Washington rancher Cody Easterday has pleaded guilty to defrauding Tyson Foods and another company out of more than $244 million by buying and selling fictitious cattle. 

Earlier this year Tyson filed a lawsuit to recover losses from the scheme where Easterday would receive monetary advances from Tyson and an unnamed business to buy cattle and raise them.  He also charged the companies for the feed.  But the cattle were non-existent, and Easterday would use the advance money to invest in the commodities market. 

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