International Monetary Fund executive board backs Christine Lagarde over corruption probe

WASHINGTON: The executive board of International Monetary Fund (IMF) has expressed full confidence in its Managing Director Christine Lagarde facing corruption charges in France.

"As we have said before, it would not be appropriate to comment on a case that has been and is currently before the French judiciary," the IMF Board said in a statement.

"However, the Executive Board has been briefed on recent developments related to this matter and continues to express its confidence in the Managing Director's ability to effectively carry out her duties," it added.

The highest decision making body of IMF met at its headquarters here in the wake of the corruption charges that have surfaced against its chief.

Lagarde briefed about the charges levelled against her. The IMF official is under a formal investigation by a French court over a multi-million-euro corruption case relating to her time as French finance minister in 2008.