IMF chief and possible French presidential contender Dominique Strauss-Kahn was arrested and charged with an alleged sexual assault, including an attempted rape, on a hotel maid in New York City, police said on Sunday.
Browne said Strauss-Kahn was formally arrested at 2:15am (0615 GMT) on Sunday on charges of criminal sexual act, attempted rape and unlawful imprisonment.
According to New York state law, a criminal sexual act includes forcibly compelling someone to engage in oral sex. The offence carries a potential sentence of 15-20 years, the same as attempted rape. Unlawful imprisonment carries a potential sentence of three to five years.
The allegation will be a major worldwide embarrassment to the IMF, which has authorized billions of dollars in lending programs to troubled countries and has played a major role in the euro zone debt crisis.
After being removed from the aircraft's first-class section, he was taken to the police department's Special Victims Unit in Manhattan.
IMF chief and possible French presidential contender Dominique Strauss-Kahn was arrested and charged with an alleged sexual assault, including an attempted rape, on a hotel maid in New York City, police said on Sunday.
Browne said Strauss-Kahn was formally arrested at 2:15am (0615 GMT) on Sunday on charges of criminal sexual act, attempted rape and unlawful imprisonment.
According to New York state law, a criminal sexual act includes forcibly compelling someone to engage in oral sex. The offence carries a potential sentence of 15-20 years, the same as attempted rape. Unlawful imprisonment carries a potential sentence of three to five years.
The allegation will be a major worldwide embarrassment to the IMF, which has authorized billions of dollars in lending programs to troubled countries and has played a major role in the euro zone debt crisis.
After being removed from the aircraft's first-class section, he was taken to the police department's Special Victims Unit in Manhattan.