In her first televised interview, Sofitel maid Nafissatou “Nafi” Diallo tells Robin Roberts of “Good Morning America” details of her allegations against the former International Monetary Fund (IMF) head, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, and describes her initial shock in learning Strauss-Kahn’s identity.
“I was watching on the news … and they said he was going to be the next president of France,” said Diallo, “and I said, ‘Oh, my God … They’re going to kill me. I’m going to die!”
Diallo’s character is under intense scrutiny, and her ties to individuals with criminal records have led many observers to question whether her claims are simply an attempt to gain financially from consensual sex with a rich and powerful man. Among the many accusations being made against her is that she is a prostitute infected with AIDS . Prosecutors have said the case against Strauss-Kahn has been “weakened” because of issues with her past, including the fact that she lied on her asylum application to the United States.
An interesting new development in the story is that Strauss-Khan was accused of attempted rape in 2003 by Tristane Banon, a young French journalist who says she went to his apartment to interview him for a book she was writing and was attacked. Banon said Strauss-Khan had come after her like “a chimpanzee in rut.” Her description of events in Strauss-Khan’s apartment the day she says he tried to rape her sounds much like Diallo’s, who described him as a “crazy man” who wrestled her to the bed when she entered his hotel room to provide housekeeping services.
On Monday, July 26, investigators questioned French television news anchor Patrick Poivre d’Arvor, in whom Banon said she confided when the attack against her allegedly happened. Strauss-Khan also denies attacking Banon.
–kathleen cross
