Lawyer for Tristane Banon says writer will formally accuse ex-IMF chief of attempted rape at 2002 interview The lawyer for a French journalist and writer claims she will file a lawsuit accusing former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn of attempted rape. Lawyer David Koubbi told the Associated Press that Tristane Banon will file the suit on Tuesday in Paris. Banon has described an encounter several years ago in which Strauss-Kahn allegedly assaulted her. Strauss-Kahn was arrested in New York in May on charges that he tried to rape a hotel maid. Strauss-Kahn, who vigorously denied wrongdoing, was released without bail last week after questions emerged about the maid’s credibility. Koubbi had said in the past that they would not file a lawsuit until the US trial was finished. He said on Monday that they had decided to move forward now instead of waiting. Dominique Strauss-Kahn France Europe United States IMF guardian.co.uk