An Italian company has been fined $2.75 million by a Florida judge for falsifying a record book that concealed illegal discharge of pollution into the ocean from a ship.
The fine was imposed last week in Tampa federal court on the Carbofin SPA company. Court records show its ship the M/T Marigola illegally discharged sludge, waste oil and contaminated bilge water into the sea on several voyages in 2013 and 2014.
Prosecutors say the vessel's record book was falsified since at least June 2013 to inaccurately show the waste was properly handled. Investigators say two other Carbofin ships also had falsified oil record books.
Of the penalty, $600,000 will go to benefit the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
Two Marigola engineers previously pleaded guilty in the case.
