Tobacco Giant to Pay $635 Million Penalty for Violating North Korea Sanctions

The U.S. Department of Justice building in Washington on March 28, 2023. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

British American Tobacco (BAT), one of the world’s largest manufacturers of tobacco products, will pay more than $635 million in fines to resolve bank fraud and sanctions violations charges brought by the U.S. government after a subsidiary of the company admitted to selling tobacco products to North Korea.

The agreement to defer prosecution was announced Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).