back to article HP pays to end fraud probe

HP is paying $55m to end an investigation into government procurement which suggested the ink giant was paying kickbacks to its channel partners in order to get government contracts. HP said it was paying to end the investigation earlier this month, without admitting any guilt. Assistant US Attorney General Tony West said: " …

COMMENTS

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  1. Doug Glass
    Go

    "We weren't doing it ...

    ... but we're going to stop as of __________ ". Typical corporate attitude.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    WTF?

    One law for the Rich...

    As this case demonstrates, we will take action against those who seek to taint the government procurement process with illegal kickbacks,"

    No, it shows that if you have the cash, you can buy your freedom.

    Corruption is alive and well in the Land of the free, sorry wealthy.

    1. This post has been deleted by its author

      1. Eduard Coli
        Alert

        US = Plutocracy

        HP may have paid a larger fine and would have had to pay the lawyers thus the payoff.

        We as measly little plebs would still have to plead guilty and pay the fine.

        This is an example of what it wrong with business in the US.

        When it suits them corps act liek individuals and demand rights and when it suits them they stand apart as entities immune from prosecution and held in special favor.

        If a corp is going to buy off a probe then they should have to admit guilt or face the the beak.

  3. JaitcH
    Unhappy

    No problem, they can still rip industry and the general public.

    They might have stopped, in the US, the "taint" pf the government procurement process with illegal kickbacks but HP continues s usual elsewhere.as well as in industrial applications.

    When the founders were alive, HP was a beacon of fair dealing and honesty. Pity the board and management doesn't know HP's history.

  4. samwisethecat
    Big Brother

    Kickbacks

    So they are paying a kickback in order to stop the investigation into kickbacks?

  5. Elmer Phud
    Flame

    One wipe and it's gone!

    $55m buys a big carpet and a broom and a can of Febreeze.

    1. hplasm
      Grenade

      BANG!

      And the dirt is gone! (under the carpet)

      grenade full of Barry Scott.

  6. Ancient Oracle funkie

    A lowly HP employee writes

    The company gives kickbacks and the ex-CEO was a petty crook.

    And yet it's us poor employees who have to do the ethics training!

  7. Version 1.0 Silver badge
    FAIL

    Just wait ...

    The money will be refunded to HP when the Republicans get back into office.

  8. Tom 13

    Another day, another government shakedown.

    It's time the pampered politios stopped shaking down honest businesses with unending investigations that will just go away if only the company greases the right palms in just the right way. Coupons and discounts are a standard business practice here in the states, and some of them depend on your status like "student," "charitable," and "government." An investigation into allegations of kickbacks under this guise is nothing but a thugish shakedown on the part of our new Lords and Masters.

  9. Disco-Legend-Zeke

    The Real...

    ...theft is the $10,000,000,000.02 of profits which, instead of being paid out to the shareholders in dividends, as required by law, are being used to increase the value of executive stock options.

  10. Henry Wertz 1 Gold badge

    Funny

    I was actually thinking the same as samwisethecat. I mean, I know this is more like a fine but it's amusing that the gov't is solving a case about getting kickbacks (reducing the cost of a product) by getting more money back from the same company.

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