ALBANY, Ga. (AP) - Four people charged in connection with a 2009 salmonella outbreak that killed nine people and sickened hundreds are set to appear in federal court in south Georgia.
The federal indictment unsealed last week accuses the former employees of the Peanut Corporation of America with scheming to manufacture and ship salmonella-tainted peanuts. The four are scheduled to appear Thursday morning in federal court in Albany.
The 76-count indictment charges company owner Stewart Parnell, his food broker brother Michael Parnell and Georgia plant manager Samuel Lightsey with conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud and the introduction of adulterated and misbranded food into interstate commerce with the intent to defraud or mislead.
Stewart Parnell, Lightsey and Georgia plant quality assurance manager Mary Wilkerson were also charged with obstruction of justice.
