US egg production manager guilty of bribery

A man from the US state of Minnesota has pleaded guilty to trying to bribe a USDA inspector at a Wright County egg production facility in 2010, US media has reported.

Tony Wasmund, was convicted on one count of conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States in federal court in Sioux City. He admitted he conspired with at least one other person to bribe a public official, sell restricted eggs with the intent to defraud and sell misbranded food with the intent to defraud or mislead. The egg facility was not named.

As part of the conspiracy, he authorised the payment of US$300 petty cash from a Wright County egg production business knowing the cash was to be used to bribe a USDA Inspector. The bribe was intended to influence the USDA inspector to release fresh shell eggs for sale that the USDA had retained because they failed to meet USDA standards.

Wasmund remains free on bond pending sentencing. He faces a possible maximum sentence of five years in prison, a fine and three years of supervised release following his prison term.

The government’s investigation is ongoing.