The Justice Department informed Friday that they have reached a $4.6 million settlement with former U.S. Army scientist Steven Hatfill, who was the prime suspect in the deadly anthrax letters of 2001.

The mailings were common hand-addressed letters, but they contained tiny quantities of deadly anthrax powder. The first letter arrived at American Media Inc. in South Florida. Five people were killed and 17 were seriously affected by the attacks.

Steven Hatfill took former Attorney General John Ashcroft and the department to court 5 years ago, under the accusations that his privacy was violated when the media connected him to an investigation concerning the biological attacks in the eastern United States.

Hatfill, a former Army biodefense researcher, was the prime subject of news media exposure, but he was never charged. However, he stated that the details reported by the media in that period damaged his reputation.

According to court papers, the agreement calls for an immediate $2.82 million compensation to Hatfill and starting with 2009, he will be paid an annuity of $150,000 a year for 20 years.

The lawsuit was filed by Hatfill in August 2003, but U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton postponed the verdict for two years in order to interrogate FBI officials. The government declared that the statements of agents could obstruct the investigation.

Mark A. Grannis, one of Hatfill’s lawyers, stated on Friday that his client’s position had been very uncomfortable in the past years and that no one would like to be in his shoes.