The German reporter Claas Relotius, accused by top news magazine Der Spiegel of faking stories, could now face embezzlement charges.
Der Spiegel says it is filing a criminal complaint alleging he solicited donations for Syrian orphans from readers with any proceeds going to his personal account.
Der Spiegel said last week that Relotius admitted faking some stories.
The reporter, 33, has yet to comment on the embezzlement allegations.
In the latest development, Der Spiegel reports (in German) that it received messages from readers saying Relotius had used a private email account to ask for donations to help Syrian orphans in Turkey.
The money should be sent to his personal bank account, the magazine quotes readers as saying.
The publication says it is not yet clear what sort of response he received – how much money was collected or where it ended up.
Der Spiegel is gathering evidence to pass on to prosecutors.
Relotius’ appeal for donations was linked to an article he wrote about two Syrian street children, a brother and sister, in Turkey-parts of which Der Spiegel says were fake.
A Turkish photographer who accompanied Relotius on the story said the reporter had made up some aspects of the boy’s life and heavily fictionalised others.
The photographer suspects that the sister may not have existed at all.
The American ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, has also intervened, writing to Der Spiegel’s editor to demand an independent investigation and accusing the publication of institutional bias against the US.