Record-Breaking Fines in the Largest Ever Antitrust Investigation
In 2013, the U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division obtained even more record-breaking
fines in its ongoing antitrust investigation of the automobile parts industry. The investigation,
which began in 2011, has uncovered more than a dozen separate conspiracies to fix the prices of,
and rig bids on, over 30 different types of auto parts sold in the United States and abroad. To date,
charges have been brought against 22 companies, all of whom have pled guilty, or have agreed to
plead guilty, and will pay more than $1.8 billion in criminal fines for their participation in the cartel.
In addition, all but six of the 26 executives charged have been sentenced to jail or have entered into
plea agreements with the DOJ. This is by far the largest ever global antitrust investigation involving
authorities from Asia to North America to Europe. As the investigation continues to expand, U.S.
Attorney General Eric Holder said the DOJ, “will continue to check under every hood and kick every
tire to make sure we put an end to this illegal and destructive conduct.” According to Holder, “Our
work isn’t done.”
Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi, L.L.P. is one of three court appointed Co-Lead Counsel for a proposed
class of end-payor plaintiffs in In re Automotive Parts Antitrust Litigation, a multidistrict litigation
stemming from the DOJ’s criminal investigation, and pending in the Eastern District of Michigan
before Judge Marianne Battani.
Inside This Issue
Record-Breaking Fines in the Largest
Ever Antitrust Investigation
Meegan F. Hollywood
Where Does a Fresh Start End?
The case for imposing joint and
several liability on a reorganized
debtor that continues to participate
in an antitrust conspiracy post-
discharge.
William V. Reiss
Central District of California Holds
that Criminal Amnesty Recipients
not Entitled to ACPERA Benefits
in Parallel Civil Action Where
Cooperation in Civil Action Untimely
William V. Reiss
Global Investigation of Manipulation
of Benchmark Foreign Exchange
Rates Focuses on Chat Group of Top
Bank Traders
Elizabeth L. Friedman
Edition Editor
Kellie C. Lerner
601 Lexington Avenue
Suite 3400
New York, NY 10022
212.980.7400 (phone)
212-980-7499 (fax)
klerner@rkmc.com
ANTITRUST
BULLETIN
Winter 2014 | Vol. 6, No. 1
© 2014 Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. Printed on recycled paper.
Atlanta | Boston | Los Angeles | Minneapolis | Naples | New York | rkmc.com
Antitrust Practice Group Contacts
K. Craig Wildfang
800 LaSalle Avenue
2800 LaSalle Plaza
Minneapolis, MN 55402
612.349.8554 (phone)
612.339.4181 (fax)
kcwildfang@rkmc.com
Hollis Salzman
601 Lexington Avenue
Suite 3400
New York, NY 10022
212.980.7405 (phone)
212-980-7499 )fax)
hsalzman@rkmc.com
Meegan F. Hollywood
mfhollywood@rkmc.com
Meegan Hollywood prosecutes class actions involving price-fixing, unlawful monopolization and other anticompetitive
practices. She has spent the last two years as a lead associate in In re Air Cargo Shipping Services Antitrust Litigation, in which a
class of direct purchasers has already recovered nearly $500 million in partial settlements for an alleged global conspiracy in
the market for airfreight services. She has also defended clients in complex commercial litigation, with a focus on Director and
Officer Liability, as well as in white collar and securities fraud investigations.
