Federal authorities are investigating whether at least...

Federal authorities are investigating whether at least five Texas A&M; football players were paid thousands of dollars in the past five years by a prominent Aggies benefactor, according to the Dallas Morning News.

The newspaper also confirmed that federal agents served subpoenas Wednesday on properties belonging to Warren A. Gilbert Jr.

Gilbert, 67, is a director of the A&M; Letterman Assn. and one of the largest operators of public housing in Dallas. The newspaper said payments to the players were written off as maintenance fees for housing projects subsidized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

According to the newspaper, the players included Greg Hill, who was named honorable mention AP All-America. The others were sophomore receiver Brian Mitchell; sophomore linebacker Jessie Cox; freshman offensive lineman Darius Smith and freshman receiver Percy Singleton.