John Edwards Named In 'Soccer Mom Madam' Anna Gristina Case

An alleged call girl and prostitute who worked for the madam of the alleged Millionaire Madam or Soccer Mom Madam Anna Gristina, informed New York City authorities that she was paid to have sex with 58-year-old former U.S. Sen. John Edwards while he was in New York raising money for a 2008 presidential nomination.

Edwards is the first political or celebrity name to surface in connection with Gristina's prostitution scheme that she allegedly ran out of her Upper East Side apartment, reported DNAInfo.com.

Reports indicate that Edward's alleged one-night stand with a prostitute took place at an Upper East Side hotel suite. It was arranged by an aide with assistance provided by a New Yorker familiar with Gristina's prostitution ring.

Most of the women don't have any idea about the identities of the men they sleep with. How would they know a money man from Wall Street or the face of a lawyer or banker who shows up? a source told DNA Info. But the face of the national politician? She knew.

The hooker detailed a first-hand account with her alleged sexual encounter with Edwards to District Attorney Cyrus Vance's office.

Investigators reportedly found the information from the woman credible. They were able to positively determine that Edwards was in New York on a fund-raising tour at the time of the alleged encounter with Gristina's prostitute.

Campaign records reportedly show that Edwards spent thousands of dollars to rent hotel rooms for nearly a month at Loews Hotels Regency at 540 Park Ave in 2007. He also reportedly stayed at several other Manhattan hotels including a West 39th Street Comfort Inn, said DNA Info.

Investigators have not charged Edwards with a crime at this time.

Edwards is currently facing a federal trial in North Carolina. He allegedly used nearly $1 million in campaign fund to cover up an affair that resulted in the birth of an illegitimate child.

Gristina was arrested last month for allegedly running a prostitution ring. Many of her clients were allegedly wealthy, politically connected individuals, including allegations of a Morgan Stanley Executive, David Walker.

It's becoming more and more apparent to me that this case is much more than this one charge against my client, Gristina's lawyer, Gary Greenwald, said, according to the Associated Press.

For 15 years, investigators said that Gristina had set up in call girls with her clients around New York City. Gristina, a former real estate broker with four children, has pleaded not guilty, along with her co-defendant and business associate Jaynie Baker, to the charge of promoting prostitution.

Two women were also charged with prostitution in connection with Gristina's ring, Mhairiangelo Bottone and Catherine DeVries. Both pleaded not guilty, reported the AP.

Bottone's lawyer, Carlos M. Carvajal, said she is only an interior designer who met Gristina at a network event.

[Bottone is] suffering collateral damage from the larger investigation, Carvajal said. He said he hoped to get this resolved quickly for her, reported the Associated Press.