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Antitrust Press Release Archive

• >> ATTORNEY GENERAL, CONSUMER PROTECTION, INSURANCE DEPT ANNOUNCE $700,000 SETTLEMENT IN ALLEGED TITLE INSURANCE KICKBACK SCHEME Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, Insurance Commissioner Thomas R. Sullivan and Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) Commissioner Jerry Farrell, Jr. today announced that a law firm, mortgage company and real estate broker will pay $700,000 in fines, forfeitures and restitution to settle allegations they engaged in illegal kickback and inducement schemes. February 4, 2008

• >> ATTORNEY GENERAL COX ANNOUNCES $66,111.25 DONATION TO THE DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox today announced that $66,111.25 has been donated to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO). These funds are the result of a court-approved settlement and distribution plan from a lawsuit against several music retailers and distributors. February 21, 2008

• >> HAWAII STATE LIBRARIES TO BENEFIT FROM ANTITRUST SETTLEMENT Attorney General Mark Bennett today announced that the Hawaii State Public Library System has received over $20,000 to enhance its music resource collection. February 21, 2008

• >> ATTORNEY GENERAL MARTHA COAKLEY OBTAINS $4 MILLION JUDGMENT AGAINST INSURANCE BROKERAGE FIRM WILLIAM GALLAGHER ASSOCIATES Attorney General Martha Coakley's Office has filed a complaint and a Consent Judgment against Boston-based insurance broker William Gallagher Associates Insurance Brokers, Inc. ("WGA") for billing customer for unauthorized and undisclosed compensation and misleading customers about the brokerage firm's contingent commission practices and involvement in reinsurance. February 21, 2008

• >> ATTORNEY GENERAL LORI SWANSON SETTLES MONOPOLIZATION CHARGES AGAINST WASTE MANAGEMENT OF MINNESOTA, INC. Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson today announced a settlement with Waste Management of Minnesota, Inc. ("WMM"), one of the largest garbage haulers in Minnesota, designed to foster competition among commercial waste haulers in the Mankato area. February 21, 2008

• >> ATTORNEY GENERAL MARTHA COAKLEY ANNOUNCES THAT MASSACHUSETTS WILL RECEIVE $1.3 MILLION IN TEN-STATE SETTLEMENT WITH TRAVELERS INSURANCE Today, Attorney General Martha Coakley's Office, along with eight other states and the District of Columbia, reached a settlement with Minnesota based TravelersCompanies, Inc. (Travelers) regarding its role in a nationwide bid-rigging scheme devised by insurance broker Marsh & McLennan. February 21, 2008

• >> OREGON ATTORNEY GENERAL SETTLES INSURANCE BID-RIGGING CHARGES WITH THE TRAVELERS COMPANIES, INC. February 21, 2008

• >> ATTORNEY GENERAL MARTHA COAKLEY SUES INSURER GREAT AMERICAN INSURANCE GROUP FOR BID-RIGGING Attorney General Martha Coakley's Office has filed a lawsuit in Suffolk Superior Court against Ohio-based insurer Great American Insurance Group for submitting a false insurance premium quote to a Massachusetts company. February 21, 2008

• >> MCCOLLUM, SINK AND MCCARTY ANNOUNCE $12.5 MILLION AIG INSURANCE SETTLEMENT Attorney General Bill McCollum, Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink and Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty today announced that Florida has reached a settlement with a large insurance carrier involved in a "pay-to-play" tactic used by Marsh & McLennan and other insurance brokers. February 21, 2008

• >> HAWAII?LAWSUIT FILED TO IMPLEMENT INSURANCE SETTLEMENT WITH AIG Attorney General Mark Bennett today announced that Hawaii and nine other jurisdictions initiated state court proceedings to implement a settlement reached with American International Group, Inc. (AIG). February 21, 2008

• >> ATTORNEY GENERAL HARDY MYERS SETTLES INSURANCE BID-RIGGING CHARGES WITH AIG Oregon Attorney General Hardy Myers today announced that Oregon has entered into a settlement agreement with another large insurance carrier involved in a "pay to play" scheme devised by insurance broker Marsh & McLennan. February 21, 2008

