Identity of Spitzer's Kristen Is Uncovered

The prostitute linked to Governor Spitzer is a 22-year-old woman from the Jersey Shore, the New York Times reported on its Web site yesterday evening.

Identified in court papers as "Kristen," the woman, born Ashley Youmans but now known as Ashley Alexandra Dupre, told the newspaper: "This has been a very difficult time."

"I don't want to be thought of as a monster," Ms. Dupre was quoted as saying.

A message left for the woman was not immediately returned.

Mr. Spitzer resigned yesterday after amid allegations that he was a regular patron of a high-priced prostitution ring. The ring, Emperor's Club VIP, sent "Kristen" to rendezvous with "Client-9" in Washington, D.C., on the night of February 13, according to court papers. Mr. Spitzer is believed to be "Client-9."

Ms. Dupre has not been charged, according to the Times. She appeared in federal court on Monday as a witness in the case.

In an interview with the Times, Ms. Dupre, who was booked at $1,000 an hour, did not say how many times she saw Mr. Spitzer as a client. The newspaper quoted extensively from Ms. Dupre's MySpace page, where she describes herself as an aspiring singer.

Ms. Dupre said she came from a "broken family." She attended Wall High School near Belmar until her sophomore year, when she moved to North Carolina, her mother, Carolyn Capalbo, told the newspaper.

Ms. Capalbo said she did not know if her daughter knew that her client was the governor of New York.