
Austal USA, a shipbuilder based in Alabama that constructs vessels for the U.S. Navy, has admitted to wrongdoing and agreed to pay a $24 million fine to resolve an accounting fraud investigation, as announced by the U.S. Department of Justice.
According to the Department of Justice, from 2013 to July 2016, Austal USA participated in a conspiracy to deceive shareholders and investors regarding the company's financial status. The company pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud and one count of obstructing a federal audit.