• >> ATTORNEY GENERAL ABBOTT SETTLES BID-RIGGING CHARGES WITH INSURANCE CARRIER AIG Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott today a bid-rigging investigation with insurance carrier American International Group Inc. (AIG). Under the agreement, the company must end its invovement in a bid-rigging scheme engineered by broker Marsh & McLennan and pay $12.5 million to nine states and the District of Columbia. Texas more than $3.7 million under the settlement. February 21, 2008

• >> ATTORNEY GENERAL MCKENNA STATEMENT ON COSTCO DECISION The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit today issued an opinion in Costco Wholesale Corporation's antitrust lawsuit challenging nine specific restraints on the sale and distribution of beer and wine in Washington. February 21, 2008

• >> ATTORNEY GENERAL MARTHA COAKLEY ANNOUNCES MASSACHUSETTS TO RECEIVE $1.3 MILLON IN TEN-STATE SETTLEMENT WITH AIG Today, Attorney General Martha Coakley's Office, along with eight other states and the District of Columbia, reached a settlement with New York-based American International Group, Inc. ("AIG") regarding its role in a nationwide bid-rigging scheme devised by insurance broker Marsh & McLennan. February 21, 2008

• >> MCKENNA ANNOUNCES MULTISTATE LAWSUIT AGAINST TRICOR MARKETERS Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced that he and attorneys general from 19 states have filed a civil complaint against the manufacturer and marketers of TriCor, a drug prescribed to lower cholesterol. April 2, 2008

• >> BROWN SUES ABBOTT AND FOURNIER FOR BLOCKING GENERIC CHOLESTROL DRUG California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown, Jr. today sued Abbott Laboratories and French drug company Fournier for devising "an elaborate scheme" to block less expensive generic versions of TriCor, a drug that controls cholesterol. April 2, 2008

• >> ATTORNEY GENERAL, 17 OTHER STATES AND D.C. FILE ANTITRUST ACTION AGAINST CHOLESTEROL DRUG MAKERS Attorney General Richard Blumenthal today, joined by 17 other states and the District of Columbia, filed an antitrust lawsuit against three drug companies for illegally blocking cheaper, generic versions of TriCor, a cholesterol drug, from reaching the market. April 2, 2008

• >> FLORIDA, 18 STATES SUE ABBOTT LABORATORIES FOR BLOCKING GENERIC PRESCRIPTION COMPETITION Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced that Florida and 18 states have filed an antitrust lawsuit against Abbott Laboratories and French drug company Fournier Industrie et Sante and Laboratories Fournier, S.A., charging the companies with blocking a cheaper, generic version of prescription drug TriCor. April 2, 2008

• >> MILLER: STATES SUE DRUG COMPANIES FOR ILLEGALLY BLOCKING GENERIC CHOLESTEROL DRUG Iowa and other states filed a lawsuit Tuesday alleging that two drug companies illegaly conspired to prevent and delay the market availability of a cheaper generic version of a cholesterol drug called "TriCor". April 2, 2008

• >> ATTORNEY GENERAL GANSLER FILES SUIT AGAINST DRUG COMPANIES FOR BLOCKING COMPETITORS' PRODUCTION OF GENERIC CHOLESTEROL LOWERING DRUG Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler today filed suit against Abbott laboratories and French drug company Fournier Industrie et Sante alleging that the firms violated state and federal antitrust laws by delaying the availability of cheaper, generic versions of TriCor, a cholesterol drug which last year accounted for over one billion dollars of Abbott's sales. April 2, 2008

• >> NIXON SUES PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES ABBOTT AND FOURNIER FOR ILLEGALLY BLOCKING GENERIC COMPETITION TO TRICOR Attorney General Jay Nixon was joined by 17 other states and the District of Columbia today in filing a lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies Abbott Laboratories and Fournier. April 2, 2008

