Paramount Pictures, The Los Angeles Times and an advertising firm have paid $75,000 (U.S.) to settle negligence claims stemming from a promotion for Mission: Impossible III that led to bomb scares last year, federal authorities said.
In April, 2006, Paramount placed digital devices in 4,500 news racks around the city that played the iconic movie theme music whenever the door was opened by newspaper purchasers.
Some people mistook the devices for bombs, and reported them to police.
The Veterans Affairs Medical Center in West Los Angeles was evacuated for 90 minutes as a precaution after someone spotted a red box attached to a news rack by wires.
The L.A. County sheriff's arson squad blew up a Times news rack in Santa Clarita.
The settlement was paid April 3, said Thom Mrozek, spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office.
The three companies agreed to pay the settlement without admitting wrongdoing. AP