Strauss-Kahn, NY maid settle assault case for '$6 million'

Former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn has reportedly settled out of court with the woman who accused him of sexually assaulting her in a luxury New York City hotel last May. French media reported on Friday that the two will settle for $6 million (4.6 million euros), an agreement that would end the 18-month-long saga that brought down one of France's most prominent political figures.

Strauss-Kahn was tipped to win this year's French presidential election before being handcuffed by New York City police in May 2011. He reached the deal with Nafissitou Diallo, a former Sofitel hotel maid, within recent days, the New York Times and NBC television first revealed on Thursday.

The Associated Press said that a court date between the two parties had been set for sometime next week. All of the news outlets that reported the settlement quoted unidentified sources.

Lawyers for Strauss-Kahn and Diallo have refused to comment publicly on the alleged agreement between their clients since the media reported it, and there has been no confirmation from authorities.

After Strauss-Kahn's 2011 arrest, the Manhattan district attorney's office decided to prosecute the disgraced IMF chief on sexual assault charges, but within six weeks dropped the case, saying Diallo lied about parts of the incident and suggesting that her testimony would not stand up before a jury.

Diallo then sued Strauss-Kahn in New York civil court. He called the lawsuit defamatory and countersued her for $1 million (€770,000).

The prominent Frenchman also faced a string of separate sex-related investigations upon his return home. On Wednesday, a French court said it would rule December 19 on whether to proceed with a probe into Strauss-Kahn's involvement in a prostitution ring.

Strauss-Kahn`s lawyers have repeatedly said they would not settle out of court with Diallo, branding her an opportunist. Diallo's lawyers have also insisted several times that her client is only interested in facing her attacker in court.

(FRANCE 24 with wires)