WASHINGTON -- A possibly illegal cost-saving scheme by MCI is the subject of a federal investigation and could intensify questions over its contracts for work throughout the U.S. government and in Iraq, lawyers and others with the probe said Sunday. The fraud investigation involves MCI's alleged avoidance of charges it is supposed to pay local phone companies. MCI said in a statement that "access charges between local and long-distance carriers have existed for decades and are routine in the industry. As always, we take all inquiries by the U.S. attorney's office very seriously and will cooperate fully with any investigation."...