A Virginia attorney, Timothy Litzeburg, who worked for the Virginia-based Miller Firm who represented plaintiffs in the first lawsuit against Bayer AG. Bayer acquired Monsanto, Inc. that developed glysophate, the herbicide known in stores as Roundup was recently charged with extortion by federal prosecutors. Litzenburg was part of the team of attorneys who successfully convinced a California jury to award his client nearly $300 million (later reduced to $78.5 million and is still being appealled) based on the assertion that Bayer’s herbicide caused his client’s cancer.

According to The Wall Street Journal, The U.S. Justice Department accuses Litzenburg of plotting to extort a $5 million settlement in addition to $200 million in consulting fees paid to him and his two partners from Amsterdam-based chemicals maker Nouryon in exchange for the attorneys making a liability lawsuit go away.

If successful, The Journal says, Litzenburg would have been able to shift litigation to focus on chemical suppliers who provide materials to produce herbicides, such as glysophate. Despite his claims that Litzenburg states that he enjoys holding uncaring companies accountable for the reckless products they release that can leave consumers vulnerable, in reality he and his associates are con artists attempting to shake down companies (like Bayer and Nouryon) in order to achieve financial gain.

Glysophate and other herbicides and pesticides are used to kill insects in order to help farmers and agriculture companies defend their crops. Undermine products, like glysophate, and food production shrinks resulting in human starvations and even deaths. If they can’t win electorally, the Left seeks to achieve socialism through frivilous litigation and the end result of Litzenburg’s alleged efforts is something considered very desirable by environmentalists.