International Monetary Fund chief faces prison sentence

(Baonghean.vn)- French judges on December 19 declared Christine Lagarde, Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), guilty of “negligence” regarding her role in the controversial payment of 400 million euros to a businessman. With this declaration, Ms. Lagarde could face a one-year prison sentence and a fine of 13,000 euros.

Christine Lagarde denies the allegations against her. Photo: Getty.

Judges found Ms. Lagarde guilty of negligence in a 400 million euro state compensation payment to a businessman while she was French finance minister in 2008. Ms. Lagarde has denied the charges, and her lawyer said she would immediately appeal.

The court's announcement is likely to spark a new crisis in IMF leadership after Ms. Lagarde's predecessor, Mr. Dominique Strauss-Khan, resigned in 2011 over his involvement in a sexual abuse scandal.

Immediately after the court's announcement, an IMF spokesman said, "The IMF Board has had discussions about developments related to Ms. Lagarde's legal proceedings in France. The Board is scheduled to hold a meeting soon to consider recent developments."

Lan Ha

(According to Independent)