Feb.01, 2010, 12:25 AM EST

Investigations of misconduct related to the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program expanded in the fourth quarter as the U.S. rescue fund’s watchdog increased opened cases by 41 percent.

Special Inspector General Neil Barofsky began 25 criminal and civil probes in the quarter, and had 77 total active cases, according to a quarterly report to Congress published yesterday. Through the third quarter of 2009, Barofsky’s Washington-based office opened 61 cases with 54 active, he said at the time.

Examiners are looking into possible wrongdoing linked to the financial-industry bailout, including insider trading, accounting violations, mortgage fraud, obstruction of justice and money laundering, according to the report. Barofsky didn’t identify the targets of pending investigations, though details of some cases have emerged separately.

Barofsky confirmed last week he is probing whether the Federal Reserve Bank of New York improperly limited release of information about payments to American International Group Inc.’s counterparties when the insurer was rescued.

AIG’s first rescue was an $85 billion credit line from the New York Fed. The bailout was expanded three times and is now valued at $182.3 billion.

Barofsky is also working with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation on the investigation into Bank of America’s merger with Merrill Lynch, the report said.

Barofsky is opening a branch office in New York and satellite offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco to support probes. Calls to Barofsky’s toll-free hot line rose 41 percent in the quarter, to 9,900, according to the report.