USA: Owners of Infamous Hallmark Meat Company Pay $300,000 in HSUS Slaughterhouse Cruelty Case

First of its kind government fraud case based on farm animal cruelty

November 16, 2012

A partial settlement has been reached with two of the nine defendants in a major False Claims Act lawsuit filed by The Humane Society of the United States against the owners and investors responsible for the 2008 downed animal abuse scandal in Chino, Calif. The HSUS's investigation into the mistreatment of animals at the country's second largest supplier of ground beef to the National School Lunch Program led to the largest meat recall in the nation's history, and the bankruptcy of several of the companies responsible.

The lawsuit alleges that the defendants defrauded the federal government by violating and misrepresenting their compliance with the terms of their federal school lunch program contracts requiring the humane handling of animals. After reviewing The HSUS' complaint, the U.S. Department of Justice elected to intervene in the case and join The HSUS in seeking to recover approximately $150 million in taxpayer money spent on potentially tainted ground beef during the period covered by the recall.

"The meat industry should take notice that if they defraud federal agencies and the American taxpayers by abusing animals, there will be serious consequences for their inhumane and reckless actions," said Jonathan R. Lovvorn, senior vice president and chief counsel for animal protection litigation at The HSUS. "We commend the U.S. Department of Justice for joining The Humane Society of the United States in seeking to hold federal meat suppliers accountable."

Source: Owners of Infamous Hallmark Meat Company Pay $300,000 in HSUS Slaughterhouse Cruelty Case
Author: HSUS

Link: $500 million penalty is largest ever for an animal abuse case