谷歌醫藥廣告遭遇美國史上最大罰單
Internet search giant Google is bracing for a fine that could top $500 million, after a federal probe of illegal online pharmacy ads placed on the website over the past three years, CNN has confirmed.
經過美國聯邦政府長達三年的關於網絡藥物廣告的調查之後，CNN最近證實網絡搜索巨頭谷歌即將面對一項高達500萬美元的罰單。
Law enforcement sources tell CNN that federal prosecutors in Rhode Island, along with undercover agents from the Food and Drug Administration, are heading up a massive investigation aimed at showing Google knowingly took advertising money from websites selling highly addictive drugs without a legitimate prescription.
美國的執法部門有關人士指出，聯邦政府在Rhode Island的執法官正在與來自食物與藥物監督委員會的臥底探員共同調查一起大型案件，這次調查主要爲了揭露Google高層在知情的情況下通過在網絡上販賣易非處方的上癮藥物以獲得利潤。
A spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office in Providence told CNN he could "neither confirm nor deny" reports of the probe, and Google declined comment "since this is a legal matter."
一位發言人表示美國司法部既不否認也不承認這次調查的存在與否，而谷歌方面則否認這次調查，因爲他們認爲這是“司法事務”。
But in early May, Google filed a notice with the Securities and Exchange Commission saying it was setting aside $500 million to potentially resolve a case with the Department of Justice. In its filing, Google stated only that the matter involved "the use of Google advertising by certain advertisers."
但是就在今年的五月，谷歌卻發佈了一份文件指出谷歌正在與美國聯邦證券交易委員會達成共識，他們將預留500萬美元來解決這個與美國司法部可能產生的案件。在這份文件中，谷歌僅僅只是表示了這500萬與“爲某個廣告主提供谷歌的廣告服務”有關。
If a fine of $500 million or higher is in fact imposed on Google, legal experts say it would be the largest such penalty in U.S. history.
如果這份最低也是500萬美元的罰款真的落實，法律人士表示這將會是美國曆史上廣告違規最大的一筆罰單。
