Sun Diamond Growers Of California

Frank R. Light, who has guided Stockton-based Sun-Diamond Growers of California since its formation in 1980 through consolidation of Diamond Walnut Growers, Sun-Maid Growers and Sunsweet Growers, said he plans to retire as chief executive of the farmer-owned cooperative. Sun-Diamond's board organized a committee to seek a replacement for Light, who will continue as its head until a successor is picked.

Espy Motion Denied: The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia refused to dismiss nine counts against Sun Diamond Growers of California stemming from the probe of former Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy. Sun Diamond goes on trial today, charged with illegally trying to influence Espy with expensive gifts and favors.

Espy Motion Denied: The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia refused to dismiss nine counts against Sun Diamond Growers of California stemming from the probe of former Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy. Sun Diamond goes on trial today, charged with illegally trying to influence Espy with expensive gifts and favors.

An estimated $17 million in overpayments to members of Sun-Diamond Growers of California may involve fraud, the cooperative's vice chairman said. "There appears to be some misrepresentation of figures, and we suspect it could be fraud," William Hosie said. The controller and shelling superintendent at Diamond Walnut Growers in Stockton have been placed on paid suspension.

Sun-Diamond Growers of California was fined $1.5 million by a federal court for giving illegal gifts to President Clinton's former Agriculture secretary, Mike Espy. Pleasanton-based Sun-Diamond, the nation's largest fruit cooperative, also was put on a five-year probation, during which the company has to make regular reports to the court to ensure it does not again break federal gratuity laws.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said that the nation's largest growers of raisins, prunes and other dried fruits and nuts should be banned from selling to the government because their cooperative made illegal gifts to former Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy. The proposed ban would bar cooperatives affiliated with Sun-Diamond Growers of California from selling to the military, federal prisons, school lunch and feeding programs for up to three years.

An appeals court set aside the $1.5-million criminal fine levied on Sun-Diamond Growers of California for giving gifts to former Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy. The court upheld four related convictions. Sun-Diamond's 1996 fine arose from the probe by independent counsel Donald C. Smaltz into gifts that large agribusinesses gave Espy when he was President Clinton's secretary of Agriculture.

Frank R. Light, who has guided Stockton-based Sun-Diamond Growers of California since its formation in 1980 through consolidation of Diamond Walnut Growers, Sun-Maid Growers and Sunsweet Growers, said he plans to retire as chief executive of the farmer-owned cooperative. Sun-Diamond's board organized a committee to seek a replacement for Light, who will continue as its head until a successor is picked.