Federal prosecutors in San Antonio say Omaha-based agribusiness The Scoular Company is paying a steep price to keep its trains moving. The company agreed Friday to pay more than $10 million and enter a three-year deferred prosecution agreement after prosecutors said Scoular relied on third-party payments to move trains of corn and other products across the U.S.–Mexico border from 2013 through 2019. According to prosecutors, the scheme involved reimbursing customs brokers for payments that helped shipments clear Mexican inspections.
Nothing crosses into or out of Mexico without the approval and payment to Mexican drug cartels. American businesses that engage in any cross-border trade bear a significant amount of responsibility to do so without benefitting those cartels and without threatening our national security.
— U.S. Attorney WDtx (@usao_wdtx) July 17, 2026
San Antonio Prosecutors Turn Up the Volume
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas used the case to sound a broader alarm about cross-border commerce, warning that cartel influence reaches into ordinary trade. He wrote that "Nothing crosses into or out of Mexico without the approval and payment to Mexican drug cartels." The comment accompanied the department's announcement of the Scoular resolution, according to U.S. Attorney WDtx.
What Justice Says Scoular Agreed To
In a press release Friday, the U.S. Department of Justice said Scoular entered into a three-year deferred prosecution agreement and will pay a $9,769,521 criminal penalty plus $414,351 in forfeiture. The information filed in the Western District of Texas charges the company with one count of conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
How Prosecutors Say the Money Moved
Prosecutors say Scoular authorized multiple customs brokers to pay Mexican officials roughly $2,000 per train to get shipments cleared. The brokers were then reimbursed by Scoular as supposed reinspection fees. According to the department, Scoular authorized more than $400,000 in bribes and avoided more than $6.5 million in fees and costs. Investigators highlighted WhatsApp messages about shipments and payments, and the department said the reimbursements were made for Scoular’s benefit.
Compliance Cleanup and the Broker Fallout
As part of the agreement, Scoular committed to enhanced compliance measures, including eliminating use of customs brokers tied to reinspection fees and tightening oversight of third-party intermediaries. The company did not receive voluntary-disclosure credit but did receive cooperation credit, and the department noted that a related customs broker, Carlos Leopoldo Alvelais, previously pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on Monday, July 20.
Why Border Shippers Are Paying Attention
Compliance experts say the resolution is a pointed reminder that companies outsourcing border clearance still have to vet brokers and monitor payments closely if they want to avoid Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and related exposure. Scoular, an Omaha-based agribusiness with operations across North America, is already rolling out remedial steps while federal investigators continue to probe, according to Scoular.
The FBI is investigating the matter, and Scoular will periodically report to the department on remediation under the deferred prosecution agreement. Court filings and the department's statement set out the government’s account of the allegations and the settlement terms.
