The Department of Justice has said criminal charges could be brought against former presidential candidate and North Carolina senator John Edwards for allegedly using campaign donations to cover up his affair with Rielle Hunter. NBC News reports that while prosecutors are moving toward an indictment, it is still possible that a plea agreement could be reached.c 

Federal authorities have been investigating whether Edwards illegally spent 2008 campaign money to hide his relationship with Hunter, one of his videographers, and whether some $1 million, provided by wealthy donors to keep her hidden amounts to illegal contributions. More than a dozen witnesses have testified before a federal jury in Raleigh, N.C., over the past two years. 

The government's key witness in the case against Edwards is Andrew Young, a former aide. Young provided 50 voice messages to prosecutors that allegedly reveal Edwards directing the cover up. Rielle Hunter, then pregnant with Edwards' child, was hidden in lavish homes and flown around on a private jet. Young also claims that Edwards agreed in the middle of 2007 to solicit money directly from Rachel "Bunny" Mellon, the 100 year-old widow of banking heir Paul Mellon. Young has said Edwards received hundreds of thousands of dollars in checks from Mellon, some of them hidden in boxes of chocolate.c 

Both the indictment or plea bargain is imminent, possibly within the next two weeks.