Turner Broadcasting and a New York marketing firm agreed on Monday to pay $2 million in compensation for a "guerrilla" advertising campaign that sparked fears of terrorism in the Boston area last week.
Travel on major roadways and rail lines was suspended and police responded in large numbers last Wednesday after the discovery of blinking electronic devices meant to promote an adult-themed show on Turner's Cartoon Network.
Authorities have charged Sean Stevens, 28, and Peter Berdovsky, 27, in the security alert, Boston's biggest since the September 11 attacks. They pleaded not guilty last week to charges of placing a hoax device and disorderly conduct.
The two were paid by Interference Inc., a New York marketing company hired by Turner Broadcasting System Inc., a unit of Time Warner Inc..
Turner and Interference have agreed to pay a combined $2 million in restitution and other compensation to communities and agencies affected by the scare, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley said in a statement.
The settlement includes $1 million to the cities of Boston, Somerville and Cambridge along with Massachusetts state agencies and another $1 million in "good will funds" to finance homeland security and other programs by various groups.
Expect the charges against Stevens and Berdovsky to be reduced or dropped entirely as the city has secured a significant piece of compensation for their costs incurred as a result of the whole asinine episode.
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