Alabama Court Sanctions Lawyer for Witness Bribery in Coal Lawsuits
Alabama court sanctions attorney Terrence Collingsworth for witness bribery and tampering.
Why it matters: These sanctions highlight severe ethical breaches that impact attorney conduct standards and risk management in coal-related litigation.
- On June 2, 2026, Collingsworth was sanctioned by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama for bad-faith conduct including witness bribery.
- Collingsworth and International Rights Advocates engaged in obstruction of justice, money laundering, and bribery during suits against Drummond Company involving Colombian paramilitary violence.
- A January 2026 federal jury awarded Drummond $256 million against Collingsworth: $52 million for defamation and $68 million for racketeering, tripled per federal law.
- Evidence showed payments to witnesses disguised as 'security' expenses and threats to withhold payments unless favorable testimony was given.
On June 2, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama sanctioned attorney Terrence P. Collingsworth for bad-faith legal conduct involving witness bribery and tampering. Collingsworth and his nonprofit, International Rights Advocates, were found guilty of obstructing justice, laundering money, and bribing witnesses in litigation against Drummond Company, Inc., a coal producer.
The lawsuits accused Drummond of complicity in the assassinations of Colombian union leaders and mass murders by paramilitary groups. Evidence showed that Collingsworth's team disguised payments to witnesses as 'security' expenses and pressured them to provide favorable testimony by threatening to withhold those payments.
Earlier, in January 2026, a federal jury awarded Drummond $256 million in damages against Collingsworth, including $52 million for defamation and $68 million for racketeering, which was tripled under federal law.
U.S. District Judge R. David Proctor noted that "some witnesses refused to provide testimony or affidavits until certain payments were received" and that Collingsworth "threatened to cut off payments or benefits unless he was satisfied with the evidence the witnesses produced." These findings underscore deep ethical violations with serious consequences for attorney conduct.
The case serves as a cautionary example for lawyers and corporate defendants in high-stakes coal-related litigation, emphasizing the need for rigorous ethical standards and vigilant risk management when navigating complex international human rights claims.
By the numbers:
- $256 million — jury verdict against Collingsworth in January 2026
- $52 million — damages awarded for defamation
- $68 million — damages awarded for racketeering, tripled under federal law