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Comment by Expez | Hacker News Reader

Wonder if Hydro in turn will file criminal charges. They bought the business unit at fault here in 2000[1]. Surely they could hold someone accountable for fraud that way? They thought they bought a business capable of producing quality parts, but didn't end up getting that.

Like the other posters in this thread I feel like the $46m fine shouldn't be the end of this.

[1] https://www.hydro.com/no-NO/media/news/2019/hydro-reaches-ag...

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I think that's why it was only $46m... Sure they agreed to take on responsibility for any prior debts and obligations as part of the purchase, but at this point you're not really punishing the people who were responsible for it, just those who were left holding the bag.

I'm not sure what legal recourse Hydro has against the prior owners, executives, managers, etc. that were actually responsible, but 19 years after the acquisition I'd be surprised if anything ever came of it.

Only governments can file criminal charges.

As a blanket statement this is incorrect. Many common law jurisdictions permit private prosecution of criminal cases.

> many

Isn't it basically just the UK?

Only if you think Canada and various American states are in the UK.

Where in the US can a non governmental entity charge someone with a crime?

Texas, Virginia, North Carolina, and Idaho among other jurisdictions.

Interesting, I wonder how that even works. Can anyone just "charge" someone with a crime? I always thought the district attorney or someone similarly qualified and presumably unbiased had to vet the evidence and decide whether or not to charge someone.

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