U.S. sources say federal investigators and prosecutors are recommending felony criminal charges against former CIA Director David Petraeus for allegedly disclosing classified information to his former mistress.
The recommendation, reported Friday by The New York Times, came more than two years after Petraeus, a retired four-star army general, quit the top intelligence post as news circulated of his extramarital affair.
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder will ultimately decide whether to seek an indictment.
The probe focused on whether Petraeus gave biographer and mistress Paula Broadwell access to classified information — including access to his CIA email account — during his two-year stint as intelligence chief.
FBI agents probing potential security leaks discovered classified documents on Broadwell's computer after Petraeus resigned in November 2012.
But Petraeus has denied passing classified information, and President Barack Obama, speaking shortly after the Petraeus resignation, said he had no evidence that the retired general had disclosed any information threatening national security.
The Times report said the delay in the decision on whether to pursue the case had frustrated some law enforcement officials and prosecutors.
It said questions arose about whether Petraeus, an Obama CIA appointee, had received preferential treatment at a time when Holder was leading a crackdown on government officials who disclose sensitive information to journalists.
