Christine Lagarde's 'allegiance' letter to Nicolas Sarkozy: 'use me' Critics described the letter as a pledge of allegiance and is reported to have been written during the 2007 French Presidential campaign, when she held a relatively minor post. The letter was leaked to French newspaper Le Monde, and its publication has caused acute embarrassment for the head of the IMF. Ms Lagarde was finance minister during Mr Sarkozy's term as President, before stepping down to become managing director of the Washington-based IMF in 2011. Her Paris flat was raided as part of an investigation into her handling of a 2008 compensation payment to a businessman supporter of ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy, her lawyer said. Police are investigating claims that Lagarde, when French Finance Minister under Sarkozy, acted illegally in approving the €285m arbitration payout to Bernard Tapie. Ms Lagarde denies any wrongdoing. Mr Tapie, a controversial business figure, went to prison for match-fixing during his time as president of French football club Olympique Marseille. Prosecutors working for the Court of Justice of the Republic suspect the arbitration was payback for supporting Mr Sarkozy in the 2007 presidential election. The massive payout enabled Mr Tapie to clear his huge debts and tax liabilities, and reportedly left him with up to €40m. Ms Lagarde has insisted the arbitration was vital to close a costly dispute, and has always denied having acted under orders from Sarkozy