Chevron Statement on Southern District of New York RICO Opinion
Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) issued the following statement in
response to today′s Southern District of New York RICO opinion:
Today, the U.S. District Court in New York rejected the Lago Agrio
plaintiffs′ attempt to avoid a ruling on the validity of their
fraudulent judgment and made important factual findings about the
plaintiffs′ fraud and misconduct. In a 97-page opinion, Judge Kaplan
rejected the effort of the Ecuadorian plaintiffs and their lawyers to
abruptly drop some of their arguments in Chevron′s RICO case in order to
avoid a ruling against them, calling this tactic an 'unworthy pretense.?
The court examined the record and issued findings that plaintiffs′
lawyers engaged in activities that 'tainted? the Lago Agrio trial,
further observing that 'there are serious questions concerning the
preparation of the judgment itself.? Judge Kaplan denied Chevron′s
motion for immediate summary judgment on whether the Ecuador judgment is
enforceable under New York law, instead requiring further legal and
factual submissions prior to a final ruling. Chevron intends to press
forward with its racketeering and fraud case until the perpetrators of
the judicial fraud are held accountable for their actions.
Note to Editors:
Chevron is defending itself against false allegations that it is
responsible for alleged environmental and social harms in the Oriente
region of Ecuador. Chevron never conducted oil production operations in
Ecuador, and its subsidiary Texaco Petroleum Co. ('TexPet?) fully
remediated its share of environmental impacts arising from oil
production operations, before leaving Ecuador in 1992. After the
remediation was certified by all agencies of the Ecuadorian government
responsible for oversight, TexPet received a complete release from
Ecuador"s national, provincial, and municipal governments that
extinguished all claims before Chevron acquired TexPet in 2001. All
legitimate scientific evidence exonerates Chevron and proves that the
remediated sites pose no significant risks to human health or the
environment.
More information on the plaintiffs′ lawyers′ fraud can be found here.
Additional background on the Ecuador litigation can be accessed here
and here.
Chevron is one of the world′s leading integrated energy companies, with
subsidiaries that conduct business worldwide. The company is involved in
virtually every facet of the energy industry. Chevron explores for,
produces and transports crude oil and natural gas; refines, markets and
distributes transportation fuels and lubricants; manufactures and sells
petrochemical products; generates power and produces geothermal energy;
provides energy efficiency solutions; and develops the energy resources
of the future, including biofuels. Chevron is based in San Ramon, Calif.
More information about Chevron is available at www.chevron.com.
Chevron Corporation
Kent Robertson, 925-790-3819
