Dominique Strauss-Kahn to face pimping charges

The former head of the International Monetary Fund who was accused of sexually assaulting a cleaner at a New York hotel in 2010 is set to face new charges that he profited financially from a prostitution ring based out of a French hotel, prosecutors say.

A lawyer for the French politician told Reuters Friday his client will soon be charged in connection with an investigation into a rumoured prostitution ring centred in the Hotel Carlton in the French town of Lille.

Strauss-Kahn has acknowledged attending events at the hotel, but says he didn't know any of the people in attendance were prostitutes.

The charges stem back to 2012 at least, but prosecutors confirmed Friday they have no intention of letting the charges drop and plan to bring the matter through the courts.

Strauss-Kahn first gained wider notoriety in 2010 when a member of the cleaning staff at a hotel in New York City accused him of sexual assault. Those criminal charges were eventually dropped, but Strauss-Kahn is believed to have settled a civil suit with the cleaner out of court.