Chipotle Subpoenaed Following Norovirus Outbreak At Sterling-Virgina Location

Norovirus Outbreak

It looks like Chipotle (NYSE:$CMG) is in even hotter waters after a foodborne illness incident that occurred last week at one of its Sterling, Virginia locations. The popular restaurant-chain has been presented with a federal grand jury subpoena recently, with the jury asking for further information regarding the situation at the Sterling, Virginia-located restaurant. A norovirus outbreak had occurred there. According to iwaspoisoned.com, the website where people first reported illness after dining at a Chipotle restaurant in Sterling, at least 100 customers were affected by the norovirus outbreak.

A subpoena means that prosecutors are putting together evidence to present to a grand jury, who will then decide whether an indictment should be made. The subpoena is only a part of a bigger federal criminal investigation that Chipotle will have to face regarding the number of food-related illnesses linked to its restaurants in the past few years. In 2015 alone, two E. coli outbreaks and two separate norovirus outbreaks had also been linked to Chipotle restaurants.

In a filing on July 26, Chipotle stated that the company will be fully cooperating with the federal investigation. “It is not possible at this time to determine whether we will incur, or to reasonably estimate the amount of, any fines or penalties in connection with the investigation pursuant to which the subpoena was issued,” Chipotle noted. No charges have been specified.

The investigation is currently being handled by the US Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California as well as the US Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations. To understand the gravity of the situation, it should be noted that criminal investigations — much less at the federal level — into foodborne illness outbreaks are quite uncommon. It is hard to say whether or not Chipotle’s reputation can be repaired anytime soon.

Featured Image: depositphotos/wolterke

If You Liked This Article Click To Share