Chicken of the Sea turned on its co-conspirators and cooperated with federal investigators in exchange for protection from criminal prosecution. While Chicken of the Sea was rewarded for its snitchery by not having to pay any fines, StarKist was ordered to pay $100 million, and Bumble Bee $25 million. Bumble Bee’s reduced figure was because the company claimed that a larger fine would result in bankruptcy — an outcome that happened anyway in late November
