WASHINGTON — It was a family affair.

Eight managers at the US Department of Justice illegally hired or tried to employ relatives at the agency, which had been rung up for nepotism twice before, says a report released yesterday.

The DOJ’s inspector general found schemes to violate federal laws by hiring relatives including a son, daughter, brother, nephew, niece, cousin and grandkid.

“In at least one case, we found that two senior officials simultaneously attempted to assist each other’s relatives in securing DOJ employment,” the report said.