Key facts
- Abbott Laboratories will pay over $384 million to settle allegations concerning contaminated infant formula.
- The U.S. Justice Department has closed its investigation into Abbott.
- The investigation stemmed from a 2021-2022 cronobacter outbreak linked to Abbott's infant formula.
- Two infants died and four were sickened in the outbreak.
- Abbott recalled Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare formula, contributing to a national shortage.
- The DOJ investigation concluded after Abbott's $500,000 contribution to President Trump's inauguration committee came to light.
Abbott Laboratories has agreed to pay more than $384 million to resolve allegations tied to contaminated infant formula, the U.S. Justice Department announced. The company's formula was linked to a 2021-2022 outbreak of cronobacter infections, which sickened four infants and led to two deaths.
Following the outbreak, Abbott recalled its Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare formulas, contributing to a significant shortage of infant formula nationwide. The Justice Department had initiated an investigation after cronobacter bacteria were discovered at Abbott's manufacturing facility in Sturgis, Michigan. Although the specific strain found at the plant did not match samples from the affected infants, the Food and Drug Administration noted this did not rule out the species' presence during production.
Reports from The Wall Street Journal and Reuters indicated that the DOJ concluded its investigation after learning of a $500,000 contribution Abbott made to President Trump's inauguration committee. A Public Citizen analysis from April 2025 had previously listed Abbott among corporations that contributed to Trump's inauguration. The DOJ's decision to close the investigation reportedly involved recouping money earned by Abbott from selling formula through federally funded nutrition programs, rather than pursuing criminal charges.