LOS ANGELES (LALATE) – John Edwards’ indictment on Rielle Hunter funds is expected and imminent, reports news today. John Edwards’ funds to mistress Rielle Hunter have prompted a swift move by the Justice Department. Edwards is reportedly aware that the United States Department of Justice will seek indictment for funds given to Rielle Hunter, reports ABC. Edwards, in turn, is expected to plea bargain the case. Edwards has been the subject of investigations for over a year as to alleged violations of campaign laws.

In February, a grand jury investigation focused on the alleged campaign violations by Edwards. The investigation has focused on whether  Edwards knew about the money given to Rielle Hunter and whether the money was deemed a gift for Rielle Hunter or as rather part of the campaign.

Prosecutors have looked at Rielle Hunter’s company, Midline Groove Productions, which did videotape work for Edwards in 2006 during campaign stops in Iowa and New Hampshire. Hunter was paid $250,000 reportedly from three organizations: One America Committee, the Alliance For A New America, and the Center for Promise and Opportunity.

Thereafter, Andrew Young was alleged paid $30,000 to act the part of Hunter’s baby daddy. Edwards has never told news why he continued to misrepresent his relationship, and paternity, to news from 2008 to 2010.

He had said “It was wrong for me ever to deny she was my daughter and hopefully one day, when she understands, she will forgive me. To all those I have disappointed and hurt, these words will never be enough, but I am truly sorry.”

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If an indictment is sought, the core legal issue reportedly will focus on whether Edwards’ Presidential campaign funds were used, not for his campaign, but to hide then mistress Hunter. The funds were substantial, claim investigators. Reportedly Hunter was put up in a Santa Barbara mansion near even Oprah Winfrey. Hunter was allegedly given a brand new BMW, air travel and other alleged gifts. Her rental residence reportedly cost upwards of $20,000 a month.

Edwards from 2008 to 2010 misrepresented to news his affair with Hunter. By summer 2008, Edwards admitted to the affair, but did not admit to being Hunter’s baby daddy. “Two years ago I made a very serious mistake which fed a self-focus, an egotism, a narcissism that leads you to believe that you can do whatever you want” he said in a news statement at the time. In January 2010, nearly three years after the scandal erupted,  Edwards would admit to fathering a child with Hunter.

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CORAL GABLES (LALATE) – Will the John Edwards grand jury investigation charge Edwards for alleged improper use of campaign funds on Rielle Hunter? The grand jury investigation – into funds paid to Rielle Hunter allegedly by John Edwards campaign fundraisers – will get a resolution shortly. In late February, LALATE first reported that the investigation is nearing a resolution. Today on GMA, ABC is reporting the same.

The issue surrounds whether Edwards’ Presidential campaign funds were used, not for his campaign, but to hide then mistress Hunter. Moreover, the investigation has focused on whether Edwards had any knowledge of the alleged wrongdoing.

It is alleged that such funds put Hunter up in a lavish Santa Barbara mansion near even Oprah Winfrey, got her a new car, air travel, and more. She allegedly had a new BMW and was staying in a lavish Santa Barbara estate for a possible price tag of $20,000 a month.

Moreover, Hunter’s company was allegedly paid more than a quarter million dollars from three organizations: One America Committee, the Alliance For A New America, and the Center for Promise and Opportunity.

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Then Rachel “Bunny” Mellon and Fred Baron allegedly paid Hunter and staffer Andrew Young upwards of $1 million. If you recall, it was Andrew Young who was hired to parade as Hunter’s baby daddy. He claims he was paid $30,000 for that role until both Hunter and Edwards came clean about paternity.

The federal grand jury investigation is being handled by U.S. Attorney George Holding. While some reports have called this matter fast moving, it has been two years. Hunter is not under investigation.

Meantime, Edwards has hired Washington legal eagle Greg Craig in recent weeks to assist going forward.

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CORAL GABLES (LALATE) – Funds given to Rielle Hunter (photos below) during John Edwards’ Presidential bid have been the subject of a federal grand jury investigation for over two years. During that period, Rielle Hunter and John Edwards have battled false reports about being engaged and planning a wedding, accusations that Edwards’ campaign funds were used to hide then mistress Hunter, and that Hunter was even staying free at a Santa Barbara mansion near Oprah Winfrey.

Now the grand jury investigation into John Edwards could be nearing a resolution. For the public, the case has often been difficult to follow. With multiple sources of funding at issue, with confusion as to what alleged criminal conduct is being investigated, and with Edwards already seen as a disgraced politician, most Americans have difficulty understanding what the case is about, and why it’s still being pursued two years later.

Rielle Hunter’s company, Midline Groove Productions, did videotape work for Edwards in 2006 during campaign stops in Iowa and New Hampshire. For that she was paid $250,000 reportedly from three organizations: One America Committee, the Alliance For A New America, and the Center for Promise and Opportunity.

Hunter soon after became pregnant with Edwards’ baby. Hunter and Edwards denied the child was his. Rather the two used Andrew Young to parade as Hunter’s baby daddy to avoid the political fall out. Reports alleged that Young was paid $30,000 to act the part of Hunter’s baby daddy.

Young would later spill the beans. Edwards would take years to admit paternity.