• >> AG HARDY MYERS FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST ABBOTT LABORATORIES AND LABORATORIES FOURNIER FOR ANTITRUST VIOLATIONS Attorney General Hardy Myers today was joined by 18 other Attorneys General in charging Abbott Laboratories (Abbott) of Lake County, Illinois and French drug company Fournier Industrie et Sante and Laboratoires Fournier, S.A. (Fournier) of Chenove, France with violating antitrust laws in delaying the availability of a cheaper, generic version of TriCor, a popular, cholesterol drug which last year accounted for over one billion dollars of Abbott's sales. April 2, 2008

• >> ATTORNEY GENERAL CORBETT ANNOUNCES MULTI-STATE LAWSUIT AGAINST ABBOTT AND FOURNIER FOR ILLEGALLY BLOCKING GENERIC COMPETITION TO TRICOR Abbott Laboratories and French drug company Fournier, have been charged as part of a multi-state lawsuit with violating antitrust laws in delaying the availability of a cheaper, generic version of TriCor, a cholesterol drug. April 2, 2008

• >> ATTORNEY GENERAL'S INVESTIGATION REVEALS FLAWED LYME DISEASE GUIDELINE PROCESS, IDSA AGREES TO REASSESS GUIDELINES, INSTALL INDEPENDENT ARBITER Attorney General Richard Blumenthal today announced that his antitrust investigation has uncovered serious flaws in the Infectious Diseases Society of America's (IDSA) process for writing its 2006 Lyme disease guidelines and the IDSA has agreed to reassess them with the assistance of an outside arbiter. May 5, 2008

• >> ATTORNEY GENERAL ANNOUNCES $5 MILLION SETTLEMENT REQUIRING SWEEPING REFORMS WITH FORTUNE 500 COMPANY Attorney General Blumenthal today announced The Principal Financial Group (Principal) has agreed to pay $5 million and adopt sweeping business reforms to resolve allegations that it illegally paid millions of dollars in concealed compensation to brokers in order to ensure access to lucrative pension plan business. May 5, 2008

• >> MASTO ANNOUNCES DIVESTITURE AND $15 MILLION CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION IN THE PROPOSED ACQUISITION OF SIERRA HEALTH SERVICES, INC. BY UNITED HEALTH GROUP, INC.

  Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto announced today that her office has filed a complaint in Nevada, alleging that the proposed acquistion of Sierra Health Services, Inc. ("Sierra") by United Health Group Incorporated ("United") violates federal and state antitrust laws, reducing competition in the market for all Medicare Advantage products in the Las Vegas area. Full Article

  May 28, 2008

• >> OHIO ATTORNEY GENERAL DANN, WITH BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FROM 10 COLLEAGUES, ASKS FCC TO TAKE STATE VIEWS, QUESTION XM-SIRIUS MERGER

  Citing antitrust and broader public interest concerns, Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann today joined attorneys general from 10 other states in asking the Federal Communications Commission to utilize its role to carefully review the proposed merger between Sirius and XM, the only two companies in the United States that provide satellite radio service. In a letter to FCC Chairman Kevin McMartin, Attorney General Dann asked the Commission to give states' concerns -- previously expressed to the Department of Justice -- due consideration. Full Article

  May 28, 2008

• >> ATTORNEY GENERAL BLUMENTHAL, TEN STATES SAY SATELLITE RADIO MERGER WILL CREATE MONOPOLY, CALL ON FCC TO INTERVENE

  Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and 10 other states today called on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to consider blocking the proposed merger of the nation's only two satellite radio companies, saying the deal would create an illegal monopoly. Full Article

  May 28, 2008

• >> AG MCKENNA JOINS STATES IN URGING FCC PROBE OF SIRIUS-XM RADIO MERGER

  Attorney General Rob McKenna announced that he and 10 other attorneys general sent a letter today to the Federal Communications Commission urging greater protections for consumers in the proposed merger of satellite giants Sirius and XM. Full Article

  May 28, 2008

• >> ATTORNEY GENERAL ANNOUNCES ANTITRUST SETTLEMENT WITH CHIROPRACTORS FOR ILLEGAL STATEWIDE INSURANCE BOYCOTT

  Attorney General Richard Blumenthal today announced antitrust settlements with two Connecticut chiropractic trade groups and an attorney who alledgedly orchestrated an illegal, anticompetitive statewide boycott of a Connecticut health insurer. Read the full article.

