Judge wants Justice Dept. in Katrina case

NEW ORLEANS, June 8 (UPI) -- A New Orleans judge has demanded the U.S. Justice Department get involved in a case of alleged overbilling and underpaying in Hurricane Katrina cases.

U.S. Judge Peter Beer has before him a case in which a group of former insurance adjusters accuses insurance companies of defrauding taxpayers by overbilling the federal flood program while underpaying storm victims, the New Orleans Times-Picayune said.

Beer asked the Justice Department to intervene in the case by July 9 or explain why not.