IMF Chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn Accused of Sexual Assault in New York

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the head of the International Monetary Fund and a man considered a likely French presidential candidate, was taken into custody at a New York airport Saturday after a hotel maid said he tried to sexually assault her.

Police say at 1:00 p.m. Eastern time, a hotel housekeeper entered room 2806 at Sofitel in Manhattan -- a luxury $3,000-per-night, multi-room suite -- when Strauss-Kahn allegedly walked out of his bathroom naked and forced himself on the 32-year-old woman.

Strauss-Kahn, 62, was arrested from the first-class section aboard an Air France jet at John F. Kennedy International Airport, just as the doors were closing for takeoff, on charges of a criminal sex act, attempted rape and unlawful imprisonment.

Strauss-Kahn's lawyer denies the attempted rape, according to The Associated Press.

Detectives from the New York Police Department picked up the IMF president from Port Authority police and took him to midtown for questioning.

Strauss-Kahn was leaving New York to attend a meeting in Berlin on Sunday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel regarding aid to debt-laden Greece -- the IMF is responsible for one-third of Greece's current loan package.

NYPD officials notified Port Authority police of the allegations against Strauss-Kahn and asked that they "take him off the plane," Deputy Police Commissioner Paul Browne told ABC News.

Browne said the maid notified hotel managers of the alleged assault and the hotel contacted police.

"She reported the attack to hotel officials who called police," Browne said.

When police arrived they found Strauss-Kahn's cell phone.

"It appeared he left in a hurry," Browne said.

Authorities said the hotel maid's account "is credible." She was taken by police to a hospital and was treated for minor injuries.

Strauss-Kahn is a father of four and married to his third wife, American-born French television journalist Anne Sinclair.

He took over as head of the IMF in November 2007, but this incident is not his first brush with controversy during his tenure. In 2008 Strauss-Kahn had an affair with a Hungarian economist and later admitted he made an "error of judgment."

According to senior police officials Strauss-Kahn has no diplomatic immunity, despite his position with the IMF, which makes him technically an administrative official with the United Nations.