Lagarde Takes Stand a Final Time in Paris Negligence Trial
- IMF chief tells judges that she acted in the public interest
- Verdict will be issued Monday afternoon by Cour de Justice
Christine Lagarde on Dec. 12.
Photographer: Jasper Juinen/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
On the final day of her trial on decade-old negligence charges, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde told a Paris court that she was diligent and acted in the public interest when she handled a multi-million euro dispute during her time as France’s finance minister.
Lagarde told the court, which specializes in ministerial misconduct, that she carefully weighed her options before sending the case to arbitration. That decision led to a massive government payout to businessman Bernard Tapie, and she was also criticized for not seeking an annulment of the award.