Information on 21 "unusual" deaths has been turned over to federal investigators probing the murder-for-profit scheme linked to a Queens broker, according to an insurance company spokesman.

Officials with MetLife became suspicious of policies written by former employee Richard James when they received an anonymous tip.

Normal actuarial trends indicate that for every 100 life insurance policies written by MetLife, there would be only one death in seven years, spokesman John Calagna said. In the case of James' policies, there were 21 death claims within three or four years, he said, adding that a number of the deaths involved falls or alcohol.

Several of the beneficiaries in those cases also had policy proceeds deposited in checking accounts, and a company analysis found that some checks were written back to James, Calagna said.

MetLife fired James in July, 2000, and now investigators have charged him in connection with two deaths. His lawyer says he is innocent.

Authorities would not comment on whether all 21 cases were part of the criminal investigation, but officials have said a "large number" of deaths among Guyanese here, and one abroad, were being examined.

James, a Richmond Hill man from Guyana who has produced a cable-TV show featuring South Asian programming, has emerged as a central figure in a life-insurance scheme in which Guyanese emigrants were allegedly murdered for the policy proceeds.

The case burst into the open Tuesday with the arrest of Ronald Mallay, 57, another Guyanese emigrant, who allegedly was part of the conspiracy with James. Both men have been charged with conspiracy to use interstate travel to commit murder, a federal crime that could make this a death-penalty case.

Mallay, who has a prior federal conviction for theft, and James are being held without bail.

The federal complaint against Mallay spelled out two homicides, one in 1998 in Smokey Oval Park in Ozone Park and the other in Port Mourant, Guyana in June, 1999. Both deaths appeared to be the result of the ingestion of alcohol with drugs or ammonia.

Thomas G. Sheehan, a defense attorney for James, said yesterday that the charges stem from law enforcement pressure on unreliable informants in an attempt to get James to plead guilty. "Mr. James is being convicted before he's had his day in court," Sheehan said. "He's been in the community almost 20 years, he's an established businessman, he has substantial roots in the community."

Some of those who died had four or five insurance policies on their lives, said the investigator, who asked not to be identified. "We are looking into all of these reports," said the investigator, who added that the families of some of the deceased also will be questioned.

According to the criminal complaint, MetLife told investigators that the rate of death claims of individuals insured under policies brokered by James was "approximately 318 percent higher than expected or by chance and that a large number of the deaths were violent or under unusual circumstances."

Sheehan contended the death patterns were normal. "Essentially, the deaths were found not to have involved any type of insurance fraud or homicide but deaths that occur in the course of people's lives," Sheehan said. "And to now go back to a person who has been in the insurance business for many years and to start to say, 'Well, everyone who's ever had an insurance policy connected to Mr. James, well, there must be murder involved,' is absurd; it's just not the case."

The complaint alleged that in the case of Basedo Somaipersaud, found dead of an overdose of alcohol and drugs Jan. 23, 1998 in Smokey Oval Park, James was the agent on at least two insurance policies written on his life and received some of the $80,000 in proceeds.

About $300,000 was paid out on policies on the life of Hardeo Sewnanan, who died in June 1999 from ingestion of alcohol and ammonia. James was the agent and Mallay the beneficiary on at least two policies written on Sewnanan's life, the complaint said.