MINNEAPOLIS (AP) _ Minnesota has settled its lawsuit against R.J. Reynolds Tobacco and ITG Brands over payments from the landmark 1998 agreement and should receive at least $81 million.

State Attorney General Keith Ellison said Wednesday that annual payments to the state are expected to be ``at least $10 million for the foreseeable future.`` The money will go into the state's general fund.

A Minnesota court in 2019 ruled in favor of the state, which argued that because of a brand-transfer issue the tobacco company wrongfully failed to pay millions of dollars.

Under terms of the settlement, the state will receive a full back payment for the unpaid obligations from 2015-20 and ITG Brands will assume the obligation to make payments on the transferred brands going forward.

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