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| Dominique Strauss-Kahn Acquitted of Pimping Charges | Dominique Strauss-Kahn Acquitted of Pimping Charges |
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| PARIS — Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former head of the International Monetary Fund, was acquitted on Friday of aggravated pimping charges, bringing to a close a nearly four-year legal battle that captivated France and shined an uncomfortable spotlight on the sexual activities of rich and powerful men. | PARIS — Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former head of the International Monetary Fund, was acquitted on Friday of aggravated pimping charges, bringing to a close a nearly four-year legal battle that captivated France and shined an uncomfortable spotlight on the sexual activities of rich and powerful men. |
| Mr. Strauss-Kahn, 66, was charged in 2012 of “aggravated procurement in a group,” or pimping, and of using a network of friends and subordinates to organize lavish sex parties with prostitutes. A year earlier, he was accused and later cleared of assaulting a housekeeper at a hotel in New York. | |
| Once a strong contender for the French presidency, Mr. Strauss-Kahn faced up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to 1.5 million euros, or about $1.7 million, if convicted. In France, having sex with prostitutes is not illegal but soliciting and pimping are. | Once a strong contender for the French presidency, Mr. Strauss-Kahn faced up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to 1.5 million euros, or about $1.7 million, if convicted. In France, having sex with prostitutes is not illegal but soliciting and pimping are. |
| Judges in Lille, in northern France, where some of the parties were organized at the Carlton Hotel, acquitted Mr. Strauss-Kahn, arguing that he was not the “instigator” of the orgies and that there was no evidence that he knew that some of the women there were prostitutes. | Judges in Lille, in northern France, where some of the parties were organized at the Carlton Hotel, acquitted Mr. Strauss-Kahn, arguing that he was not the “instigator” of the orgies and that there was no evidence that he knew that some of the women there were prostitutes. |
| The ruling was widely expected. In 2013, the Lille prosecutor recommended that the charges be dropped, but he was overruled by investigating magistrates who decided to proceed. At the end of the trial, the same prosecutor asked for Mr. Strauss-Kahn’s acquittal. | The ruling was widely expected. In 2013, the Lille prosecutor recommended that the charges be dropped, but he was overruled by investigating magistrates who decided to proceed. At the end of the trial, the same prosecutor asked for Mr. Strauss-Kahn’s acquittal. |
| During the trial, in February, Mr. Strauss-Kahn acknowledged that he was present at the sex parties, which took place in Lille, Paris and Washington and were attended by lawyers, judges, police officials and journalists, according to prosecutors. | |
| But he vehemently denied that he had played a part in organizing them or that he knew that some of the women present were prostitutes. | But he vehemently denied that he had played a part in organizing them or that he knew that some of the women present were prostitutes. |
| Thirteen other defendants stood trial, including a former Lille police chief, several local businessmen, and Dominique Alderweireld, a sex club owner with the nickname Dodo la Saumure, most of whom were accused of facilitating the hiring of prostitutes for the parties. | Thirteen other defendants stood trial, including a former Lille police chief, several local businessmen, and Dominique Alderweireld, a sex club owner with the nickname Dodo la Saumure, most of whom were accused of facilitating the hiring of prostitutes for the parties. |
| Several of them were convicted of fraud and financial crimes linked to the organization of the sex parties, but all except one were acquitted of the pimping charges. Only René Kojfer, the former head of public relations at the Carlton Hotel, was sentenced to a one-year suspended prison sentence for pimping. | Several of them were convicted of fraud and financial crimes linked to the organization of the sex parties, but all except one were acquitted of the pimping charges. Only René Kojfer, the former head of public relations at the Carlton Hotel, was sentenced to a one-year suspended prison sentence for pimping. |
| Mr. Strauss-Kahn told the court in February that he would never have attended the parties if he had been aware that some of the women there were prostitutes, particularly given his position at the I.M.F. and his political ambitions. “It would have been far too dangerous,” he said, noting that prostitutes could have been susceptible to “pressures.” | Mr. Strauss-Kahn told the court in February that he would never have attended the parties if he had been aware that some of the women there were prostitutes, particularly given his position at the I.M.F. and his political ambitions. “It would have been far too dangerous,” he said, noting that prostitutes could have been susceptible to “pressures.” |
| Mr. Strauss-Kahn sought instead to characterize the parties as sex between multiple and consensual partners, in a spirit of libertinage. Before the trial, a lawyer for Mr. Strauss-Kahn argued that without clothes, it was impossible to tell the difference at an orgy between a prostitute and a naked socialite. | Mr. Strauss-Kahn sought instead to characterize the parties as sex between multiple and consensual partners, in a spirit of libertinage. Before the trial, a lawyer for Mr. Strauss-Kahn argued that without clothes, it was impossible to tell the difference at an orgy between a prostitute and a naked socialite. |
| At the opening of the trial, Judge Bernard Lemaire said that the court was not an arbiter of public morality and was only adjudicating whether laws had been broken. But for many in France, where the private lives of public figures are often considered sacrosanct, the case crossed a threshold, as Mr. Strauss-Kahn’s self-described “rough” sexuality was publicly discussed and dissected in court. | At the opening of the trial, Judge Bernard Lemaire said that the court was not an arbiter of public morality and was only adjudicating whether laws had been broken. But for many in France, where the private lives of public figures are often considered sacrosanct, the case crossed a threshold, as Mr. Strauss-Kahn’s self-described “rough” sexuality was publicly discussed and dissected in court. |
| Two of the prostitutes who testified in court described Mr. Strauss-Kahn’s sometimes brutal sexual practices, but they acknowledged that money had never been spoken of and that they had never told him about their profession. | Two of the prostitutes who testified in court described Mr. Strauss-Kahn’s sometimes brutal sexual practices, but they acknowledged that money had never been spoken of and that they had never told him about their profession. |
| Several plaintiffs withdrew their claims for damages in the final stages of the trial, saying there was not enough evidence, but stated that they were happy the case had fostered debate about France’s prostitution laws. | Several plaintiffs withdrew their claims for damages in the final stages of the trial, saying there was not enough evidence, but stated that they were happy the case had fostered debate about France’s prostitution laws. |
| On Friday, as the judges read their ruling, the lower house of the French Parliament debated a bill on prostitution that would decriminalize soliciting but would make it illegal to buy sex. The bill has shuttled between the two houses of Parliament since 2013 but might not go to a final vote before several months. | On Friday, as the judges read their ruling, the lower house of the French Parliament debated a bill on prostitution that would decriminalize soliciting but would make it illegal to buy sex. The bill has shuttled between the two houses of Parliament since 2013 but might not go to a final vote before several months. |
| Mr. Strauss-Kahn saw his presidential ambitions dashed in May 2011, when he was accused of assaulting a housekeeper at the Sofitel hotel in New York and had to resign as head of the I.M.F. | Mr. Strauss-Kahn saw his presidential ambitions dashed in May 2011, when he was accused of assaulting a housekeeper at the Sofitel hotel in New York and had to resign as head of the I.M.F. |
| Although the charges were later dropped and a civil suit ended with a settlement, Mr. Strauss-Kahn was then entangled in the prostitution ring investigation. His political career never recovered from the scandals, but he has striven to rehabilitate his public image, working in investment banking and as a consultant to countries including Serbia. | Although the charges were later dropped and a civil suit ended with a settlement, Mr. Strauss-Kahn was then entangled in the prostitution ring investigation. His political career never recovered from the scandals, but he has striven to rehabilitate his public image, working in investment banking and as a consultant to countries including Serbia. |