Who was sanctioned, and for what?

At the food plant in Janesville (Wisconsin), the lids of pressurised industrial kettles opened in February and March 2026, scalding workers with steam and hot liquid; three people died. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) proposed a total of $364,100 for both inspections combined, including repeat violations relating to fall protection and lockout/tagout.

Authority / court

U.S. Department of Labor – Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Workplace safety and accidents

Legal basis

Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970; 29 CFR 1910 (u. a. Lockout/Tagout, Absturzsicherung, persönliche Schutzausrüstung)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Food and agriculture

Repeat case

yes

Published

20 Aug 2026

Original amount 364,100 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 20 Aug 2026.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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The U.S. Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force (FLETF) added the frozen food manufacturer to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List because it works with the Xinjiang government to take in Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz or members of other persecuted groups under state labour transfer programmes. The company's goods are therefore presumed to have been produced with forced labour on import into the US unless the importer rebuts this.

Authority / court

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force)

Area of law

Supply chain and human rights · Forced and child labour

Legal basis

Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, Section 2(d)(2)(B)(ii)

Action

Order

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Food and agriculture

Published

3 Aug 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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From 2013 to 2019, Scoular had customs brokers pay around 400,000 USD to Mexican border and inspection officials so that trains carrying contaminated maize and grain would pass inspections; some of the money went to individuals close to cartels. Three-year DPA with a criminal penalty of 9,769,521 USD and forfeiture of 414,351 USD.

Authority / court

U.S. Department of Justice (Criminal Division, Fraud Section; USAO Western District of Texas)

Area of law

Bribery and corruption · Bribery of public officials

Legal basis

FCPA (Verschwörung zur Verletzung der Anti-Bestechungsvorschriften); Deferred Prosecution Agreement

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Food and agriculture

Culpability

intentional

Mitigating circumstances

Cooperation and remediation (including an overhaul of compliance, third-party management, financial controls and anti-corruption training); 25 % reduction off the low end of the sentencing guidelines range.

Liability of senior managers

The customs broker Carlos Leopoldo Alvelais has pleaded guilty.

Published

17 Jul 2026

Original amount 10,183,872 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 17 Jul 2026.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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According to the FTC, employees of the dietary supplement provider wrote thousands of five-star reviews, customers received free products or discounts in return for five-star reviews, and bot profiles posed as real users; in addition, there were unsubstantiated growth claims for children and adolescents. The final settlement order provides for a judgment of 4 million USD, which is partially suspended on account of limited ability to pay after payment of 750,000 USD.

Authority / court

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

Area of law

Consumer protection and online retail · Fake reviews

Legal basis

Section 5 FTC Act; FTC Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials

Action

Disgorgement of profits

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Food and agriculture

Mitigating circumstances

Partial suspension of the judgment on account of limited ability to pay.

Liability of senior managers

The co-founders and co-CEOs Eden Stelmach and Justin Rapoport are personally parties to the order.

Published

15 Jul 2026

Original amount 750,000 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 15 Jul 2026.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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Following the COVID death of a farmworker in employer-provided housing, the California Labor Commissioner's Office sued the agricultural business in Santa Maria in 2021: more than 10,000 farmworkers, including H-2A seasonal workers, had not been informed of their entitlement to paid sick leave; in addition, there was unpaid travel time as well as overtime and minimum wage violations. The settlement of $6,175,000 (of which $4.2 million goes directly to workers) includes posting and reporting obligations.

Authority / court

California Labor Commissioner's Office (Division of Labor Standards Enforcement)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Minimum wage and undeclared work

Legal basis

California Labor Code (Paid Sick Leave, COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave, Mindestlohn, Überstunden)

Action

Other

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Food and agriculture

Published

4 Feb 2026

Original amount 6,175,000 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 4 Feb 2026.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a Withhold Release Order: coffee from Finca Monte Grande (Mexico) is being detained at all US ports of entry because there are indications of forced labour (ILO indicators including debt bondage, withholding of wages, retention of identity documents and excessive overtime).

Authority / court

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Area of law

Supply chain and human rights · Forced and child labour

Legal basis

19 U.S.C. § 1307 (Tariff Act of 1930, Section 307)

Action

Order

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Food and agriculture

Published

29 Jan 2026

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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ADM and former executives had artificially inflated the results of the Nutrition segment through retroactive intra-group rebates and price adjustments in order to show growth targets of 15–20 %. ADM is paying a civil penalty of 40 million USD; two former managers are paying a combined 979,953 USD in disgorgement including interest and 200,000 USD in penalties, while litigation continues against a third.

