Alliance One International, Inc. ("AOI") was formed from a merger between DIMON, Incorporated ("Dimon") and Standard Commercial Corporation ("Standard") in 2005. Both Dimon and Standard were publicly traded leaf tobacco merchants, and AOI continued as a worldwide lead tobacco merchant. AOI was a publicly traded Virginia corporation that maintained its principal place of business in Morrisville, North Carolina. AOI purchased and processed tobacco grown in more than 45 countries and sold tobacco to manufacturers of consumer tobacco products in more than 90 countries around the world.
Prior to the 2005 merger, Dimon maintained a wholly owned subsidiary under the name of Dimon International Kyrgyzstan, Inc. ("DIK"), which purchased and processed tobacco grown in Kyrgyzstan and shipped processed tobacco to Dimon's customers throughout the world. From around January 1996 through at least around March 2004, DIK made cash payments to a Kyrgyz governmental official, several Akims, which were local Kyrgyz government officials, and the Kyrgyz Tax Inspection Police totaling $3,050,672. These payments, which were recorded as, among other things, "financial assistance" or "commissions," were in fact bribes intended for Kyrgyz government officials.
Also prior to the 2005 merger, Dimon maintained a wholly owned subsidiary, Dimon International AG ("DIAG") and Standard maintained a wholly owned subsidiary, Standard Brazil Ltd., both of which provided financial, accounting and management services to other Dimon and Standard subsidiaries that purchased tobacco grown in Brazil and sold it to Dimon and Standard's customers including the Thailand Tobacco Monopoly ("TTM"), which was the Thai government agency charged with the management and control of the govemment-owned tobacco industry in Thailand. From around 2000 through around 2004, DIAG and Standard Brazil made corrupt payments totaling approximately $1,238,750 to an official with TTM.
On August 6, 2010, the DOJ entered into a Non Prosecution Agreement with AOI. Under the terms of the agreement, AOI agreed to implement and enhance its anti-corruption compliance policies and procedures and to appoint an independent monitor for a term of three years. The DOJ noted AOI's cooperation and voluntary disclosure in the matter.
