Marcos Daniel Jiménez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Ricky D. Langlois, Special Agent in Charge, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division, Jacksonville Area Office; Michael S. Clemens, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miami Field Office, announced today that on June 29, 2004, defendant, Richard K. Softye, pleaded guilty before United States District Court Judge Paul C. Huck to an Information charging him in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1018, for delivering reports representing as true the existence of a required environmental audit program at Holland America Line, when in fact he knew that no such program existed. Softye was sentenced to three years' probation and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine and perform 450 hours of community service.

Holland America Line is an operating line of Carnival Corporation. In a prior case before United States District Court Judge K. Michael Moore, Carnival Corporation pleaded guilty and was sentenced on April 17, 2002 to six counts of making false statements to the United States Coast Guard in Oil Record Books. On April 19, 2002, Judge Moore entered an order requiring Carnival Corporation and each of its operating lines, including Holland America Line, to comply with the terms of a comprehensive Environmental Compliance Plan (ECP) to be implemented throughout the corporation's world-wide operations.

In 2002, Softye was appointed to Vice President - Operating Line Compliance at Holland America Line and was the person authorized by the court-ordered ECP to institute the required audit program and oversee Holland America Line's compliance with ECP. By falsely representing that an audit program was in place at Holland America Line, Softye compromised the integrity of the ECP and the Court's ability to scrutinize Holland America Line's compliance.

Mr. Jiménez commended the investigative efforts of the United States Environmental Protection Agency - Criminal Investigation Division, and the United Stated Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miami Field Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Patrick and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jodi Mazer.