Sources: Philip Morris Officials Face Questions in Federal Probe
May 13, 2011
WASHINGTON -- Top Philip Morris Cos. executives have received subpoenas as part of a federal grand jury criminal investigation about whether the company misled Congress and regulators about the effects of nicotine, the Associated Press reported. FBI agents delivered subpoenas to Philip Morris officials as a grand jury in Washington investigates whether tobacco executives lied to Congress about nicotine's addictiveness, according to a person familiar with the investigation, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The subpoenas were delivered earlier this week when most of the executives being served were at work at the company's plants in the Richmond, Va., area, the AP reported. There were no further details about the number or identities of executives subpoenaed. It was unknown when they were scheduled to testify. A Justice Department spokesman declined to comment Friday. Philip Morris attorneys and spokesmen were unavailable ahead of the three-day Labor Day weekend. Philip Morris last spring warned employees at three Richmond-area plants that Justice officials might contact them as part of the federal investigation. Former Philip Morris employees last spring filed affidavits with the Food and Drug Administration alleging, among other things, that the company routinely monitored and adjusted the nicotine levels in cigarettes.
