while we'r on the topic of getting sued .. (Score 2, Interesting)

look whos on the receiving end .... US agribusiness giant Monsanto has agreed to pay a one million US dollar penalty to settle charges of bribing the Indonesian government, the US Justice Department said last week. Criminal charges filed in the District of Columbia charged Monsanto with violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) in connection with an "illegal payment" of 50,000 dollars to a senior Indonesian Ministry of Environment official. Assistant Attorney General Christopher Wray said that a bribe by a Monsanto employee was aimed at facilitating the cultivation of genetically modified crops and was falsely certified as "consultant fees" in the company's books and records. The Justice Department said in a statement that the St. Louis, Missouri-based company "agreed to accept responsibility for the conduct of its employees in paying the bribe and making the false books and records entries." Monsanto said in a statement it regretted the actions of those involved in bribery and that it accepted responsibility. "Monsanto accepts full responsibility for these improper activities and we sincerely regret that people working on behalf of Monsanto engaged in such behaviour," Monsanto's general counsel Charles Burson said as quoted by Reuters. Mr. Burson said the company had taken actions to address the activities in Indonesia. Monsanto has also agreed to adopt internal compliance measures and cooperate with ongoing criminal and civil investigations by the Securities and Exchange Commission. An independent compliance expert is to be chosen to audit the company's program and oversee implementation of the new policies. Monsanto also settled related civil enforcement proceedings by the Securities and Exchange Commission, which issued an administrative order finding that the company violated Foreign Corrupt Practices Act provisions. "Monsanto consented to the entry of a final judgement in the federal lawsuit requiring it to pay a 500,000 civil penalty, and consented to the Commission's issuance of its administrative order." Mr. Wray warned that: "companies cannot bribe their way into favourable treatment by foreign officials."