U.S. says Bayer to pay $40 million to resolve whistleblower lawsuits

(Reuters) - Bayer AG and some of its subsidiaries agreed to pay $40 million to settle claims over its alleged use of kickbacks and false statements related to the drugs Trasylol, Avelox and Baycol, the U.S. Department of Justice said on Friday.

The settlement arose from two whistleblower lawsuits filed by Laurie Simpson, a former Bayer employee who worked in its marketing department.

Bayer will pay $38.9 million to the United States and $1.14 million to 20 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, the Justice Department said.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York)