Italian medical device maker Sorin Group said it reached a tentative, $10 million settlement with the U.S. Dept. of Justice in case accusing its ELA Medical subsidiary of running an illegal kickbacks scheme.

The Justice Dept. opened an investigation into the case in 2006, examining whether the Plymouth, Minn.-based subsidiary orchestrated a scheme using its sales force to provide kickbacks to doctors who bought its pacemakers. The settlement, in which the company admits no wrongdoing, is expected to become official during the third quarter.