A woman who alleges New York Governor Andrew Cuomo groped her breast has filed a criminal complaint against the politician, US law enforcement has said, increasing the possibility he might be charged.
The woman, who has not been named but who works as an aide to Mr Cuomo, says the three-term governor assaulted her at his executive mansion last year.
Her allegation formed part of an explosive report released this week that said Cuomo sexually harassed 11 former and current state employees.
The veteran Democrat, 63, has repeatedly denied ever touching a woman inappropriately.
"A criminal complaint was filed yesterday," an official at the Albany County sheriff's office told AFP.
US media said the complaint was made by a woman referred to as "Executive Assistant #1" in the report made public by New York state Attorney General Letitia James on Tuesday.
The independent investigation, which was civil in nature, said Mr Cuomo had sexually harassed 11 former and current state employees.
"Executive Assistant #1" told the probe that Mr Cuomo put his hand up her blouse in his office in November 2020.
Governor Cuomo's lawyers hit back at James's investigation in a press conference today.
They complained that they had not received prior notice that the report was about to be released and said the investigators had not shared testimony transcripts with them.
"This was one-sided and he was ambushed," said Mr Cuomo's attorney, Rita Glavin.
The lawyer also showed reporters transcripts of emails purportedly sent by Executive Assistant #1 that Mr Glavin claimed doubted her testimony.
At least five district attorneys have since opened inquiries into Governor Cuomo's behavior.
Legal experts have suggested that he could face forcible touching misdemeanor charges.
James's report also accused him of presiding over a toxic workplace for women and of taking retaliatory action against at least one of his accusers.
He has been given a deadline of 13 August to submit evidence in his defense to their impeachment investigation.
