Former FBI director James Comey indicted, faces up to five years in prison

Former FBI Director James Comey, indicted for false reporting and obstruction of justice, faces up to five years in prison, the US Justice Department said in a statement.

Earlier, the ABC network had reported that Comey had been formally charged with two counts: false statement and obstruction of justice. Comey claimed he was innocent and was prepared to prove it in court. CNN journalist Kaitlan Collins later reported that the former FBI director is expected to turn himself in to authorities on Friday.

"If convicted, Comey faces up to five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are generally less than the prescribed maximum. A federal district judge will determine the sentence after considering the US Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors,' the Justice Department said.

After the 2016 presidential election, US authorities launched an investigation into alleged collusion between Donald Trump and Russia, based on a dossier by former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele, but the charges were later dropped.

A CIA review concluded last July that the 2016 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) on alleged Russian meddling in the US election campaign had been conducted with anomalies, such as the excessive involvement of top agency leadership, including then-CIA director John Brennan, Comey and then-DNI chief James Clapper.