NEW YORK - FORMER New York governor Eliot Spitzer escaped charges on Thursday in the high-priced call girl scandal that brought him down earlier this year.

Prosecutors had been looking into misuse of public funds during Spitzer's spending spree - reported to total up to US$80,000 (S$120,000) - on prostitutes.

However, Mr Michael Garcia, US attorney for the Southern District of New York, said there was 'insufficient evidence to bring charges'.

'After a thorough investigation, this office has uncovered no evidence of misuse of public or campaign funds,' Mr Garcia said in a statement. 'We have concluded that the public interest would not be further advanced by filing criminal charges.'

The political career of Spitzer, a hard-driving attorney general for New York state who became governor and was seen by some as presidential material, collapsed in March after authorities busted a call girl ring.

The Emperors' Club VIP charged clients up to US$5,500 an hour for sex and Spitzer, once known as anti-corruption crusader, was revealed to be one of the regulars. -- AFP