p2pnet - rss feed: Samsung, Hynix price fixing
p2pnet.net News:- Il Ung Kim and Young Bae Rha of Samsung Electronics Co, and Gary Swanson of a US subsidiary of Hynix Semiconductor Inc, have been indicted in a US investigation into computer memory chip price-fixing.
From April 1, 1999 to June 15, 2002, “Samsung and its US subsidiary Samsung Semiconductor conspired with other DRAM (dynamic random access memory) manufacturers to fix the prices of DRAM sold to Dell, Compaq Computer, Hewlett-Packard, Apple Computer, IBM and Gateway,” said the US Department of Justice a little more than a year ago.
Under the plea agreement, Samsung agreed to cooperate with the government in its ongoing investigation of other DRAM producers, said the DoJ at the time.
Now, the three men are charged with being co-conspirators in a price-fixing scheme involving multiple semiconductor vendors between April 2001 and June 2002, says the IDG News Service, going on that they attended meetings, “in which the price of DRAM was discussed, agreed to fix prices, and exchanged information with competitors on the prices charged to computer makers, according to the indictment”.
They’re each charged with, “participating in the conspiracy to suppress competition in violation of the U.S. Sherman Antitrust Act, says the story, adding the maximum penalty for the conviction of a Sherman Act violation occurring before June 22, 2004 is three years in prison and a $350,000 fine.
Earlier this year, “four Hynix and four Samsung Electronics executives pleaded guilty in the case and agreed to fines and jail terms ranging from five to eight months,” says Digital Chosun Ilbo.
“The DRAM price-fixing conspiracy, which also involved Infineon Technologies and Micron Technology, has seen 16 indicted so far and a total of US$731 million fines imposed on them and their employers.”
Also See:
fix the prices of DRAM - Samsung admits price fixing, October 13, 2005
IDG News Service - Semiconductor Execs Indicted for DRAM Price Fixing, October 19, 2006
Digital Chosun Ilbo - U.S. Indicts More Samsung, Hynix Execs for Price Fixing, October 19, 2006
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October 22nd, 2006 at 7:34 pm
From the looks of things by how much ram prices gone up the last couple months, its still going on, but under the disguise of the “back to school rush”. So yeah, we get server memory, and hardcore overclockers memory gaining prices $100 or more all because of a back to school rush. Whatever.