Scoular Company to Pay $10 M in FCPA Settlement Over Mexico Border Bribes

The U.S. Department of Justice charged The Scoular Company, an Omaha‑based agricultural supply‑chain firm, with one count of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The case stemmed from a scheme between 2013 and 2019 in which Scoular used customs brokers to pay Mexican border officials roughly $2,000 per train to allow shipments of corn and other products to cross despite failed inspections for dirt and other prohibited material. The bribes, totaling more than $400,000, sometimes benefited individuals linked to drug cartels.

Scoular resolved the matter through a three‑year deferred prosecution agreement, agreeing to pay a criminal penalty of $9,769,521, forfeit $414,351, and implement a compliance and ethics program monitored by the DOJ. No independent compliance monitor was required. The settlement underscores DOJ concerns that corporate bribery can undermine fair competition and national‑security interests at the U.S.–Mexico border.