Besides his criminal plea, he agreed in 1986 to settle civil charges with the Securities and Exchange Commission by paying a $100 million fine.

Additionally, a criminal defendant may waive inadmissibility protections, rendering criminal pleas, plea discussions, and related statements admissible at trial.

"My attorney said it was a very innocuous situation and it never came to fruit anyway," Mr. Moncrief said of the never-filed criminal plea.

He would also like to see plea bargaining introduced, although he says he would not have accepted a reduced criminal plea.

This kickback arrangement has already resulted in an S.E.C. settlement and criminal guilty pleas by some of the individuals involved.

A provision in the civil settlement allows Exxon to withdraw from that agreement within 10 days if a court rejects the criminal plea.

A change that may be considered, Mr. Bassano said, is what a number of other states already do: provide for a new criminal plea, guilty but mentally ill.

These officials presided over a corporate culture that resulted in criminal guilty pleas from five insurance executives.

A week later, he had the hard drive removed from his office, according to the criminal plea he entered into last year.

As a result of the criminal plea and deferred prosecution agreement, the companies will pay a total of $34.7 million.