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Then there was Rachel “Bunny” Mellon and Fred Baron who reportedly paid upwards of $1 million to Hunter and Young. The investigation has focused on whether (1) Edwards knew about the money and (2) whether it was deemed a gift or as rather part of the campaign.  Soon, Hunter was living well. She had a new BMW and was staying in a lavish Santa Barbara estate near Oprah at a possible price tag of $20,000 a month.

The grand jury investigation is focused only on alleged wrongdoing by Edwards, not Hunter. The case is being handled by U.S. Attorney George Holding. But after two years, a possible resolution could be coming in weeks.

Edwards has never told news why he continued to misrepresent his relationship, and paternity, to news from 2008 to 2010. But he said “It was wrong for me ever to deny she was my daughter and hopefully one day, when she understands, she will forgive me. To all those I have disappointed and hurt, these words will never be enough, but I am truly sorry.”

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LOS ANGELES (LALATE) – Rielle Hunter and John Edwards are not engaged, confirmed multiple sources. Rielle Hunter and John Edwards engagement news reports have now been denied by Edwards’ family sources, an Edwards rep, and a Hunter family source.

For Hunter and Edwards, this is the third engagement news report in three years. And yes, this is the third from the National Enquirer. The front page of this week’s National Enquirer reads “John Edwards to mistress: marry me”.

But now reps and sources both to both Edwards and Hunter call the report all fabrication.

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First, two family sources close to John Edwards have denied the report to NBC, one family source has denied the report to CBS, and an Edwards rep has specifically called the report false. “I can tell you that it’s not true.” Second, one family source close to Hunter also denies the report to NBC.

Neither Hunter nor Edwards have personally spoken about the news report. Edwards and Hunter, however, battled virtually the same story from the same publication one year ago next month and a year before that. Each previous time the couple denied reports.

Also making news this week is the return of the John Edwards grand jury. Hunter’s funds received during Edwards’ campaign runs are still being examined.

This week, widow Lisa Blue-Baron testified. In 2008, her husband, the late Fred Baron, told news that he gave Hunter funds in 2008 but that those funds were from him personally, not from Edwards’ campaign. Baron was  Edwards’ finance chairman during his presidential runs in 2004 and 2008. He claims he funded Hunter’s relocation to California. At the time, Hunter and Edwards denied any affair and the paternity of their child together.

In February 2010, the Enquirer reported that Edwards had bought him and Hunter a $3.5 million mansion to prepare for a possible summer wedding.

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LOS ANGELES (LALATE) – Have Rielle Hunter and John Edwards  planned a summer wedding? A Rielle Hunter and John Edwards wedding allegedly planned for 2011 has now been denied by a source close to the Edwards family. While Edwards himself has yet to deny that he and Rielle Hunter have allegedly planned a wedding, a source close to his family is issuing a denial to national news today.

Rielle Hunter and John Edwards have been the subject of wedding reports every year for the last three years. In 2009, the Enquirer claimed that Hunter was hoping to marrying Edwards. In February 2010, the paper reported that Rielle Hunter and John Edwards had hope to plan a summer wedding. Now this week’s Enquirer reports again that Hunter and Edwards are seeking to marry this year. According to news Friday, the Enquirer is not reporting that Edwards and Hunter have planned a wedding, contrary to prior reports.

Hunter and Edwards have yet to comment officially this week.

In February 2010, Edwards issued a denial to that wedding report. But today, an “Edwards family source” has issued a denial to CBS News. The source says that Edwards and Hunter have not planned a wedding and are not engaged.

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CBS also indicates that this week’s Enquirer report this week does not state that Hunter and Edwards have already planned a 2011 wedding, contrary to prior reports. Rather this week’s report suggest a pledge of love and hope to marry.  “John pledged his undying love, and promised her that one day they would all ‘become one big, happy family.’ Clearly, he was saying, ‘I want you to marry me,’ but nothing is official yet” reports the paper.

While Hunter and Edwards are still in love, the Edwards source is clear today that the two are not engaged; but the source is not clear if the two are still very much in love. In February 2010, Edwards made the same denial, indicating he was not planning a wedding and had not proposed to Hunter.

It remains unclear why Edwards himself did not deny the Enquirer report this week. Yet for Edwards, his history of denials, and then withdrawing those denials, spans three years.

Edwards had denied he was having an affair, denied he was in love with Rielle Hunter, and denied Hunter’s child was his. Eventually Edwards would withdraw each denial progressively until 2010. The last withdraw would be the 2010 admission that Hunter’s child is his own.

The latest set of denials for Edwards is concerning his campaign funds and Rielle Hunter.

In May 2009, reports claimed Edward’s PAC paid Hunter’s video production company $100,000. “I am confident that no funds from my campaign were used improperly,” Edwards said in the statement. “However, I know that it is the role of government to ensure that this is true. We have made available to the United States both the people and the information necessary to help them get the issue resolved efficiently and in a timely matter.”

Edwards is now the subject of a federal grand jury investigation.

Since the Hunter scandal has started, Edwards has called himself “self-focus[ed]” and a victim of “egotism” and “narcissism”. He said that behavior had lead him to “believe that you can do whatever you want.” But, according to his family source, a wedding has not been planned.

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