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Spanish prosecutor seeks four-and-a-half year sentence for ex-IMF chief Rato


    MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's public prosecutor said on Thursday it was pushing for a four-and-a-half year prison sentence for ex-International Monetary Fund chief Rodrigo Rato, who is being investigated over an expenses scandal during his time at Bankia.

    The case has yet to go to trial and the High Court is looking into whether there are grounds to take it further as it investigates allegations that Rato and other former Bankia executives misused company credit cards for personal expenses.

    Rato, also a former prominent politician from the centre-right People's Party and a one-time economy minister, was chief executive of Bankia shortly before it needed a state bailout in 2012. In a separate case, the High Court is looking into whether a 2011 flotation of Bankia, under Rato's tenure, was flawed.

    (Reporting by Sarah White, Editing by Angus MacSwan)

    Bankia