Unlike many other germs, it can grow in the cold temperature of a refrigerator or in a food processing plant. Kruse allegedly orchestrated a scheme to deceive certain Blue Bell customers, including directing employees to remove potentially contaminated products from store freezers without notifying retailers or consumers about the real reason for the withdrawal. Blue Bell pleaded guilty in a related case in May to two counts of distributing adulterated food products in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Three deaths were reported in Kansas, and the Centers for Disease Control warned against consuming any Blue Bell products. Blue Bell Creameries recalled all products following a Listeria contamination. Pitman dismissed the case against Kruse in July after the Justice Department conceded he did not waive his right to be indicted by a grand jury, which prosecutors did not seek due to the coronavirus outbreak. “The message the government is sending is that you shouldn’t poison your customers and that if you do, you’ll be held accountable both civilly and criminally. Blue Bell Creameries agreed to pay more than $19 million in fines and forfeiture as part of a plea agreement on two misdemeanor counts for shipping contaminated ice cream, according to … Disclaimer. It’s a big deal and a big signal.”. And there was never an intention to defraud anybody.". Blue Bell Creameries agreed to pay more than $19 million in fines and forfeiture as part of a plea agreement on two misdemeanor counts for shipping contaminated ice cream… The criminal investigation was conducted by the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations and the DCIS. The sentence “was consistent with the terms of a plea agreement previously filed in the case,” according to the Justice Department. Thank you! Kruse instructed employees to tell customers who asked about the removed items that there was an "unspecified issue with a manufacturing machine," the indictment alleges. 23,704 were here. Kruse, who served as the company's CEO and president from 2004 to 2017, was charged with seven counts of wire fraud and conspiracy for an alleged scheme to cover up what the company knew about the listeria contamination in Blue Bell products, "We firmly believe the charges will be dismissed because they are untimely," said Chris Flood, who represents Kruse. Copyright © 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The sentence against the Brenham-based ice cream maker was handed down Thursday by U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman in Austin, the U.S. Justice Department said. That criminal information later was dismissed without opposition from the government, and the new indictment returned by the Grand Jury, which has resumed operations, now sets out the charges against Kruse. Marler said the agreement will allow Blue Bell to move forward after years of legal issues. Blue Bell Ice Cream is seen on shelves of an Overland Park grocery store prior to being removed on April 21, 2015 in Overland Park, Kansas. The indictment filed against Kruse merely alleges that crimes have been committed. Blue Bell Creameries pleaded guilty on Monday to charges that they distributed adulterated ice cream products and will pay a criminal fine and forfeiture amount totaling $17.25 million. The Listeria outbreak in America was related to 10 hospitalisations and 3 deaths, according to the US CDC. Updated 4:26 AM ET, Thu October 22, 2020 New York (CNN Business) A Texas grand jury charged Paul Kruse, Blue Bell Creameries' former CEO and … In all, 10 people fell ill and three died. Not according to Spirit Halloween, See which state's economy is faring best during the pandemic, Without additional stimulus, inequality could get worse, Stocks drop after Trump tweets stimulus talks are over, CNN reporter: Trump contracting Covid-19 could be 'game changer' for markets, Investor: The stock market feels like 1999 again, Julia Chatterley: This is what uncertainty overload looks like, Nikola founder steps down as executive chairman, Trump approves Oracle, Walmart deal for TikTok, Unity Software goes public with ticker symbol U, Scaramucci: Stock market is the only 'poll' Trump looks at, Softbank shares fall on reports of risky tech bets. In 2018, the state of Texas said it had completed an enforcement agreement with Blue Bell that allowed operations to resume under expanded monitoring. Blue Bell Creameries recalled all products following a Listeria contamination. Blue Bell temporarily closed all of its plants in late April 2015 to clean and update its facilities. The case was filed in a federal court in Austin. Get the best of our site delivered to your inbox every day. All rights reserved. Blue Bell said it has implemented a number of safety measures to guard against future episodes of food contamination. Trump begins raising money for his new political action committee, Stacey Abrams: We helped change "trajectory of the nation", Cheri Bustos won't seek second term as DCCC chair after Dems lose seats. The company halted production in April 2015 after 10 people in four states were hospitalized after eating listeria-tainted ice cream. According to the plea agreement, Texas state officials notified Blue Bell in February 2015 that two ice cream products from the company’s Brenham, Texas factory tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, a dangerous pathogen that can lead to serious illness or death in vulnerable populations such as pregnant women, newborns, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems, according to a news release issued Friday by the U.S. Justice Department. Kruse is scheduled to make his first appearance since the Grand Jury indictment at 2 p.m. on Oct. 29 in federal court in Austin before Judge Andrew W. Austin. Market indices are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes. All rights reserved. "We look forward to a jury hearing what really happened in 2015 and Blue Bell's response to the unfortunate events.". Chicago Mercantile Association: Certain market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. Morningstar: Copyright 2018 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The recall was announced within days of returning to grocery stores in three states after a deadly outbreak of Listeria last year. Blue Bell directed its delivery route drivers to remove remaining stock of the two products from store shelves, but the company did not recall the products or issue any formal communication to inform customers about the potential listeria contamination. In an indictment filed in federal court in Austin, TX, former Blue Bell president Paul Kruse was charged with seven counts of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to his alleged efforts to conceal from customers what the company knew about Listeria contamination in certain Blue Bell products. Instead Kruse waited until April, two months after Texas State Health officials first notified the company, according to the indictment. Paul Kruse, who Blue Bell's CEO and president at the time, "orchestrated a scheme to deceive certain Blue Bell customers" by asking store employees to pull ice cream from store freezers without telling stores or customers about the ice cream's link to the Listeria outbreak, the Department of Justice alleged. ), Another E. coli outbreak linked to romaine; illnesses span 6 states, T&A recalls whole heads of romaine lettuce for E. coli contamination, Miss Vickie’s Kettle Cooked Potato Chips recalled due to glass pieces, Colorado natural grocery retailer recalled Elderberries for Salmonella, Letter From The Editor: Mushrooms, Marijuana, and Drugs. ... 2020, the court sentenced the company to pay criminal penalties totaling $17.25 million.
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