Daiwa, Yamaichi and Nikko acknowledged paying favored clients 45 billion yen, or $324 million.

He also acknowledged paying $25,000 to a referee from Niger who offered information to discredit one of Blatter's accusers.

Officials at the paper acknowledged paying Ms. Flowers but declined to say how much.

Two years ago, the company acknowledged paying $33 million for a three-year protection contract.

In 2003 Freeport acknowledged paying local Indonesian military and police officials to secure the Grasberg mine.

Japan's 12 leading car companies, fearing potentially mammoth verdicts against them, acknowledged paying at least $100 million in August to settle with Mr. Lemelson.

He acknowledged paying "a great deal of money for certain books," and said that after three years, "we have not become a major factor in the publishing business.

One senior executive with another news magazine show, who acknowledged paying for video material on some stories, said the price seemed unusually high.

The D.E.A. acknowledges paying $20,000 in expense money to the kidnappers, but payments for information and other help are routine.

The administration acknowledged paying a conservative commentator, Armstrong Williams, to promote its No Child Left Behind education policy.