Lawyers rally for Strauss-Kahn

New York - Representatives of former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn are not in contact with the hotel housekeeper he is charged with trying to rape or her family, his lawyers said on Wednesday.

Media reports that representatives of Strauss-Kahn contacted the woman or her family were false, his lawyers William Taylor and Ben Brafman said in a statement.

“We continue to believe that Mr Strauss-Kahn will be fully exonerated,” they said.

The New York Post newspaper said on Tuesday that friends of Strauss-Kahn reached out to the woman's extended family in the West African nation of Guinea, because they were unable to contact her in New York, in a bid to pay them money to try to keep the woman quiet about her accusations.

The report was widely picked up by other media.

Strauss-Kahn, who is under house arrest in New York, has denied charges of a criminal sexual act, attempted rape, sexual abuse, unlawful imprisonment and forcible touching.

Strauss-Kahn resigned as managing director of the International Monetary Fund after his arrest. He is due to appear in court again on June 6. - Reuters