The disgraced 65-year-old economist found himself back in the dock — this time in the northern French city of Lille — accused of being at the centre of a vice ring which hired prostitutes for sex parties in Brussels, Paris and Washington.
Former presidential hopeful
Their probe found that DSK was the "king of the party," and they are seeking to prove his mere presence gave rise to prostitution as his entourage organised the evenings according to his schedule.
Those attending the gatherings described "carnage with a heap of mattresses on the floor", with DSK the focus of several women at a time in an atmosphere more of "pure sexual consummation" than a typical swinger's party.
Before the trial proper begins, the court will on Monday deal with a host of procedural applications, such as one for the trial to take place behind closed doors from one of the prostitutes testifying.
The first to take the stand among the 14 accused on Tuesday will be the Carlton's former public relations manager Rene Kojfer who is accused of organising prostitutes for "well-connected men", often setting them up in his hotel.
He is also accused of doing publicity for another accused, a pimp who owns a string of brothels near the French border in Belgium, where rules are more lax.
Dominique Alderweireld, nicknamed "Dodo la Saumure" — which loosely translates as Dodo the Mackerel, the French slang for pimp — is accused of procuring prostitutes for Kojfer, some of whom were employed at the orgies attended by DSK.
Strauss-Kahn will be in court for the start of the trial and will be cross-examined from February 10.
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