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Turism&Travel : Former IMF chief's pad becomes tourist hot spot

Wednesday 25 May 2011

The New York apartment where disgraced former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn is under house arrest in has become a tourist attraction.

Strauss-Kahn was released from jail on Friday.

He was expected to stay in the apartment in Manhattan for a few days until permanent housing could be found, as he defends himself against charges of attempting to rape a maid in a New York hotel.

A trial may be six months or more away.

A private security company arranged the temporary housing, which Strauss-Kahn is footing at $US200,000 a month.

Meanwhile, outsided the apartment satellite trucks lined the block, and scores of reporters and photographers waited for a glimpse of the man who until a week ago was one of the most powerful financial figures in the world.

Strauss-Kahn resigned as head of the International Monetary Fund on Thursday.

He was once a strong contender to be the next president of France, now French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde is seen as the leading contender to succeed him.

Strauss-Kahn was detained by by NY police just hours after the alleged attack at the Sofitel hotel in Manhattan.

He is due to reappear in court on June 6, when he will formally answer the charges.

He denies the sexual assault accusations made by the maid, a 32-year-old widow from Guinea. If convicted, he could face 25 years in prison.

Word of the new tenant at 71 Broadway quickly spread. Curious pedestrians questioned police officers stationed at the entrance and took pictures of the media.

A guide on a tour bus heading down the street could be heard on a microphone pointing out the building as the one where Strauss-Kahn was staying.

Some neighbours seemed less than thrilled, complaining about the added security and throngs of media.

"I don't like all of this," said Ian Horowitz, 29, a resident who works in finance.

"I don't like all the attention and all the people outside."

A deal to have Strauss-Kahn stay in an apartment on the city's Upper East Side fell through after the media besieged the building.

Source: tvnz.co.nz
Autor: eTurboNews
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