Kenneth Feinberg, the Obama Administration compensation czar,would not answer questions today after widespread reports thatAmerican International Group will pay millions in bonuses nextweek.

Mr. Feinberg said by e-mail that he was sorry but he would haveno comment concerning articles reporting that the company hadspoken to him concerning the bonuses.

The payments of bonuses by the debt-ridden company, which hasbeen propped up by $180 billion in government loans and credits,has been a hot-button issue since March when it was revealed thenthat it was paying $165 million in retention bonuses to executivesat the financial products unit that brought it to the brink offailure.

Mr. Feinberg, a Washington attorney and compensation expert whooversaw payments to families of 9/11 victims, was appointed lastmonth by Treasury to oversee compensation to executives at sevencompanies now receiving federal assistance.

According to reports, AIG is seeking government approval for$2.4 million in performance bonus payments to 43 executives. Themoney is part of a larger bonus pool, most of it paid out inMarch.

When the storm broke in March over the bonuses, the company saidthat it had a contractual obligation to pay them and they were aneeded tool to retain top talent. Eventually the company reportedthat at least $50 million of the $165 million distributed wasreturned by U.S. citizens, and foreign employees gave back money aswell.

Strong calls for the return of the money had come from politicalleaders ranging from President Barack Obama to New York AttorneyGeneral Andrew Cuomo--who issued subpoenas seeking disclosure ofwhich executives were getting the bonus money and why as Congressthreatened retaliatory taxation.

In May, AIG Chief Executive Officer Edward Liddy, who is due toresign his post, mentioned to a congressional committee that theTreasury Department was completing regulations to govern AIG'sbonus policy.

AIG did not respond to a request for comment.