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Alibaba and AUS Merchant Services to Pay $600 Million in Settlement
The companies reached an agreement with the Justice Department to resolve allegations that their platforms allowed illegal pharmaceutical sales. The settlement requires payment without any admission of liability.
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The Justice Department announced that Alibaba and AUS Merchant Services agreed to pay $600 million to settle claims that their platforms permitted illegal drug sales. The agreement ends the dispute without a court trial or any admission of guilt by either company.
Regulators determined that sellers on the platforms offered pharmaceuticals that were not permitted for sale, and the companies did not prevent those transactions. Alibaba, based in Hangzhou, was asked for comment but provided no response. The payment resolves allegations involving both sales and imports of goods that violated U.S. rules.
Alibaba operates as a major Chinese technology firm with global e-commerce operations. The U.S. government participated directly in the negotiations that produced the settlement. No further legal action is expected once the payment is completed.
Transparency
How sources framed this
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Regulatory accountability acceptedCost of doing business
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AccountabilityRoutine cost
CorroborationLimited · 3 sources
