Tag: criminal
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French Wine Executive Indicted in Fake Wine Scheme
The chairman of French wine merchant Raphaël Michel has been indicted on charges that he masterminded a scheme to label nearly 4 million cases of ordinary table wine as Rhône Valley wines, including Châteaunneuf-du-Pape and Côtes du Rhône. Guillaume Ryckwaert has been charged with fraud, deception and violations of consumer and tax codes. Several other…
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Horse Meat Fraud Conspirators Sentenced
Three men have been convicted and sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy to sell at least 30 metric tons of horse meat as beef. The owner of a Danish supplier was sentenced to 3.5 years, while the company’s accountant received a suspended sentence. In addition, the owner of a London meat processor was given…
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Europol Arrests 66 in Horsemeat Investigation
Europol has announced the arrests of 66 people following a four-year investigation into an organized-crime group accused of selling horsemeat “not suitable for consumption” as beef products. The investigation began in 2013 after Irish authorities found products sold as beef burgers that contained horsemeat and led to a Dutch man in Spain alleged to be…
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RICO Claims Dismissed in Tomato Suit
A California federal court has dismissed Racketeer Influence and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) claims against tomato-processing companies Los Gatos and Ingomar but will allow a bribery claim to proceed. Morning Star Packing Co. v. SK Foods, L.P., No. 9-0208 (E.D. Cal., order entered June 14, 2017). The Morning Star Packing Co. brought a RICO and bribery…
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Beer Distributor To Pay $2-Million Fine For Trade Practice Violations
The attorney general of New Jersey has announced an “unprecedented” $2-million fine in a settlement with a craft beer and spirit wholesaler accused of trade practice violations. Div. of Alcoholic Beverage Control v. Hunterdon Brewing Co. LLC, No. L0002 (N.J. Dep’t of Law Public Safety, consent order filed May 31, 2017). New Jersey alleged that…
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SCOTUS Denies Certiorari in Egg Cases
The U.S. Supreme Court has denied certiorari in a six-state coalition’s attempt to block enforcement of a California law requiring egg-production facilities to provide hens enough space to extend their limbs and turn around. Missouri v. Becerra, No. 16-1015 (U.S., denial of certiorari entered May 30, 2017). The rule affects private egg producers within each…
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Brazilian Meatpacker to Pay $3.2 Billion to Settle Bribery Charges
The holding company of Brazilian meatpacker JBS SA has reportedly agreed to pay a $3.2-billion fine for the company’s involvement in a graft and bribery scandal involving more than 1,800 politicians, including President Michel Temer and former President Dilma Rousseff. J&F Investimentos, co-owned by brothers Joesley and Wesley Batista, will pay the fine to U.S.…
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Creation Foods Charged With Falsifying Kosher Certification for Cheese
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has reportedly filed charges against Creation Foods and its vice president Kefir Sadiklar alleging the company sold cheddar cheese falsely labeled as kosher to Jewish summer camps. The agency asserts that Creation Foods edited a digit in the product code to match the code of a cheese product approved as…