U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced that nine Japanese-based auto parts makers have been fined $740 million and two executives have pleaded guilty to their roles in international price-fixing conspiracies that increased the cost of cars sold in the U.S. The effort was the largest criminal investigation the Department of Justice’s antitrust division has ever […]
Category Archives: Cartel Activity
DOJ Breaks Up More Than Dozen Simultaneous International Auto Parts Price-Fixing Conspiracies
October 18, 2013 – 2:19 pm
Court Awards Best Buy $75 million in Damages After an LCD Price Fixing Trial
September 19, 2013 – 2:50 pm
In In re: TFT-LCD (Flat Panel) Antitrust Litigation, Northern District of California jury awarded Best Buy Co. $75 million in damages against HannStar Display Corp., finding that HannStar participated in an Asia-based conspiracy to fix prices on LCD panels. The jury’s award is a fraction of the $770 million Best Buy sought in its suit […]
Indirect Purchaser Claims Dismissed/Direct Purchaser Claims to Move Forward in Multi-District Auto Parts Antitrust Litigation
July 3, 2013 – 11:14 am
In In re: Automotive Parts Antitrust Litigation, Eastern District of Michigan Judge Marianne Batani dismissed some indirect purchaser claims, but retained direct purchaser claims, in multidistrict litigation in which the plaintiffs accuse auto parts makers of rigging bids and fixing prices on automotive wiring harnesses. The court found sufficient allegations of a conspiracy with respect […]
Pay-for-Delay Challenge to Move Forward
June 27, 2013 – 9:16 am
In In re: Skelaxin (Metaxalone) Antitrust Litigation, Eastern District of Tennessee Judge Curtis L. Collier denied a motion to dismiss multidistrict litigation accusing King Pharmaceuticals, a Pfizer subsidiary, and Mutual Pharmaceutical Co. Inc. of conspiring to keep generic versions of the muscle relaxer drug Skelaxin off the market. In 2005, King and Mutual settled infringement […]
Court Finds Waiver of Right to Jury Trial in Major Antitrust Damages Case
May 22, 2013 – 7:34 am
In State of Texas et al. v. Penguin Group USA Inc. et al., Southern District of New York Judge Denise Cote has ruled that Penguin Group USA Inc. waived its right to a jury trial on damages claims brought by a group of 30 states against Apple and several publishing companies for fixing e-book prices. […]
Ninth Circuit Reinstates Restitution Claim Against Executive Convicted of Antitrust Violations
April 23, 2013 – 12:31 pm
In The Morning Star Packing Co. LP et al. v. U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that the lower court had improperly denied a request for restitution by Morning Star under the Mandatory Victim Restitution Act (MVRA). The plaintiff claimed that it was […]
Dismissed Price Cutting Dealer Lacked Antitrust Standing
March 25, 2013 – 9:56 am
In Gatt Communications Inc. v. PMC Associates LLC et al., the Second Circuit upheld the dismissal of a bid-rigging action against a radio dealer that sold to state and municipal entities. The court held that the plaintiff lacked antitrust standing under federal and state law. The plaintiff alleged that the non-party radio manufacturer organized a […]
Pennsylvania Governor Sues NCAA Over Sanctions Against Penn State
February 25, 2013 – 9:05 am
In Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Thomas W. Corbett Jr., Governor v. National Collegiate Athletic Association, Pennsylvania’s governor, Thomas W. Corbett filed suit against NCAA, claiming the NCAA’s sanctions against Pennsylvania State University (“Penn State”) in response to the sexual abuse scandal surrounding former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, violated antitrust laws and would cause dire economic […]
Chiropractic Organization May Not Negotiate Prices for Its Members
February 20, 2013 – 8:28 am
In U.S. v. Oklahoma State Chiropractic Independent Physicians Association, filed in the Northern District of Oklahoma, the Antitrust Division and the defendant association have entered a consent decree preventing an Oklahoma chiropractic association from negotiating joint contracts with insurers that the DOJ believes thwarted competition and drove up prices for consumers. The decree, which must […]
Court Rejects Double Recovery Claim In LCD Antitrust MDL
February 7, 2013 – 7:09 pm
In Rockwell Automation Inc v. AU Optronics Corporation et al., Northern District of California Judge Susan Illston rejected LG Display Co. Ltd.’s argument that Rockwell Automation Inc.’s state price-fixing claims would lead to duplicative recovery in the multidistrict litigation over liquid crystal display panels. LG brought counterclaims and affirmative defenses against Rockwell’s Wisconsin state law […]