The ex-hopeful presidential candidate John Edwards is about to face criminal charges as a result of a wide investigation spanning two years. The Justice Department authorized prosecutors to indict Former Senator John Edwards on charges for violating campaign laws -using more than $1 million in political donations to support a secret affair.

A close source to Edwards says Edwards, a lawyer who wants to start a public interest law firm, is aware of the looming indictment and is considering his options. He doesn't want to lose his license, not to mention he is terrified of going to jail.

Edwards became notorious in 2008 when news broke of his extramarital affair with mistress Rielle Hunter whom he had hired as a videographer for his presidential campaign.

Edwards fathered a love child with Hunter while he was still married to Elizabeth Edwards. John and Elizabeth separated after 28 years of marriage, and Elizabeth died soon after in 2010 of breast cancer.

In May 2009, the media reported that Edwards' campaign was under investigation by the federal grand jury for conversion of campaign money use related to the affair.

Edwards' legal team is trying to convince him to take a plea deal to avoid an indictment, according to a source who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The Edwards legal team had hoped that the Justice Department would end up not pursuing charges.

The government's case focuses mostly on a tell-all book authored by Edward's former trusted aide. Andrew Young details in The Politician, that $700,000 of campaign funds donated by heiress Rachel Bunny Mellon was used to cover up the affair with Hunter.

According to Young in 2010, Mellon did not know how her money was used, but the money was spent to support Hunter during her pregnancy while Young pretended to be the father of the child.

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