Freeh Seeks Return of $440,000 Oil Spill Claim

The former FBI director assigned to look into claims arising from the BP oil spill has asked a federal judge to order the return of more than $440,000 from an Alabama fisherman.

In a motion filed Thursday, Louis Freeh alleges that the claim paid to Gill Johnson Sr. was based on 2008 and 2009 tax returns that contained false information and that were never filed.

Contact information for Johnson was not available. A call to the New Orleans-area law firm identified in court filings as representing him was not returned Thursday. However, Freeh filed papers late Thursday saying the firm had withdrawn as Johnson’s attorneys and agreed to pay back more than $109,000 in legal fees from the claim.