Healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson has admitted that improper payments have been made by two of its overseas subsidiaries.
One of the group's executives has resigned from his post after accepting "ultimate responsibility" for the impropriety, which may have broken the US foreign corrupt practices act.
The illegal actions relate to the sale of medical devices in two undisclosed "small-market" countries.
Michael Dormer, the former worldwide chairman of J&J's medical devices and diagnostic unit, has been replaced by Nicholas Valeriani with immediate effect.
A statement from the company assured it would provide additional information to the US department of justice and the US securities exchange commission, pledging to "cooperate with the agencies' reviews of these matters".
"In a letter to Johnson & Johnson, Mr Dormer cited the internal review of these matters and noted he had 'ultimate responsibility by virtue of my position' for those subsidiaries that were the subject of the disclosure," the statement added.
"Effective immediately, all worldwide businesses within the medical devices and diagnostics segment will report to Nicholas Valeriani."
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