And Louis Freeh is at again, trying to make sure that the money stolen by the banks from MF Global customers stays stolen.

In this case, he is attempting to pay hush money large bonuses to MF global executives:

Three top executives at MF Global Holdings Ltd kept on since the commodities firm’s collapse could receive performance-based bonuses under a retention plan being prepared by a court-appointed trustee, people close to the trustee said.

Trustee Louis Freeh plans to ask a bankruptcy judge to approve the employment agreements, said these people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the plan is still being crafted.

The plan will include bonus payouts for Chief Operating Officer Bradley Abelow, General Counsel Laurie Ferber and Chief Financial Officer Henri Steenkamp if they meet certain targets.

The formation of a plan does not necessarily mean bonuses will ultimately be paid or that the executives will earn as much total compensation as they have in the past.

Still, it has garnered attention from at least one key politician. Sen. Chuck Grassley, the highest-ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said in a statement it was “hard to believe that Mr. Freeh would consider bonuses to these select few while customers and investors are still trying to recoup their losses.”

Because, of course the people who stole the money in the first place.

Seriously, the casual corruption of Loius Freeh and His Evil Minions^™, which are in tern a reflection of the endemic levels of corruption of our financial system, just boggle the mind.

It’s got me agreeing with a Republican Congressman, Timothy Johnson, wants blood:

I would wager the combined assets of these executives, along with those of Mr. Jon Corzine, would go a long way towards paying back their customers. That’s what would happen in the world I grew up in.

And on the other end, where we have another trustee allegedly trying to recover money for account holders, we have the other end of the bankster protection racket:

MF Global Inc.’s trustee asked futures customers to release claims on the defunct brokerage in return for money they are owed, demanding an “unwarranted” transfer of legal rights, a group of customers said.

The customers, including William Fleckenstein, Thomas Wacker and Summit Trust Co., said in a court filing yesterday that they were notifying the judge supervising the firm’s liquidation of their “concern” in case he wasn’t aware that trustee James Giddens had mailed his demands to some customers along with his determination of their claims. One of Giddens’s demands may require customers to release claims made in class- action lawsuits, they said.

“It may be interpreted to release claims being asserted in the numerous class action lawsuits filed by aggrieved customers,” the customers said in the filing. “It could also potentially be asserted as a bar to recovery by some or all of the defendants joined in these lawsuits, including claims in the suits against parties alleged to be responsible for the misappropriation of customer funds.”

I’m not sure which is worse, the level of corruption, or the brazenness with which they operate.

H/t Atrios.