This Penalty's For You: Anheuser-Busch Ordered To Pay Up For Violating Whistleblower Protections

An SEC investigation has ordered Anheuser Busch Inbev SA (ADR) BUD to pay $6 million to settle charges that it violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).

According to the investigation, Anheuser-Busch "used third-party sales promoters to make improper payments to government officials in India to increase the sales and production" in India.

The brewing giant received several complaints from employees, but the SEC found that the company had "inadequate internal accounting controls to detect and prevent the improper payments."

Anheuser-Busch reportedly "chilled" a whistleblower from communicating with the SEC, which in turn caused the fine.

Related Link: This Bud's For You: InBev's $103 Billion Takeover Of Rival SABMiller Is Official

The news comes on the same day shareholders approved the massive merger between SABMiller plc (ADR) SBMRY and Anheuser-Busch.

"For a two-year period, the company must cooperate with the SEC and report its FCPA compliance efforts while making reasonable efforts to notify certain former employees that Anheuser-Busch InBev does not prohibit employees from contacting the SEC about possible law violations," the SEC press release read.

At time of publication, however, Anheuser-Busch's stock was up 1.08 percent at $133.30, while SABMiller was relatively flat on the day at $58.22.

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