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RALEIGH (AP) — Federal authorities revealed Friday that they are looking into who paid for flights former North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley and his family took on privately owned aircraft while he was in office.

The FBI subpoenaed the state Highway Patrol and a trooper who was the head of the governor's personal security detail, seeking information about the travel, documents involving payments and any communication the agency had with the Easleys about those private flights.

The subpoenas also ask for public inquiries of the flights and the patrol's policies on keeping records related to the Easleys' trips.

The Highway Patrol said it was working on the request.

"It's a lot of paperwork," patrol spokesman Capt. Everett Clendenin said. "We're in the process of gathering it now and the patrol will comply with the request."

Highway Patrol Capt. Alan Melvin, the ex-security chief who was subpoenaed, was placed on administrative duty by the patrol commander, Clendenin said. The patrol didn't immediately respond to an interview request for Melvin.

The subpoenas are part of a grand jury investigation, but do not indicate the specific nature of the probe.

Easley, a Democrat, didn't immediately return a phone call at his law office in Raleigh. A spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office would not talk about a subpoena or a grand jury investigation.

The subpoenas seek the information by Wednesday, when the grand jury is scheduled to meet for two days at the Raleigh federal courthouse.

The News & Observer of Raleigh reported last week that Easley flew on at least 25 private jets that were provided by several businessmen while Easley was in office. He didn't pay for some flights, and the value of other trips appears to exceed campaign donation limits, which would be against the law, the newspaper reported.

Easley, 59, is a former state attorney general and local district attorney who is now a partner at a law firm. He is also working as a paid consultant for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as he attempts to expand his Learn and Earn early-college program for high school students.

The subpoenas seek information about the travels of Easley, his wife, Mary, and their son Michael Jr., on privately owned, noncommercial aircraft dating back to Jan. 1, 2000. That time frame includes the final year of Easley's two terms as attorney general, when he ran for governor, and all eight years as North Carolina's chief executive.

The subpoenas are the latest development that has surfaced recently involving Easley.

Last month, his campaign refiled several years of finance documents to account for a sport utility vehicle Easley at first said was part of a lease but actually was used as a campaign car. The campaign paid $6,700 to a car dealership and $2,900 in interest to the State Board of Elections.

The board is investigating the use of the private jets and the car.