![Google May Pay $500M in Online Drug Ad Case [REPORT]](https://helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/archives/01GjUMgEz7PR3ALWd9K0kqx/hero-image.fill.size_1248x702.v1647019898.jpg)
The case alleges that certain online pharmacies illegally selling prescription drugs ran ad campaigns through Google's various ad programs.
Thursday night, the Wall Street Journal reported Google had released a "cryptic regulatory filing" showing it had earmarked a $500 million payment to the DOJ to resolve a case. The Journal states the settlement would be one of the highest ever paid to the government in a corporate dispute.
In the DOJ's investigation, officials are looking into whether Google may have knowingly worked with advertisers who were using Google's ad platforms to promote illegal activities, such as selling controlled pharmaceuticals to U.S. citizens from pharmacies operating in Canada and other countries.
The WSJ's sources say the investigation has been carried out by the FDA and the U.S. Attorney Office in Rhode Island, where the investigation is reportedly ongoing.
Mere months ago, Google told the world it was suing online pharmacy advertisers who broke the company's rules by offering to sell prescription medication without a prescription on its ad network.