Dominique Strauss-Kahn trial near to "collapse"

Reports also cite an official who is familiar with the case saying the issue was not necessarily about the rape accusation itself, but rather questions surrounding the alleged victim's background that could damage her credibility on the witness stand.

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Strauss-Kahn has vehemently denied the accusations of rape and his lawyers have suggested that they had evidence calling into question the veracity of the housekeeper's account, but until now details about the nature of the evidences have remained vague.

Lawyers for the maid - who is not being named - were unavailable for comment last night.

She has already testified before a grand jury about the charges in New York and convinced them of the merits of her case.

When stories first emerged that Strauss-Kahn's lawyers intended to argue the woman had consensual sex with Strauss-Kahn, her former lawyer Jeffrey Shapiro said: "There was nothing about any aspect of this encounter between this young woman and the defendant which was remotely consensual or could be construed as consensual, either physical contact or sexual contact."

Strauss-Kahn has not disputed having a sexual encounter with the women, but always insisted it was consensual and the New york newspaper now says that police tape recorded a telephone conversation between the woman and a man in prison made on the day of the alleged rape in which the woman talked about the possible financial benefits that could come to her as a result of pursuing charges against Strauss-Kahn.

The New York Times also reports the investigation has also found deposits made into her bank account totalling $100,000 over the last two years, some of which came from the man, a convicted drug dealer.

If the case against Strauss-Kahn does collapse, it is likely to raise questions about what has happened to him and his future prospects. Strauss-Kahn was arrested days before he was expected to announce his bid for the French Presidential elections in 2012. The ex-IMF boss was a favourite in the run and the only opposition political figure thought to be capable of dethroning the current president.

If the trial does collapse, conspiracy theories will also run high as when the allegations of a rape first surfaced, polls showed that 60% of French voters thought it was a political conspiracy against him.

Legal experts have questioned the women credibility for weeks, especially after her original lawyer, Jeffrey Shapiro, and renowned civil rights lawyer, Norman Siegel, decided to stop working with her and have since then repeatedly declined to comment about the background to the decisions.