WASHINGTON - Federal prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell over the central bank’s renovation of its Washington, DC, headquarters, the New York Times reported, citing officials briefed on the situation. 

The US attorney’s office in the District of Columbia is investigating whether Mr Powell lied to Congress about the scope of the renovations, the paper said, adding that Ms Jeanine Pirro - who was appointed to run the office last year by President Donald Trump - approved the inquiry in November.