Company previously known as Blackwater agrees to $7.5 million fine in arms smuggling case

[maddezmom]

Last edited Tue Aug 7, 2012, 07:20 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: AP

By Associated Press, Updated: Tuesday, August 7, 4:15 PM

RALEIGH, N.C. — The international security contractor formerly known as Blackwater has agreed to pay a $7.5 million fine to settle federal criminal charges related to arms smuggling and other crimes.

Documents unsealed Tuesday in a U.S. District Court in North Carolina said the company, now called Academi LLC, agreed to pay the fine as part of a deferred prosecution agreement to settle 17 violations.

The list includes possessing automatic weapons in the United States without registration, lying to federal firearms regulators about weapons provided to the king of Jordan, passing secret plans for armored personnel carriers to Sweden and Denmark and illegally shipping body armor overseas.

Federal prosecutors said it settles a long and complex case against the company, which has held billions in U.S. security contracts in Iraq and Afganistan.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/company-previously-known-as-blackwater-agrees-to-75-million-fine-in-arms-smuggling-case/2012/08/07/0180ea68-e0d5-11e1-8d48-2b1243f34c85_story.html

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BREAKING NEWS: Security Firm Formerly Known As Blackwater Agrees To Millions In Fines

The private security firm that used to known as Blackwater has agreed to pay a $7.5 million fine, as well as acknowledges a $42 million settlement with the U.S. State Department for arms smuggling and other charges.

The court documents against Blackwater, which is now known as Academi, LLC, were unsealed in federal court in New Bern.

Blackwater had its headquarters in a sprawling complex in Moyock.

The company and the U.S. Attorney's Office have both agreed on a deferred prosecution agreement against the company. The feds say the company agrees that it violated the Arms Export Control Act and the International Trafficking in Arms Regulations.

more: http://www.witn.com/news/crime/headlines/BREAKING-NEWS--Security-Firm-Formally-Know-As-Blackwater-Agrees-To-Millions-In-Fines-165330486.html

[Scuba]

1. Who went to jail? Can I just incorporate and rob banks without criminal liability too?

[freshwest]

5. Corporation: An ingenious device for obtaining profit without individual responsibility...

The Devil's Dictionary
Published by Ambrose Bierce in 1911

[valerief]

14. Yeah, and you'll be fined only chump change, too. nt

[russspeakeasy]

2. Nobody goes to jail and you pay a fine of .01% of your net worth.

[Scuba]

6. Of course! THAT's why they call them "One Percenters"!!!

[russspeakeasy]

8. Yup !

[prairierose]

3. This penalty is a crime all by itself....n/t

[99th_Monkey]

10. A little "retrospective protection" pay-off if you ask me, to avoid jail.

[geckosfeet]

4. Ok - let me think on this for a moment. (Smoke rises) Government contracts keep this company afloat.

Specifically, US security contracts. Guessing that the taxpayer foots that bill.

Then the taxpayer pays the government to take these assclowns to court.

Then the assclowns pay the fine with the taxpayers money that the government paid them.

As a taxpayer, I am starting to feel like the assclown.

[zeemike]

7. Well we are the assclowns.

Don't try this yourself of course...they will raid your home with a swat team and seize your property before you go to trial....and there will be jail time for you....you won't get to "agree to a fine"

[99th_Monkey]

9. This is no "fine"; it is a "pay-off" or bribe to avoid jail-time. ~nt

[onethatcares]

11. I tried that with a speeding ticket.

fine was 320.00 american, I attempted to negotiate it down to $23.00.

For some reason the court didn't go for it.

Why????

[Lars77]

12. Pricks changed their name again.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academi

[dixiegrrrrl]

17. how many names have they had?????

and do they really think that no one will keep up with the name changes?

[Doctor_J]

13. half day's profit

that'll show em!

[canuckledragger]

15. yet another terrorist organization

fully funded by the US Government running amok

thanks BUSH..

also..did you know that Erik Prince has ties to Amway through his sister, Betsy DeVos?

She's married to the son of Richard DeVos (Republican bankroller and co-founder of Amway)

http://www.nndb.com/people/926/000117575/

[cyberpj]

16. Just one more 'chump change' fine for the U.S. Mercenaries. nt

[loudsue]

18. bUT AFTER ALL THIS WIKILEAKS IS BAD?????

Justice in this country is so totally fucked up it defies all standards of reason. The "prince" should be locked up and the key thrown away...but no. Julian Assange is the bad guy?????

Gimme a break.

[limpyhobbler]

19. kick and rec nt

[CarmanK]

20. Once again a CORPORATE person did not go to jail. A FINE IS NOT ENUF.

This is ridiculous. Not a single person went to jail for breaking the law. A fine, a stinkin' fine and no one goes to jail.
The so called JUSTICE DEPT is a joke. Please tell me these DOJ creeps are BUSH leftovers. We know BUSH permeated DOJ with his political hacks. I had hoped that HOLDER had identified most of them and walked them to the door. this isn't justice, this isn't even a punishment. the company should be banned from any more govt contracts and their personnel should be identified and prevented from going out and starting another company to bid on those same govt contracts.

[Le Taz Hot]

21. $7.5 million.

I wish I could say I was stunned.

[Festivito]

22. "Security Firm Formerly Known As Blackwater?" Xe? or is it now something else?

What's with calling it: "Security Firm Formerly Known As Blackwater"???