WASHINGTON – Former US Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards has been indicted for using nearly $1 million in illegal campaign funds to help cover up an extramarital affair during his bid for the White House.
In a fall from grace for a man once expected to go far in American politics, Mr Edwards (57) was charged yesterday with six counts, including conspiracy, illegal campaign contributions and making false statements, according to the federal indictment.
“Mr Edwards is alleged to have accepted more than $900,000 in an effort to conceal from the public facts that he believed would harm his candidacy,” said Lanny Breuer, assistant attorney general for the justice department’s criminal division.
Mr Edwards made a brief appearance in US District Court in Winston-Salem and afterwards told reporters he was innocent.
“There’s no question that I’ve done wrong and I take full responsibility for having done wrong and I will regret for the rest of my life the pain and the harm that I’ve caused to others,” he said, “but I did not break the law and I never, ever thought that I was breaking the law.”
Each count carries a sentence of up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. – (Reuters)