Authority / court

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

Area of law

Capital markets and financial supervision · Disclosure and reporting obligations

Legal basis

Antifraud-, Reporting-, Buchführungs- und interne Kontrollvorschriften der US-Bundeswertpapiergesetze (Settled Order der SEC)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Food and agriculture

Mitigating circumstances

ADM's cooperation and remedial measures were taken into account

Liability of senior managers

Vince Macciocchi: 404,343 USD disgorgement/interest, 125,000 USD penalty, 3-year officer-and-director bar; Ray Young: 575,610 USD disgorgement/interest, 75,000 USD penalty; action against Vikram Luthar pending

Original amount 41,179,953 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 27 Jan 2026.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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The Koreatown restaurant regularly denied 48 employees meal and rest breaks, required them to remain available for guests even during the lunch break, did not pay split-shift premiums and did not pay all wages. The California Labor Commissioner’s Office imposed 680,238 USD, of which 538,638 USD for the benefit of the employees.

Authority / court

California Labor Commissioner's Office (Division of Labor Standards Enforcement)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Working time

Legal basis

California Labor Code (Meal and Rest Periods, Split Shift Premium, Lohnabrechnung)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Food and agriculture

Liability of senior managers

Owner Byung Kwan Lee named in the announcement.

Original amount 680,238 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 4 Sep 2025.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a Withhold Release Order: sea salt products from Taepyung Salt Farm (South Korea) are being detained at all US ports of entry because there are indications of forced labour (ILO indicators including physical violence, debt bondage, deception, restriction of movement and withholding of wages (ten indicators)).

Authority / court

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Area of law

Supply chain and human rights · Forced and child labour

Legal basis

19 U.S.C. § 1307 (Tariff Act of 1930, Section 307)

Action

Order

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Food and agriculture

Published

3 Apr 2025

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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Following the partial amputation of two fingers on an automatic blade, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) had inspected the bakery in Paterson in June 2023; at the follow-up inspection in May 2024, lockout/tagout procedures were still missing, and in addition exit routes were blocked and fall edges unprotected. Proposed: $385,221 (including failure to abate, 2 wilful and 1 repeat violation).

Authority / court

U.S. Department of Labor – Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Workplace safety and accidents

Legal basis

29 CFR 1910.147 (Lockout/Tagout), 1910.37 (Fluchtwege), 1910.212 (Maschinenschutz)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

unknown

Sector

Food and agriculture

Culpability

intentional

Repeat case

yes

Published

19 Nov 2024

Original amount 385,221 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 19 Nov 2024.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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The franchisee ran five Wingstop outlets in Bakersfield as separate companies and deployed employees at several locations on the same day. As a result, they lost out on overtime premiums after eight hours a day or 40 hours a week, premiums for missed meal breaks, paid travel time and the higher minimum wage for larger employers; the settlement of 1.7 million USD concerns around 550 employees.

Authority / court

California Labor Commissioner's Office (Division of Labor Standards Enforcement)

Area of law

Health and safety and employment law · Working time

Legal basis

California Labor Code (Overtime, Meal Periods, Mindestlohn)

Action

Other

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Food and agriculture

Culpability

intentional

Liability of senior managers

Owner Clinton Lewis personally responsible.

Original amount 1,700,000 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 16 Sep 2024.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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In its 2019 and 2020 annual reports, Keurig claimed that tests confirmed the recyclability of the K-Cup pods, but failed to disclose that two of the largest US recycling companies had expressed significant concerns and stated that they did not currently intend to accept the pods. Keurig is paying a civil penalty of 1.5 million USD.

Authority / court

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

Area of law

Capital markets and financial supervision · Disclosure and reporting obligations

Legal basis

Section 13(a) Securities Exchange Act 1934, Rule 13a-1

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Food and agriculture

Original amount 1,500,000 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 10 Sep 2024.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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The manufacturer of nutrition and wellness products had two departing employees waive potential awards for reports to authorities in separation agreements (May 2022 and June 2023). As part of a sweep against seven listed companies, Smart for Life paid 19,500 US dollars; the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) also took into account the company's strained financial situation.

Authority / court

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

Area of law

Whistleblower protection · Retaliation against whistleblowers

Legal basis

Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Rule 21F-17(a)

Action

Fine

Status of proceedings

final

Sector

Food and agriculture

Mitigating circumstances

Amendment of the templates and information provided to those affected after contact by the SEC, cooperation and strained financial situation

Published

9 Sep 2024

Original amount 19,500 USD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 9 Sep 2024.

Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link

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