<p><span>Today, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington issued an order granting a permanent injunction to resolve pending litigation against Cody Easterday (Consent Order). Easterday had previously been charged by the Commission for engaging in fraud in connection with the sale of more than 200,000 head of “ghost” cattle—which did not, in fact, exist—to Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc. (Tyson), a beef processor and part of a corporate family that together constitute one of the largest food suppliers in the world, as well as with making false statements to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) and violating exchange-set position limits.</span><span> As a result of Easterday’s fraud, Tyson paid him and his feedyard, Easterday Ranches, Inc. (Easterday Ranches), more than $233 million to which they were not entitled.</span></p>