  May 28, 2008

• >> AG?S REPORT: SMALL INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS BEING BULLIED Attorney General Gary King?s office today filed a report and a motion before the Public Regulation Commission, asking the commission to open an investigation into unfair billing and business practices by Qwest and Windstream phone companies. July 22, 2008

• >> ATTORNEY GENERAL BLUMENTHAL SUES CREDIT RATING AGENCIES FOR ILLEGALLY GIVING MUNICIPALITIES LOWER RATINGS, COSTING TAXPAYERS MILLIONS Attorney General Richard Blumenthal today, joined by mayors and first selectmen from across the state, sued the three national credit rating agencies for allegedly giving municipalities artificially low credit ratings, costing taxpayers millions of dollars in unnecessary bond insurance and higher interest rates. July 31, 2008

• >> ATTORNEY GENERAL SIX SUES TO BLOCK MERGER OF TWO OF THE TOP FIVE U.S. BEEF PROCESSORS October 21, 2008

• >> KENTUCKY ATTORNEY GENERAL ISSUES CIVIL SUBPOENAS IN GAS PRICE INVESTIGATION Attorney General Jack Conway announced that because of information received during a preliminary investigation into the Louisville gas prices, his office today issued civil supoenas to refiners and suppliers of the Kentucky petroleum market and has asked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the anti-trust division of the U.S. Department of Justice, and the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review the merger of Marathon and Ashland Oil. October 28, 2008

• >> ATTORNEY GENERAL BLUMENTHAL PLEASED WITH STATE SUPREME COURT DECISION PRESERVING USE OF SUBPOENAED DOCUMENTS IN ANTITRUST INVESTIGATIONS Attorney General Richard Blumenthal today applauded a state Supreme Court decision preserving his office's authority to share with witnesses and others documents subpoenaed in antitrust investigations. October 28, 2008

• >> ATTORNEY GENERAL BLUMENTHAL SUBPOENAS GASOLINE WHOLESALERS October 28, 2008

• >> AG SWANSON JOINS U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND 12 ATTORNEYS GENERAL IN SUIT TO BLOCK MERGER OF TWO OF THE TOP FOUR BEEF PROCESSORS IN THE U.S. October 28, 2008

• >> ATTORNEYS GENERAL SUE TO BLOCK MERGER OF BEEF PROCESSORS JBS, NATIONAL October 28, 2008

• >> ATTORNEY GENERAL ABBOTT TAKES LEGAL ACTION TO PREVENT BEEF PROCESSORS FROM MERGING October 28, 2008

• >> ATTORNEY GENERAL GANSLER ANNOUNCES YAHOO AND GOOGLE HAVE ABANDONED PROPOSED ADVERTISING AGREEMENT IN RESPONSE TO INVESTIGATION December 19, 2008

• >> ATTORNEY GENERAL STATEMENT ON DEMISE OF YAHOO-GOOGLE ADVERTISING AGREEMENT December 19, 2008

• >> DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, STATES LED BY AG MCKENNA, PERSUADE GOOGLE AND YAHOO! TO ABANDON ANTI-COMPETITIVE AD DEAL December 19, 2008

• >> ATTORNEY GENERAL HOOD FILES SUIT AGAINST ENTERGY December 19, 2008

• >> ATTORNEY GENERAL ABBOTT SETTLEMENT WITH WASTE HAULERS PRESERVES MARKET COMPETITION IN HOUSTON, FORT WORTH AND LUBBOCK December 19, 2008

• >> ATTORNEY GENERAL BLUMENTHAL ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT THAT BARS HOME HEATING DEALERS FROM ENERGY ASSISTANCE BOYCOTT December 19, 2008

• >> MINNESOTA ATTORNEY GENERAL SWANSON SUES OVATION PHARMACEUTICAL FOR ANTITRUST VIOLATIONS December 19, 2008