updated 8:48 p.m. ET June 19, 2008

NEW YORK - Federal officials have told the wife of Barry Bonds’ personal trainer that she’s a target of a criminal investigation, according to a newspaper report.

The New York Times, citing an unidentified lawyer briefed on the issue, reported that Greg Anderson’s wife received a “target letter” from federal prosecutors in November, shortly after Bonds was indicted on perjury charges for allegedly lying to a federal grand jury about his use of performance-enhancing drugs.

The newspaper identified Anderson’s wife as Nicole Gestas, though friends of Anderson’s said she took his name when the two married in 2006. She couldn’t be reached for comment Thursday night.

She is reportedly under investigation for conspiracy and the letter was signed by assistant U.S. attorney Matt Parrella, the government’s chief doping prosecutor.

Legal experts said the letter is an indication that prosecutors are attempting to ratchet up the pressure on Anderson to cooperate with the government’s investigation of Bonds, who is scheduled to stand trial in March.

Anderson spent three months in prison after pleading guilty to steroids distribution as part of the investigation into a sports doping ring at the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, known as BALCO.

Anderson also spent more than a year in prison after refusing to testify before a federal grand jury investigating Bonds for perjury. Prosecutors told a judge that Anderson’s testimony about Bonds’ alleged drug use was vital to their perjury case and asked that he be jailed to coerce him to talk.

He was released the same day Bonds was indicted and has vowed to keep his silence, even if ordered to testify at Bonds’ trial.

Anderson could be sent back to prison if he resists a government order to testify.

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