This legal complaint was filed by the Conrad & Scherer law firm on April 28, 2009 in California state court in Los Angeles against Dole. The suit alleges that the company made illegal payments to right-wing paramilitary groups to intimidate workers from joining unions. The plaintiffs are 51 men allegedly murder by the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) for union organizing or attempting to prevent Dole from taking their land.