A woman who says New York governor Andrew Cuomo groped her breast has filed a criminal complaint against the politician, US law enforcement said Friday, increasing the possibility he might be charged.

The woman, who has not been named but who works as an aide to Cuomo, says the three-term governor assaulted her at his executive mansion last year.

Her allegation formed part of an explosive report released this week that said Cuomo sexually harassed 11 former and current state employees.

Cuomo, 63, has repeatedly denied ever touching a woman inappropriately.

"A criminal complaint was filed yesterday," an official at the Albany County sheriff's office told AFP.

US media said the complaint was made by a woman referred to as "Executive Assistant #1" in the report made public by New York state Attorney General Letitia James on Tuesday.

The independent investigation, which was civil nature, said Cuomo had sexually harassed 11 former and current state employees.

"Executive Assistant #1" told the probe that Cuomo put his hand up her blouse in his office in November 2020.

The report also accused him of presiding over a toxic workplace for women and of taking retaliatory action against at least one of his accusers.

At least five district attorneys have since opened inquiries into his behaviour.

Cuomo has rejected calls from President Joe Biden and other leading Democrats to quit but state lawmakers are moving to impeach him. 

He has been given a deadline of August 13 to submit evidence in his defence to their impeachment investigation.

Cuomo was initially praised for his handling of the coronavirus crisis before he was engulfed in accusations that he covered up the scale of deaths in nursing homes.