The larger of the two Quorum settlements, for $77.5 million, resolves accusations that the company systematically misrepresented reimbursable expenditures for the purpose of cheating the government.

A criminal trial is designed to resolve accusations brought (usually by a government) against a person accused of a crime.

It is being watched closely in light of new guidelines by the organization to try to prevent harassment and resolve accusations.

The Securities and Exchange Commission said Suzanne Brown, the former corporate controller, agreed to pay a $100,000 civil penalty to resolve accusations that she helped inflate revenue by $700 million from 2000 to 2003.

Mr. DeLay, now the House majority leader, has asked the House ethics committee to resolve accusations involving his overseas travels with Mr. Abramoff.

She did not want to talk about the inquiry by an independent counsel ordered in May 1998 by Attorney General Janet Reno, to resolve accusations of influence-peddling and conflict of interest.

Last week, the hospital's owner, Tenet Healthcare, agreed to pay $54 million to the government to resolve accusations that Redding Medical doctors conducted unnecessary heart procedures and operations on hundreds of healthy patients.

And some incidents occurred as recently as last year, even as the company was trying to resolve accusations of discrimination.

And the governor himself recently agreed to pay almost $9,000 to resolve accusations that he did not pay full price for using vacation homes supplied by a favored state contractor.

Four of the nation's biggest radio station owners moved to resolve accusations that programmers accepted bribes and other incentives to play specific songs on the air.