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WASHINGTON — Ryan Zinke, who intends to resign as interior secretary at year’s end, faces a number of ethics inquiries related to his leadership at the Interior Department.

According to a person familiar with the matter, one of those inquiries — into whether Mr. Zinke stood to benefit from a Montana development deal linked to the energy giant Halliburton — has likely been referred to the Department of Justice for further review.

Government investigators have also closed nine inquiries related to Mr. Zinke, in some cases because he was cleared, and in others because of a lack of cooperation.

Watchdog groups have likened the Zinke investigations to those that dogged Scott Pruitt, the former head of the Environmental Protection Agency. “We didn’t think we’d see something like this again,” said Jordan Libowitz, communications director for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a nonprofit group. “When someone has a couple investigations into them, they’re usually out the door.”