Former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer will not face any criminal charges for his role in a prostitution scandal which led to his resignation eight months ago.

Spitzer was caught on a wiretap arranging for 22-year-old prostitute Ashley Alexandra Dupré, aka Kristen, to travel from New York to Washington for a rendezvous at the Mayflower Hotel on the eve of St. Valentine’s Day.

U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia said Thursday that an investigation had found no evidence that Eliot Spitzer or his office had misused public or campaign funds for prostitution.

“On March 6, 2008, this office announced the filing of criminal charges related to an international prostitution ring known as the Emperors Club VIP”, Garcia said.

“The investigation which led to those charges began when this office learned of payments made in a questionable manner by former Governor Eliot Spitzer to a bank account in the name ‘QAT Consulting.’

“After the investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division, the office determined that the QAT Consulting account and a similar account at another financia linstitution had been used to launder more than $1 million worth of criminal proceeds derived from the Emperors Club VIP’s prostitution business”, Garcia said.

“Eliot Spitzer has acknowledged to the U.S. Attorney’s office that he was a client of, and made payments to, the Emperors Club VIP. Our investigation has shown that on multiple occasions, Eliot Spitzer arranged for women to travel from one state to another state to engage in prostitution. After a thorough investigation, this office has uncovered no evidence of misuse of public or campaign funds.

“In addition, we have determined that there is insufficient evidence to bring charges against Eliot Spitzer for any offense relating to the withdrawal of funds for, and his payments to, the Emperors Club VIP.

“In light of the policy of the Department of Justice with respect to prostitution offenses and the longstanding practice of this office, as well as Spitzer’s acceptance of responsibility for his conduct, we have concluded that the public interest would not be further advanced by filing criminal charges in this matter”, Garcia said.

In a statement released by Eliot Spitzer, the disgraced former Governor said that he appreciated “the impartiality and thoroughness of the investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and I acknowledge and accept responsibility for the conduct it disclosed. I resigned my position as Governor because I recognized that conduct was unworthy of an elected official. I once again apologize for my actions, and for the pain and disappointment those actions caused my family and the many people who supported me during my career in public life”.

According to an affidavit filed in the case, Spitzer had arranged for a “tryst” with Dupré allegedly having paid for her train tickets from New York to Washington, cab fare, hotel room and other expenses. Investigators say he had met her before for s*x, perhaps as many as seven times, and had paid out perhaps as much as $80,000 over the past 10 years to prostitutes.

Ashley Alexandra Dupre at 22 is only four years older than the oldest of Spitzer’s three daughters.

Spitzer, aka Client #9, was snared the sex sting which resulted in the arrest and conviction of four individuals for their roles as organizers and managers of the prostitution ring called the Emperors Club VIP.

Four people have pleaded guilty in the operation of the prostitution ring. Prosecutors say the four used the Emperors Club to arrange connections between wealthy male clients and more than 50 prostitutes in, among other places, New York City, Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles, Miami, Florida; London and Paris. The defendants charged the clients fees ranging from $1,000 to more than $5,500 per hour for prostitution services.

The Emperors Club allegedly took in more than $1 million in illicit proceeds from its international prostitution business. It accepted payment in the form of cash, American Express charges, wire transfers, and money orders, prosecutors said.

Eliot Spitzer had resigned on March 12 following the revelation of him being caught on a wiretap in connection with the prostitution ring. He had never publicity admitted his involvement with the Emperor Club until his statement on Thursday. 11-06-08