Berkshire Unit Gets Subpoena NEW YORK (Reuters) - Berkshire Hathaway Inc., the company run by billionaire Warren Buffett, said its General Re Corp. reinsurance unit on Thursday received a subpoena from New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer for information on insurance products that might help companies smooth earnings. In a faxed statement received by Reuters on Thursday night, Berkshire said the New York subpoena covers all General Re affiliates, including other Berkshire insurance units, and seeks virtually identical documents and information that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission requested on Dec. 29. Those requests concerned so-called non-traditional or loss mitigation insurance products. Several other insurers have received subpoenas or information requests concerning the products. Regulators are scrutinizing these policies as a possible way for companies to hide losses. They are questioning whether such products can function as loans to help camouflage earnings weakness. Berkshire also said the U.S. Justice Department and federal prosecutors in Richmond, Virginia recently requested information related both to General Re's finite reinsurance business and to a former General Re client. It said the U.S. Attorney in Richmond had in October 2003 subpoenaed General Re and four current and former employees in connection with General Re's transactions with the client. Berkshire said it and General Re would cooperate fully with the requests. Berkshire, the New York attorney general's office, and the Justice Department did not immediately return calls for comment. A General Re phone operator said no one was immediately available at the insurer for comment. The U.S. Attorney in Richmond could not immediately be reached. A copy of the faxed statement was not immediately posted to Berkshire's Web site. Berkshire, based in Omaha, Nebraska, also owns auto insurer Geico Corp. General Re is based in Stamford, Connecticut. Buffett is the world's second-richest person, with a recent net worth of about $41 billion, according to Forbes magazine. Berkshire's Class "A" shares on Thursday rose $492 to $86,192 on the New York Stock Exchange, while its Class "B" shares rose $14 to $2,874. Berkshire share prices are high because the company has few shares outstanding relative to most large U.S. companies. Quelle "Berkshire Unit Gets Subpoena" : reuters.com Main page for "Berkshire Unit Gets Subpoena"