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By CNN's Evan Pressman

NEW YORK (CNN) -- The FBI is investigating allegations that a stenographer leaked sensitive information about organized crime investigations from the U.S. attorney's office, FBI Assistant Director Barry Mawn said in a statement.

"The FBI has been conducting an investigation into the alleged unauthorized disclosure of information pertaining to organized crime investigations by a person associated with the United States attorney's office in the Southern District of New York," Mawn said in a written statement.

The unnamed stenographer worked for a contract stenographic service in the U.S. attorney's office at the time, Mawn said. The service is still under contract with the prosecutor's office, but that employee has not worked in that office for more than a year, Mawn said.

The New York Daily News reported that the stenographer provided Federico Giovanelli, an alleged member of the Genovese crime family, with two lists of mafia members who were about to be indicted. The News also said Anthony Capo, a soldier in the DeCavalcante family, told the FBI of the mole in an attempt to win reduced jail time.

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Giovanelli was acquitted of the murder of New York City Police Detective Anthony Venditti in 1986, but convicted of racketeering in 1989 and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The FBI spokesman declined to comment on the Daily News reports.