Dominique Strauss-Kahn: Sex parties were only four times a year, not more than that
Former head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Dominique Strauss-Kahn said he only occasionally attended sex parties as he took the stand in his trial for aiding and assisting in the prostitution of seven women.
Strauss-Kahn is accused of aggravated pimping and involvement in a prostitution ring run from a luxury hotel in Lille, and could face up to 10 years behind bars if found guilty.
The 65-year-old, who was once considered a frontrunner to replace Nicolas Sarkozy as French president, has admitted attending high-level sex parties but says he was unaware the women he had sex with were prostitutes. He claimed he rarely attended the events as he had "political ambitions" and "other things to do".
Strauss-Kahn said:
When you read the criminal complaint you get the impression it was this frenetic activity. But it was four times a year, not more than that. It wasn’t this out-of-control activity.
A former prostitute who then took the stand said she “wasn’t happy with certain practices” ordered by Strauss-Kahn, but “consented because I needed the money”.
Strauss-Kahn has previously had three cases of attempted rape and sexual assault brought against him, but all have been dropped. Strauss-Kahn now works as a consultant to the Russian Regional Development bank since the enquiries against him brought an end to his political career.
Police detaind a Femen activist. (Source: Getty)
The former IMF chief was met with topless activists from the Femen protest group upon his arrival at the courthouse, one of whom tried to climb on his car and had the message "pimps, clients, guilty" scrawled across her chest.