sunday, NYPD sources told ABC News.

Police say at 1 p.m., the hotel housekeeper entered room 2806 at Sofitel in Manhattan -- a luxury $3,000-per-night, multi-room suite -- when Strauss-Kahn allegedly walked out of his bathroom naked and forced himself on the 32-year-old woman.

As she was in the foyer, "he came out of the bathroom, fully naked, and attempted to sexually assault her," NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said.

According to her account, Browne said, Strauss-Kahn grabbed her "and pulls her into the bedroom and onto the bed." He locked the door to the suite, Browne said.

"She fights him off, and he then drags her down the hallway to the bathroom, where he sexually assaults her a second time," Browne added.

Strauss-Kahn, 62, was taken into custody at around 4:30 p.m. Saturday as he was sitting in the first-class section of a Paris-bound Air France jet at John F. Kennedy International Airport, just as the doors were closing for takeoff.

He was sitting quietly in his seat when police entered the plane, police sources said.

Detectives from the New York Police Department picked up the IMF president from Port Authority police and took him to midtown for questioning.

After nearly 10 hours in police custody, during which time he didn't speak a word to detectives, police said, he was formally arrested at 2:15 a.m. Sunday on charges of a criminal sex act, attempted rape and unlawful imprisonment.

Strauss-Kahn, who is known to many around the world simply as "DSK," was leaving New York to attend a meeting in Berlin on Sunday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel regarding aid to debt-laden Greece -- the IMF is responsible for one-third of Greece's current loan package.

Browne said the maid notified hotel managers of the alleged assault and the hotel called 911.

Emergency Medical Service responded to the location and transported the female to a local hospital where she was treated and released.

Law enforcement officials said that at some point after the maid had informed the hotel and police of Strauss-Kahn's alleged crimes he called the hotel to get his phone back.

A hotel security official asked for his location in order to return it, and then passed on his location at JFK to the authorities.

"It appeared he left in a hurry," Browne said.

Authorities said the hotel maid's account "is credible."

Strauss-Kahn is a father of four and is married to his third wife, American-born French television journalist Anne Sinclair.

"I do not believe for a single second the accusations leveled against my husband," said Sinclair in a statement translated from French. She is appealing for "restraint and decency" while investigations take place.

Strauss-Kahn took over as head of the IMF in November 2007.

This incident is not his first brush with controversy during his tenure.

In 2008 Strauss-Kahn had an affair with a Hungarian economist and later admitted he made an "error of judgment." For years he has had a reputation in France as a ladies' man, and has been nicknamed "the great seducer."

William Murray, an IMF spokesman, told ABC News that First Deputy Managing Director John Lipsky will be acting chief while Strauss-Kahn is away. Lipsky had recently announced his plans to forgo seeking a second term and resign when his term ends Aug. 31, 2011.

The IMF released a statement on its website Sunday acknowledging Strauss-Kahn's arrest.

"IMF Managing Director Strauss-Kahn was arrested in New York City. Mr. Strauss-Kahn has retained legal counsel, and the IMF has no comment on the case; all inquiries will be referred to his personal lawyer and to the local authorities. The IMF remains fully functioning and operational," Caroline Atkinson, Director of External Relations at the International Monetary Fund said in a statement.

According to senior police officials Strauss-Kahn has no diplomatic immunity, despite his position with the IMF, which makes him technically an administrative official with the United Nations.

Strauss-Kahn was in New York on private business when the incident allegedly occurred, so any diplomatic immunity would apparently not apply in the case.

Michael Murray contributed to this report.