Latest News

US Justice Department probes ADM's ethanol trading desk, sources say

The U.S. Justice Department is examining ArcherDanielsMidland's. ethanol trading operation as part of a more comprehensive probe of the. commodities giant's accounting practices, according to three. people with understanding of the matter.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New. York (SDNY) is penetrating whether ADM incorrectly represented. hedges in its ethanol trading system, the three sources stated.

ADM, a $28 billion company that makes animal feed,. sweeteners and other products, is also a big producer of. ethanol, a biofuel made from corn.

ADM today validated reports that the Justice. Department is examining accounting practices related to. ADM's Nutrition system and that previous and current employees had. received grand jury subpoenas connecting to that probe.

The Chicago-based company said the investigation was. focused primarily on the Nutrition service. The DOJ probe. into ADM's ethanol trading operation was not formerly. reported.

The extra analysis shows that the Justice. Department is taking a wider take a look at ADM's accounting. practices than previously reported - another obstacle for the. company as it seeks to restore investor confidence.

A spokesperson for ADM stated the company declined to comment. on the federal government investigation beyond what it disclosed on. Tuesday. A representative for SDNY also declined to comment.

ADM said today it was working together with authorities. Government investigations are not evidence of misbehavior and do. not always result in charges.

ADM shares pared gains on Wednesday to close up 2% at. $ 58.27. They have dropped about 15% given that the firm disclosed in. late January that it had actually suspended its primary financial officer. and was delaying monetary results amidst an internal probe into. its Nutrition division accounting. The company's investigation. was prompted by a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). questions, ADM said at the time.

The company said the SEC inquiry focused on sales in between. the Nutrition division and its Agricultural Solutions & & Oilseeds. and Carb Solutions systems.

On Tuesday, ADM corrected financial transactions in between the. units for its 2018 to 2023 monetary statements, saying it had. overemphasized the Nutrition unit's operating earnings. It said the. modifications did not affect its overall outcomes.

ADM rivals have sued the business recently over. its ethanol organization.

One prominent claim brought by Switzerland's AOT. Holding alleges that ADM manipulated the cost of ethanol to. make money from brief positions it was holding in the derivatives. market. ADM has rejected the claims and is fighting the case,. court records show.

According to a January 2023 federal court filing in that. case, an ADM worker from the ethanol trading system revealed he. breached ADM's accounting policy associated to hedging treatment.

The Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and CME. Group, which notes ethanol futures, had ongoing. questions into matters raised in the AOT case as of 2019,. according to a 2023 court filing and to a separate source. knowledgeable about the matter.

The status of those questions was not instantly clear. AOT. declined to comment. Spokespeople for the CFTC and CME Group. declined to comment.

(source: Reuters)