In a surprise and mysterious trip, JOHN EDWARDS traveled to Upperville, Virginia, on Thursday to have lunch with a key figure in the government probe against him.
The disgraced former presidential candidate — whose affair and love child were exposed by The ENQUIRER in a series of exclusive reports dating to 2007 — met with 100-year-old heiress Rachel "Bunny" Mellon, according to reports.
The trip raised major eyebrows because it came only days after word came that the U.S. Justice Department plans to bring criminal charges against the ex-North Carolina Senator as the result of a two-year federal grand jury investigation looking into whether Edwards illegally used campaign contributions to cover up his affair and out-of-wedlock child with campaign worker Rielle Hunter.
A top donor to Edwards' White House run, Mellon reportedly gave hundreds of thousands of dollars used to keep Rielle in hiding — those funds are at the center of the investigation.
Mellon's attorney William Taylor confirmed to the AP that the two had lunch but said, "It was entirely personal and social. There was no discussion of anything related to his situation."
Former Edwards' aide Andrew Young, who was used in the coverup but is now testifying against him, said checks came from Mellon — some of them hidden in boxes of chocolate.
Another Mellon lawyer said the heiress didn't know where the money was going but intended it as a personal gift.
Edwards' lawyer Gregory Craig said in a statement Wednesday that prosecutors haven't actually determined campaign funds were misused and the government's theory in the case is without precedent and "wrong on the facts and wrong on the law."
Justice Dept. officials haven't commented on what charges will be brought against Edwards and both sides refuse to say whether a plea deal was possible.
