Immucor CEO's Italian Trial Moves Toward Second Phase

NORCROSS, Ga., April 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Immucor, Inc.,
(Nasdaq: BLUD), a global leader in providing automated instrument-reagent
systems to the blood transfusion industry, announced today the first level of
the Italian court case against CEO Gioacchino "Nino" De Chirico has concluded
and will now move to the second level.
The tribunal in Milan rendered a guilty verdict in the first-level trial
based on an alleged improper cash payment of euro 13,500 by Immucor's Italian
subsidiary to a physician. The Italian criminal court system is much
different from the U.S. system, and consists of three different levels. At
the first and second levels both sides can present evidence and legal
arguments; at the third level only legal arguments are considered. Under
Italian law, Dr. De Chirico will be considered innocent until all three levels
have been completed, which could take years.
The case centers on the activities of a well-known Italian physician and
hospital administrator, and has focused on alleged improper cash payments by
several companies, including the euro 13,500 payment by Immucor's Italian
subsidiary.
The company confirmed that the case is not against Immucor as a
corporation. As previously reported, Immucor settled charges against its
Italian subsidiary in 2007, and that year also settled the SEC investigation
against the company.
Immucor Chairman Joseph E. Rosen said: "Immucor's Board of Directors,
from the beginning, maintained full transparency around the Italian criminal
charges, and the company has reported these proceedings since the situation
arose in 2004. We self-reported the case to the SEC and fully cooperated with
its investigation. As well, we cooperated with Italian authorities. In
addition, the Board's Audit Committee ordered an internal investigation
conducted by outside counsel into the charges and the events that led to
them."
"It has always been and continues to be the Board's strong desire that
Nino should continue to lead Immucor and he remains the company's CEO with the
full support of the Board," Mr. Rosen continued. "The reasons for supporting
him are straightforward: the company has excelled under his leadership; he
has put together a strong management team; and his execution on our business
plan continues to be outstanding. His results speak for themselves: in
revenue, EPS and profitability, all have been phenomenal during his tenure as
President and CEO, providing increased value to our shareholders. We have
always considered him a person of professional and personal integrity."
In 2005, based on its independent investigation, the Immucor Board's Audit
Committee concluded that the euro 13,500 payment was for services rendered at
a medical conference. However, it also determined that the payment invoice
for those services resulted in a technical violation of Foreign Corrupt
Practices Act provisions. Immucor self-reported this violation to the SEC,
cooperated fully with that investigation and settled with the SEC in 2007.
Founded in 1982, Immucor manufactures and sells a complete line of
reagents and systems used by hospitals, reference laboratories and donor
centers to detect and identify certain properties of the cell and serum
components of blood prior to transfusion. Immucor markets a complete family of
automated instrumentation for all of our market segments.
For more information on Immucor, please visit our website at
www.immucor.com .
Statements contained in this press release that are not statements of
historical fact are "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined under
federal securities laws, including, without limitation, all statements
concerning Immucor's expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies for the
future. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as
"plans," "expects," "believes," "anticipates," "estimates," "projects," "may,"
"will," "could", "should" and other words of similar meaning. Investors are
cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, and
Immucor assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
Immucor urges investors to consider the risks detailed in the Company's
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
SOURCE Immucor, Inc.

Phil Moise of Immucor, Inc., +1-770-441-2051