Chevron Drops Colorado Firm From Fraud Lawsuit

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Chevron Corp. has agreed to drop a Colorado consulting firm and two of the firm's employees from a fraud and racketeering lawsuit.

Chevron had included Boulder, Colo.-based Stratus Consulting Inc. in a lawsuit stemming from a trial in Ecuador that resulted in a multibillion-dollar judgment against Chevron over alleged environmental damage. Chevron alleges the plaintiffs' lawyers and consultants conspired to rig the Ecuadorean court system to win the judgment.

Stratus had been retained by the plaintiffs' lawyer, and its work was used in a report submitted to the Ecuadorean court by a supposedly independent expert. Stratus said Thursday that it has since learned that the process was tainted by "behind-the-scenes activities" by the plaintiffs.

It has agreed to cooperate with Chevron as it seeks information.

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