Why did Halliburton plead guilty to a criminal charge related to the Deepwater Horizon spill?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Fireboats battle a blaze on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico, April 2010. — Deepwater Horizon oil spill Fireboat response crews attempt to extinguish the blaze aboard the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, April 21, 2010.

Halliburton pleaded guilty to a criminal charge in 2013 because its employees destroyed evidence related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Following this plea, the company agreed to pay a $200,000 penalty.12