NEW YORK

New York's attorney general brought civil fraud charges against hedge fund operator Ezra Merkin on Monday, saying he duped investors by secretly steering $2.4 billion in client money into Bernard Madoff's Ponzi fraud without their permission.

Representatives from at least 15 U.S. states discussed with a federal regulator the possibility of using their pension funds to buy troubled loans and securities, or toxic assets, the Bergen County Record in New Jersey reported.

A judge extended a temporary freeze on the assets of Peter Madoff, brother of jailed swindler Bernard Madoff, on Friday, but agreed that he could have $10,000 a month in expenses.

The struggling U.S. economy probably continued to bleed jobs at a rapid rate in March, continuing to drive up the jobless rate at a startling pace.

The struggling U.S. economy probably continued to bleed jobs at a rapid rate in March, continuing to drive up the jobless rate at a startling pace.

The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits surged to a 26-1/2-year high last week, data showed on Thursday, indicating that layoffs have yet to peak even as other reports signaled some improvement in the economy.

The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits surged to a 26-1/2-year high last week, data showed on Thursday, indicating that layoffs have yet to peak even as other reports signaled some improvement in the economy.

A U.S. regulator has ordered Merrill Lynch & Co to pay close to $40 million after its Advest unit advised an endowment to buy a stake in a fund affiliated with the collapsed commodities broker Refco Inc.

President Barack Obama said on Sunday he told the chiefs of the biggest U.S. banks that bonuses are not acceptable while many Americans struggle to meet basic expenses in the midst of a severe recession.

Optimism that the latest U.S. tarnished asset cleanup plan will refloat foundering banks may soon fade, triggering a renewed surge of risk aversion and selling of both financial firms' and industrial companies' corporate bonds, analysts said.

American International Group Inc , which has received $180 billion in U.S. taxpayer money, was subpoenaed on Thursday by New York's top legal officer for information on its credit default swaps contracts, sources familiar with the matter said.

American International Group Inc , which has received $180 billion in U.S. taxpayer money, was subpoenaed on Thursday by New York's top legal officer for information on its credit default swaps contracts, sources familiar with the matter said.

Several more employees are leaving the controversial financial products unit that brought American International Group Inc to its knees last year, according to a person with knowledge of developments there.

(Corrects reference to securities laws in paragraph 6)

Stocks fell on Tuesday, with financial shares giving up some of the previous day's surge as investors assessed government plans to shore up the economy and resource shares fell alongside commodity prices.

Fifteen of 20 American International Group leading bonus recipients have agreed to give them back in full, said New York's top legal officer who is probing into $165 million in executive pay at the troubled company bailed out by the U.S. government.

Fifteen of 20 American International Group leading bonus recipients have agreed to give them back in full, said New York's top legal officer who is probing into $165 million in executive pay at the troubled company bailed out by the U.S. government.

Nine of the 10 executives who received top bonuses from American International Group have agreed to return them, New York's top legal officer said on Monday.

Hundreds of people in the United States are under investigation for financial scams, many involving Ponzi schemes, a U.S. regulator said on Friday, calling the phenomenon rampant Ponzimonium.

The U.S. House of Representatives swiftly passed a bill on Thursday to recoup controversial bonuses paid to American International Group Inc as Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner tried to calm the furor by taking responsibility.

Terrafugia Inc., an aircraft company, announced the successful seven flights of its Transition Roadable Aircraft.