NEW YORK -- The US Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into former New York governor Andrew Cuomo after congressional Republicans recommended that he be charged with lying over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, The Associated Press reported.

The US attorney's office in Washington launched the investigation shortly after Representative James Comer, Republican chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, asked the Justice Department to prosecute Cuomo over the statements he made to the committee investigating his management of the pandemic when the virus was spreading through nursing homes, according to the report.

A spokesperson for Cuomo said on Tuesday that the former governor was never informed of any such investigation. Cuomo is currently running for mayor of New York City.

The investigation was first reported on Tuesday by The New York Times. The Justice Department declined to comment. Spokespeople for the US attorney's office in Washington didn't immediately respond to messages seeking comment.