Cincinnati (AP) Officials with Procter and Gamble say it's all about protecting the company's reputation.
A federal court jury in Salt Lake City district court has awarded the consumer products company $19.25 million in a civil lawsuit over Satanism rumors.
The legal action was taken against four former Amway distributors the company says spread false rumors linking it to Satanism to advance their own business.
The company says the Amway distributors used a voice mail system in 1995 to tell thousands of customers that some of Procter and Gamble's profits went to satanic cults.
One of the defendants says the former Amway distributors are ``stunned'' by the verdict.
Procter and Gamble is the world's largest consumer products company. Its products include diapers, detergent, soap, shampoo, chips and coffee.
