Department of Justice, FBI Seek Charges Against Former Gen. David H. Petraeus

The Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have recommended bringing felony charges against David H. Petraeus, previously the head of the United States Central Command and Central Intelligence Agency.

The New York Times reports that the Department of Justice and FBI have recommended charges against Petraeus because they believe he shared classified information with a woman named Paula Broadwell.

Broadwell was a member of the Army Reserve and was writing a book about Petraeus when the two struck up a love affair. The Times reports that highly classified information was found on Broadwell's computer after the affair became public knowledge in 2012, forcing Petraeus to resign from the CIA. The FBI also alleges that Petraeus gave Broadwell access to his personal CIA email account.

Petraeus has vehemently denied the charges and said that he will fight them in court rather than accept any type of plea deal.

For such a high profile case, the Department of Justice and FBI have been unusually tight lipped. Neither would provide a comment to the Times about their investigation and if or when charges would be filed.

The classified information on Broadwell's computer was found by the FBI after it launched a stalking investigation on behalf of Jill Kelley, a friend of Petraeus'. Kelley had received threatening emails about her friendship with Petraeus, and asked the FBI to investigate.

In the course of the stalking investigation, the the FBI discovered Broadwell had sent the emails to Kelley out of jealousy because Broadwell had struck up the affair with Petraeus. It was at this time the FBI also discovered the classified information.

It is not yet known if Attorney General Eric Holder will ultimately decide to indict Petraeus, and make the charges a reality.