Newsweek | ABC News
The 32-year-old woman who accused Dominique Strauss-Kahn of sexual assault at the Sofitel hotel has publicly identified herself in interviews with Newsweek and ABC News.
Nafissatou Diallo spoke with Newsweek for more than three hours, the magazine reports, at her lawyers’ office.
Diallo says she gave the interview to NEWSWEEK to correct the misleading portrayal of her in the media. Her account of what happened has remained the same all along, she says. “I tell them about what this man do to me. It never changed. I know what this man do to me,” she says.
Strauss-Kahn’s lawyers say the interviews serve another purpose:
Ms. Diallo is the first accuser in history to conduct a media campaign to persuade a prosecutor to pursue charges against a person from whom she wants money. Her lawyers and public relations consultants have orchestrated an unprecedented number of media events and rallies to bring pressure on the prosecutors in this case after she had to admit her extraordinary efforts to mislead them. … Its obvious purpose is to inflame public opinion against a defendant in a pending criminal case.
Diallo also spoke with ABC’s Robin Roberts for an exclusive broadcast interview that will air on “Good Morning America,” “World News with Diane Sawyer” and “Nightline.”
“I never want to be in public but I have no choice,” Diallo told ABC News, adding “Now, I have to be in public. I have to, for myself. I have to tell the truth.”
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- Dominique Strauss-Kahn and Nafissatou Diallo appear on the latest cover of Newsweek magazine.
ABC News’s Jeffrey Schneider said “zero” compensation has been paid to Diallo or anyone acting on her behalf.
The Newsweek story carries two bylines. The first belongs to Christopher Dickey, who has written at least four stories about the Strauss-Kahn case for Newsweek/Daily Beast. The second byline belongs to John Solomon, who joined Newsweek/Daily Beast in June after a brief stint at the Center for Public Integrity. This story marks his first byline on the magazine’s website.
Prior to these interviews, news organizations had refrained from naming Diallo, as it is common practice to protect the privacy of accusers unless they choose to come forward.
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- ABC’s interview with Diallo aired Monday morning for the first time. (Heidi Gutman/ABC News)
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