Blue Bell President Paul Kruse Charged with Wire Fraud and Conspiracy
According to the U.S. Justice Department, a Texas grand jury has charged Paul Kruse, the former president of ice cream manufacturer Blue Bell Creameries LP, with wire fraud and conspiracy in connection with the alleged cover-up of the company’s sales of Listeria-tainted ice cream in 2015. He was charged with seven counts of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to his alleged efforts to conceal from customers what the company knew about Listeria contamination in certain Blue Bell products.
According to the indictment, Texas state officials notified Blue Bell in February 2015 that two ice cream products from the company’s Brenham, TX, factory tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. Kruse allegedly concocted a scheme to deceive customers, including directing employees to remove potentially contaminated products from store freezers without notifying retailers or consumers about the reason for the withdrawal. The company did not immediately recall the products or issue any formal communication to inform customers about the potential Listeria contamination.