谷歌医药广告遭遇美国史上最大罚单

Internet search giant Google is bracing for a fine that could top $500 million, after a federal probe of illegal online pharmacy ads placed on the website over the past three years, CNN has confirmed.

经过美国联邦政府长达三年的关于网络药物广告的调查之后，CNN最近证实网络搜索巨头谷歌即将面对一项高达500万美元的罚单。

Law enforcement sources tell CNN that federal prosecutors in Rhode Island, along with undercover agents from the Food and Drug Administration, are heading up a massive investigation aimed at showing Google knowingly took advertising money from websites selling highly addictive drugs without a legitimate prescription.

美国的执法部门有关人士指出，联邦政府在Rhode Island的执法官正在与来自食物与药物监督委员会的卧底探员共同调查一起大型案件，这次调查主要为了揭露Google高层在知情的情况下通过在网络上贩卖易非处方的上瘾药物以获得利润。

A spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office in Providence told CNN he could "neither confirm nor deny" reports of the probe, and Google declined comment "since this is a legal matter."

一位发言人表示美国司法部既不否认也不承认这次调查的存在与否，而谷歌方面则否认这次调查，因为他们认为这是“司法事务”。

But in early May, Google filed a notice with the Securities and Exchange Commission saying it was setting aside $500 million to potentially resolve a case with the Department of Justice. In its filing, Google stated only that the matter involved "the use of Google advertising by certain advertisers."

但是就在今年的五月，谷歌却发布了一份文件指出谷歌正在与美国联邦证券交易委员会达成共识，他们将预留500万美元来解决这个与美国司法部可能产生的案件。在这份文件中，谷歌仅仅只是表示了这500万与“为某个广告主提供谷歌的广告服务”有关。

If a fine of $500 million or higher is in fact imposed on Google, legal experts say it would be the largest such penalty in U.S. history.

如果这份最低也是500万美元的罚款真的落实，法律人士表示这将会是美国历史上广告违规最大的一笔罚单。