The U.S.
Department of Justice said Wednesday that Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.
(NYSE:BABA) and U.S.-based payment processor AUS Merchant Services agreed to pay $600 million under a non-prosecution agreement to resolve allegations they failed to stop illegal pharmaceuticals and banned goods from reaching U.S. buyers through Alibaba’s online marketplaces.
A non-prosecution agreement allows a company to avoid criminal prosecution if it meets specific conditions, including financial penalties, compliance reforms and continued cooperation with investigators.
According to the DOJ, merchants using Alibaba.com and AliExpress carried out roughly 80,000 unlawful sales involving imports into the U.S. between January 2016 and December 2024.
