The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a criminal investigation into former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo following a recommendation by congressional Republicans that he be prosecuted for allegedly making false statements about his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The probe, first reported by The New York Times on Tuesday, is being led by the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington, D.C. It was initiated shortly after Rep. James Comer, Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee, urged the DOJ to charge Cuomo for misleading Congress during an inquiry into his administration’s response to the pandemic—specifically the early surge of COVID-19 in nursing homes.

The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the case, said the investigation centers on Cuomo’s testimony regarding how his administration reported nursing home deaths.

A spokesperson for Cuomo denied any knowledge of the investigation and dismissed the timing as politically motivated.

“Why would this be leaked now? The answer is obvious: This is lawfare and election interference—plain and simple,” said Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi. “President Trump and his Justice Department claim to oppose this kind of thing, yet here we are.”

The Justice Department declined to comment on the matter, and representatives for the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington did not immediately respond to inquiries.

The investigation comes just weeks ahead of the June 24 Democratic primary in the New York City mayoral race, where Cuomo is seeking a political comeback. A recent Marist College poll shows him leading the field with 37% support, well ahead of Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani at 18%, with other candidates trailing in single digits.

Cuomo, who resigned as governor in 2021 amid unrelated sexual harassment allegations, has denied wrongdoing in his administration’s COVID response and has repeatedly defended his record on managing the crisis.