International Monetary Fund chief faces prison sentence

(Baonghean.vn)- French judges on December 19 declared Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), guilty of “negligence” over 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 compensation payment from the state budget to a businessman while she was French finance minister in 2008. Ms Lagarde has denied the accusation, and her lawyer said she would appeal immediately.

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

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

Lan Ha

(According to Independent)