[ad_1]
A StarKist tuna cannery in American Samoa, illustrated in 2009. The seafood packer has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy charges aimed at setting canned tuna prices from 2011 to at least the end of 2013.
Photo:
Eugene Tanner / Associated Press
WASHINGTON – StarKist Co. has agreed to plead guilty for setting canned tuna cannery prices and has been fined up to $ 100 million, the Ministry of Finance said on Thursday. Justice.
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit in a California federal court, alleging that StarKist and others had conspired to "fix, raise and maintain prices of packaged seafood" from 2011 until at least the end of 2013. The indictment documents did not give details of how the tuna producers led the conspiracy or how many US consumers may have overpaid.
StarKist, a subsidiary of the Dongwon Group in South Korea, is the second company to plead guilty, based in Pittsburgh. Bumble Bee Foods LLC did it last year and was fined $ 25 million.
Two Bumble Bee executives and a StarKist leader also pleaded guilty to the investigation and await sentencing. A fourth, Christopher Lischewski, former CEO of Bumble Bee, is fighting for pricing charges and is awaiting trial.
"The conspiracy to fix the prices of these staples has direct effects on US consumer portfolios," said Makan Delrahim, head of the Department of Justice and Justice at the Justice Department, in a statement.
In addition to pleading guilty, StarKist has agreed to cooperate in the pursuit of the investigation into the sector, announced the Justice Department.
"StarKist is committed to being a socially responsible company and making the right decisions. We cooperated with the DOJ during its investigation and took our responsibilities, "StarKist President and CEO Andrew Choe said in a statement.
Write to Brent Kendall at [email protected]
Source link
