LITTON WILL PAY U.S. PENALTY.Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Staff Writer Defense contractor Noun 1. defense contractor - a contractor concerned with the development and manufacture of systems of defense armed forces, armed services, military, military machine, war machine - the military forces of a nation; "their military is the largest in the region"; Litton Industries Named after inventor Charles Litton Sr., Litton Industries was a large defense contractor in the United States, bought by the Northrop Grumman Corporation in 2001. Inc. will pay a multimillion-dollar penalty to settle a lengthy federal investigation into whether the company acted improperly when it paid commissions to foreign consultants, sources said Tuesday. Terms of the agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. could be disclosed as early as next week, said a person familiar with talks between the company and the government. By paying the fine, Litton avoids having to defend itself against federal criminal charges. ``We're in the midst Adv. 1. in the midst - the middle or central part or point; "in the midst of the forest"; "could he walk out in the midst of his piece?" midmost of discussions so we have no comment,'' said a Litton spokeswoman, who spoke only on the condition of anonymity. The U.S. Attorney's Office also refused to discuss the case. It has not formerly charged Litton, one of the nation's biggest military shipbuilders and defense contractors, with any violations of federal law. The case was first disclosed in the early 1990s and focuses on Litton's business dealings with Richard Hei, a consultant familiar with Taiwan's government and military officials. Hei worked for Litton and other companies in the 1980s and 1990s on securing military contracts from foreign countries. In a March 17 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Litton first disclosed that the U.S. Attorney intended to bring criminal charges against the company and some present and former officers and employees in connection with sales to Taiwan, Greece and possibly South Korea. Litton said that it started talking to Noun 1. talking to - a lengthy rebuke; "a good lecture was my father's idea of discipline"; "the teacher gave him a talking to" lecture, speech rebuke, reprehension, reprimand, reproof, reproval - an act or expression of criticism and censure; "he had to federal officials in February. ``While the company believes it has good and meritorious defenses to the potential charges, the verdict in any trial cannot be predicted with certainty,'' Litton said in the filing. The company again included this notice when it made its required second quarterly SEC filing on Monday. Woodland Hills-based Litton is the nation's eighth-largest defense and aerospace company. It builds warships and information systems. The company recently outbid out·bid tr.v. out·bid, out·bid·den or out·bid, out·bid·ding, out·bids To bid higher than: We outbid our rivals at the auction. competitor Newport News Newport News, independent city (1990 pop. 170,045), SE Va., on the Virginia peninsula, at the mouth of the James River, off Hampton Roads, near Norfolk; inc. 1896. Shipbuilding for Avondale Industries Inc., a builder of noncombat military ships. Litton share's closed Tuesday at $68.75, up 75 cents. |
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