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               IMF Chief Named Key Witness In French Payoff Case

   A French court has decided not to formally investigate IMF chief
   Christine Lagarde over her role in a controversial payoff while she was
   finance minister but did name her as a key witness in the continuing
   probe.
   The court`s action Friday came after prosecutors questioned Lagarde for
   two days about her 2007 decision that led to the payment of about $500
   million to settle a legal battle between the state and a close friend
   of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
   Her status as key witness in the corruption probe leaves open the
   possibility that Lagarde could be charged at a later date if new
   evidence comes to light.
   Lagarde issued a statement Friday saying she was able to provide
   information to demonstrate that she always acted in the best public
   interest and in accordance with the law.
   The payment was made to businessman Bernard Tapie as part of a private
   arbitration process to settle a dispute with state-owned bank Credit
   Lyonnais over a failed sale of Adidas in the 1990s.
   Investigators opened an inquiry in 2011 into possible charges of
   complicity to embezzlement of public funds.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/imf-chief-named-key-witness-in-french
   -payoff-case/1668050.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/imf-chief-named-key-witness-in-french-payoff-case/1668050.html