IMF's Lagarde to be tried over payout

 

 

The head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, will stand trial over a state payout to the French tycoon Bernard Tapie, an appeals court has ruled.

She is charged with negligence over the award to Mr Tapie of €404m ($438m; £294m) in 2008 when she was France's economy minister.
Ms Lagarde had appealed against a lower court ruling from December.
She is now expected to appear before a special court for government ministers.
The case stems from Mr Tapie's sale of the sports equipment company, Adidas, which was handled by the state-owned bank, Credit Lyonnais.

 

The businessman claimed he was defrauded by the bank and received too little from the sale in the 1990s.
Ms Lagarde was responsible for appointing an arbitration panel, rather than the courts, to decide on the dispute.
She has always denied any wrongdoing, saying she acted in the interest of the state and with respect for the law.