http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2010/04/26/daily70.html MISSORI GETS $440,000 JUDGMENT
AGAINST OFFICE DEPOT A consent
judgment issued Friday requires Office Depot to pay $440,000 to settle
allegations that the company had violated Missouri’s Merchandising
Practices Act, according to the state attorney general’s office.In
February 2009, Attorney General Chris Koster launched a statewide probe
into Office Depot over allegations of fraudulent pricing and
overcharging on government contracts.Koster’s probe came as Office Depot
(NYSE: ODP) faced civil investigations by a number of states and
federal agencies regarding its pricing practices relating primarily to
government customers. In a July 2009 regulatory filing, the company said
at the time it was cooperating with the Florida, Texas, Missouri,
Colorado, California and Ohio attorneys general with respect to such
investigations.
Friday’s judgment in St. Louis County Circuit
Court calls for the Boca Raton, Fla.-based office products retailer to
pay $320,000 in restitution and $120,000 to reimburse the state for the
cost of the investigation.St. Louis County Circuit Judge Carolyn
Whittington also issued a permanent injunction prohibiting Office Depot
from violating the Missouri Merchandising Practice Act. A $100,000
penalty was suspended, providing the company complies with the terms of
the judgment and permanent injunction