The trial has begun of a woman charged with the murder of Edouard Stern, one of the richest men in France and once tipped to be in line for the role of head of investment bank Lazard. Stern's body was discovered in his Geneva penthouse in 2005 clad in latex after being shot four times. His mistress Cecille Brossard confessed to killing him in a sex game.

According to a report by news agency AP, Brossard begged Stern's family's forgiveness at the start of the trial at Geneva's Court of Assizes yesterday.