US government fines BP $373 million for environmental crimes and committing fraud

BP has had to pay a massive fine of $373 million to the US government; the US Department of Justice said that the reason for the fine was for environmental crimes and committing fraud. BP came to the agreement to pay the fines so that the probes to a number of alleged offenses could come to an end in the US.

British owned BP was ordered by the US Government to pay over $48 million as a result of a huge explosion in 2005 at their Texas refinery that sadly killed 15 people; the fine also injured 170 people. The fine also includes $303 million which will settle an unrelated charge that accused BP of manipulated US propane markets in 2004. BBC News also reports that four former BP employers face 20 charges, which relates to mail and wire fraud in relation to price-fixing.

Another $22 million will have to be paid out to the state of Alaska and also the Fish and Wildlife Foundation, as crude oil polluted the tundra and frozen lake.