International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde has confirmed she is under official investigation for negligence in a French corruption probe that dates back to her days as finance minister.

Judges have ordered a Mediterranean villa and other assets to be seized from a French businessman at the centre of a fraud investigation that could weigh on ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy’s hopes of a comeback, sources said.

IMF chief Christine Lagarde faced questions at a special Paris court yesterday over her role in the €400m pay-off to a controversial businessman when she was France’s finance minister.

International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde faced questions at a special Paris court today over her role in the €400m pay-off to a controversial businessman when she was France’s finance minister.

International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde is facing questions at a special Paris court today over a controversial financial deal that she oversaw as French finance minister.

French authorities searched the Paris apartment of IMF chief Christine Lagarde yesterday in an investigation into her award of a 2008 arbitration payment to a businessman supporter of former president Nicolas Sarkozy, her lawyer said.

French investigators have searched IMF chief Christine Lagarde’s Paris home as part of an inquiry into her role in a £264m arbitration deal in favour of a tycoon.

French police have searched the home of IMF chief Christine Lagarde today as part of a fraud investigation involving the country's former Prime Minister.

IT seems to have been lost in the tumult surrounding Carlos Tevez’s apparent refusal to play, but Manchester City’s Champions League hopes are hanging by a thread after their meek surrender in Munich two weeks ago.

A FRENCH court ordered an investigation yesterday into possible misconduct by IMF head Christine Lagarde when, as finance minister, she approved a settlement to a businessman friend of President Nicolas Sarkozy.

A French court has decided to investigate new IMF chief Christine Lagarde’s role in a $400m (€280m) arbitration deal in favour of a controversial tycoon.

The new chief of the International Monetary Fund has won a legal reprieve when a French court delayed a decision on investigating her involvement in a €285m arbitration deal.

FRENCH judges may seek more time to decide on opening an inquiry into finance minister Christine Lagarde’s role in a 2008 arbitration payout, which could leave allegations of misconduct hanging over her bid to head the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Europe Correspondent Ann Cahill looks at the life of Christine Lagarde.

French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde has announced she will seek the top job at the International Monetary Fund.

France’s hard-working and chic finance minister, Christine Lagarde, has emerged as Europe’s likely candidate to lead the International Monetary Fund.

Allegations of sexual assault in a New York hotel have torn France’s presidential race asunder and savaged the reputation of the suave and self-assured Dominique Strauss-Kahn.

Former England striker Mark Hateley claims he was offered a financial incentive not to play for Rangers in a Champions League clash against Marseille in 1993.

Former Marseille president Bernard Tapie has led the tributes to the late Raymond Goethals by describing him as an “extraordinary man”.

CHRISTMAS was not a happy time at Olympique de Marseille. In France’s second city, crisis is a way of life, and not just football-wise.

DISGRACED former Marseilles chairman Bernard Tapie has dismissed allegations made by Tony Cascarino that he and his team-mates were injected with an unknown substance while he was a player with the French side.

FORMER Republic of Ireland striker Tony Cascarino claimed yesterday that he regularly received injections of unknown drugs to enhance his performance while playing for French club Olympique Marseille in the 1990s.