Hewlett-Packard Pays $16.25 Million To Settle HISD Bribe Case

Hewlett Packard has agreed to pay a $16.25 million fine to settle a case that involved improprer gift-giving to school-district employees in Houston and Dallas, the Associated Press is reporting.

The allegations came in connection with the federal government’s E-Rate program, and outside investigations showed that key district officials received tickets to Rockets playoff games, the Super Bowl and trips to Vegas.

Among those receiving gifts: HIS’s then-superintendent Abe Saavedra, who went to three Rockets games with his wife.

Today’s announcement, out of San Francisco, will end the Federal Trade Commission’s investigation into the matter.

H-P told the wire service “the incidents happened more than five years ago and that the employees involved are no longer with the company.”