New York Republican congressman Michael Grimm arrested by FBI agents

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Michael Grimm, a Republican U.S. congressman from New York, was arrested Monday morning by FBI agents following a federal criminal investigation into his campaign finances, a person familiar with the matter said.


Grimm, a former FBI agent, surrendered to federal authorities shortly before 7 a.m. EDT, the person, who declined to be named, told Reuters.

Grimm is expected to be arraigned later Monday morning in a federal court in Brooklyn.

The charges against Grimm involve a Manhattan health-food restaurant he owned, the Washington Post reported on Monday.

Robert Nardoza, a representative for the U.S. Attorney's office in Brooklyn, declined comment. FBI spokesman Christos Sinos also had no comment.

On Friday, Grimm's attorney William McGinley condemned the expected charges as a "politically driven vendetta" against the congressman.

McGinley declined comment on Monday.

Diana Durand, a fundraiser for Grimm, was arrested in January on charges that she illegally funneled more than $10,000 to his campaign.

A grand jury indicted Durand on Friday on charges that she made campaign contributions that exceeded federal caps in 2010.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond and Aruna Viswanatha; Editing by Susan Heavey)