Prosecutor Move Suggests Spitzer May Face Charges

In a move that suggests federal prosecutors have not concluded their investigation of Eliot Spitzer's dealings with prostitutes, the government has asked for an extension in its case against Emperors Club VIP, the high-end prostitution agency that the former governor patronized.

A month has passed since an FBI agent filed a criminal complaint against four people accused of running Emperors Club. Such a criminal complaint is usually followed by a grand jury indictment within the month if the government intends to pursue charges. That this has not happened yet suggests the government has not chosen which charges to pursue against the four, a decision connected to whether the government decides to pursue a case against Mr. Spitzer.

So far, there has been no public indication of whether prosecutors intend to charge him for patronizing prostitutes.

A lawyer for one of the men charged with running the agency said the federal government has requested another 30 days within which to seek an indictment. The lawyer, Murray Richman, represents Mark Brener, whom prosecutors say started and ran Emperors Club.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's office declined to comment.