Learn about the history of Chevron in Ecuador by clicking the links below and watching the videos.
1964
Texaco Petroleum Co. (TexPet) begins exploration and production in Ecuador
Texaco Petroleum (Texpet) enters into an exploration and production consortium in the Oriente region of Ecuador, as a minority partner, with Petroecuador, Ecuador’s state-owned oil company.
1992
Texaco concludes consortium partnership with Petroecuador
Texaco concludes its partnership in the consortium with Petroecuador. This video, produced by Chevron, details Petroecuador’s oil operations and remediation efforts since the conclusion of the consortium with Texaco Petroleum Company in 1992. Since 1992, Petroecuador has significantly expanded oil operations and production while amassing a poor environmental and operational record. Although Petroecuador agreed to remediate environmental issues resulting from the operations of the former Consortium, it has failed to fulfill this obligation, in part because the Ecuadorian plaintiffs suing Chevron have pressured Petroecuador to stop remediation efforts.
1995 to 1998
Texaco fully remediates its share of environmental impacts arising from oil production
Between 1995 and 1998, Texaco completes a $40 million environmental remediation program reflective of Texaco’s approximate 1/3 share of the oil-producing consortium with Petroecuador. In 1998, the Government of Ecuador declares and certifies that the remediation meets Ecuadorian and international standards and releases Texaco from future obligations or liabilities.
2001
Chevron acquires Texaco
The lawsuit against Chevron in Ecuador was tainted with corruption from the very beginning. At least 20 of the 48 signatures on the document that purported to authorize the lawsuit were faked.
2003
Lawsuit filed against Chevron in Ecuador with 20+ fake signatures
The court appointed expert, Richard Cabrera, suggests a wholly illegitimate and unsubstantiated damage and penalty recommendation against Chevron in excess of $27 billion. Mr. Cabrera is not only paid solely by the plaintiffs, but he openly relies on them to staff his effort while seeking to obstruct Chevron’s representatives from even observing his work. Major portions of his submissions to the court are copied from the plaintiffs own submissions, if not written by them directly. His work product is devoid of scientific content, lacks even the most basic evidentiary support, and assesses monetary relief for alleged environmental damage and health claims he has never even bothers to investigate, inspect or verify.
2011
Ecuador court Issues illegitimate and unenforceable $9.5 Billion judgment against Chevron
Shortly before the Ecuador court issues an illegitimate and unenforceable judgment against Chevron, the company files a civil lawsuit under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) as well as other federal and state laws against the trial lawyers and consultants leading a fraudulent litigation and PR campaign against the company. Through the lawsuit, Chevron seeks a court declaration that any judgment against Chevron in the Ecuador lawsuit is the result of fraud and therefore unenforceable. Chevron also seeks damages associated with the cost of defending the Ecuador litigation.
2014
U.S. court declares Ecuador judgment against Chevron fraudulent, unenforceable
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York rules that the $9.5 billion judgment against Chevron Corporation in Ecuador is the product of fraud and racketeering, finding it unenforceable.
2014-2015
Numerous Former Donziger Supporters Repudiate Donziger’s Corrupt Acts and Settle Lawsuits Filed by Chevron
In separate agreements, numerous former Donziger supporters repudiate Donziger’s corrupt acts. Chevron settles with James Russell DeLeon (principal funder), Patton Boggs LLP, Woodsford Litigation Funding Limited and H5, for their respective roles in supporting the corrupt Lago Agrio judgment. H5, an e-discovery and litigation services firm, withdraws support of the plaintiffs in the Ecuador litigation. Also, the Supreme Court of Gibraltar awards Chevron $28 million in damages and issues a permanent injunction against the plaintiffs’ offshore company Amazonia Recovery Ltd., preventing it from assisting or supporting the case against Chevron in any way.
2017-2020
Courts in Brazil, and Argentina reject corrupt Ecuadorian judgement against Chevron
Courts in Brazil, Argentina and Canada separately and resoundingly reject attempts by the plaintiffs to enforce the fraudulent $9.5 billion Ecuadorian judgment against Chevron. In Canada, Donziger’s team voluntarily dismissed their case with prejudice following a string of adverse decisions.
2018
International Tribunal issues award in favor of Chevron; Donziger disbarred
The international Tribunal finds that the Republic of Ecuador violated its obligations under international treaties, investment agreements and international law, and unanimously holds that the $9.5 billion judgment against Chevron was procured through fraud and corruption. Separately, Gibraltar’s Supreme Court issues a judgment against the directors of plaintiffs’ offshore holding company Amazonia Recovery for their role in the Lago Agrio fraud, awarding Chevron with $38 million in damages and interest as a result. Meanwhile, courts in Argentina and Canada affirmed rejection of enforcement of the corrupt Lago Agrio judgement. And the New York Supreme Court’s Appellate Division indefinitely suspends Donziger from the practice of law.
2019
U.S. District Court finds Donziger in Civil Contempt of Court in RICO-related proceeding
Judge Kaplan finds Steven Donziger flagarantly disobeyed court orders prohibiting him from benefitting from the fraudulent Lago Agrio judgment and personally profited from his conduct. Although the Second Circuit vacated part of that order, it left most of the contempt findings against Donziger undisturbed and expressly reaffirmed “the district court’s thorough and fully persuasive fact findings and legal conclusions . . . establishing Donziger’s violations of law and ethics that added up to a pattern of racketeering in violation of the RICO statute.
2020
The Hague Upholds Arbitral Award in Favor of Chevron; Ecuador admits fraud
Following appeals by the plaintiffs, the District Court of The Hague rules again in favor of Chevron, upholding the 2018 arbitral award and reiterating that the $9.5 billion Ecuadorian judgment against Chevron is unenforceable under international law. The New York’sAppellate Division disbars Donziger over his illegalities in the Ecuadorian case. And Ecuador finally admits to the fraud against Chevron, acknowledging in a petition to a U.S. trade representative that the Lago Agrio Judgement was fraudulent.
2021
Donziger guilty of criminal contempt
A U.S. District Court finds Steven Donziger guilty of all six criminal contempt charges and sentences him to six months in prison for “willfully and repeatedly” disobeying court orders, including to turn over evidence in the racketeering suit. The New York State Court of Appeals also denies Donziger’s motion to appeal his disbarment.
2022
Donziger Criminal Contemp Upheld
In June 2022, the Appeals Court in New York upholds the criminal conviction against Steven Donziger. The Dutch Appeals Court also rejects Ecuador’s attempt to annul the arbitration won by Chevron.