愛德華茲因非法使用競選捐款被起訴

A federal grand jury has indicted former U.S. Senator and presidential candidate John Edwards on charges he violated campaign finance laws by using political donations to keep an extramarital affair secret.

The case includes six counts: one count of conspiracy, four counts of illegal campaign contributions and one count of false statements. It was filed on Friday in Edwards' home state of North Carolina.

Reports that Edwards' lawyer, Gregory Craig, would be in North Carolina Friday had fueled speculation that federal prosecutors were ready to indict Edwards or were negotiating a plea agreement with him in order to avoid a trial. Edwards resides in North Carolina and was elected to the U.S. Senate from there in 1998.

The case centers on money paid to Edwards' mistress, Rielle Hunter, with whom he fathered a child, and to a former aide, Andrew Young, who previously claimed paternity of the girl.

The money came from two wealthy supporters of Edwards' 2008 presidential campaign, and prosecutors say the funds should have been reported as campaign donations. His lawyers said he did not break the law. They said the money was a gift that was intended to keep the affair secret from his wife, Elizabeth.

Elizabeth Edwards died last year after a long battle with cancer.一個聯邦大陪審團向美國前參議員兼總統候選人約翰.愛德華茲提出起訴，指控他違反競選資金法，使用競選捐款來掩蓋自己的婚外情。這起案件包括6項指控，一項指控陰謀罪，4項指控非法使用競選捐款以及一項指控虛假陳述。

對愛德華茲的訴訟按是星期五在愛德華茲居住的北卡羅來納州提出的。

有報道說，愛德華茲的律師克雷格星期五來到北卡羅來納州。這個消息讓人們進一步相信聯邦檢察官已經準備起訴愛德華茲，或者正在跟愛德華茲方面談判以達成某種避免開庭審判的交易。

愛德華茲家住北卡羅來納州，1998年在該州當選美國國會參議員。

這起案件的關鍵在於有一筆錢支付給了愛德華茲的情婦亨特以及他的前任助手安德魯.揚。愛德華茲和亨特育有一女，安德魯.揚此前曾聲稱是這個女孩的父親。

這筆錢來自支持愛德華茲2008年總統競選的兩位富人。檢察官說，這筆錢應該作爲競選捐助呈報。愛德華茲的律師說，他並沒有違法。他們說，這筆錢是用來對愛德華茲的妻子伊麗莎白隱瞞這段婚外情。伊麗莎白身患癌症多年，於去年去世。