FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — Federal prosecutors say a former executive for a California-based tomato processor has agreed to plead guilty to participating in a conspiracy to drive up food prices nationwide.
Alan Scott Huey, former senior vice president of SK Foods, also has agreed to cooperate in the government's investigation as part of a plea deal.
The 53-year-old Huey is charged with taking part in a scheme to bribe purchasing managers of major food companies to buy tomato products at inflated prices between 2004 and 2008. The allegations include falsifying quality control documents on mold tests.
Other SK Foods employees, as well as purchasing managers from Kraft Foods Inc., Frito-Lay Inc. and B&G Foods Inc., already have pleaded guilty in the case.
