U.S. and Plaintiff States v. Apple, Inc., No. 2:24-cv-04055 (D.N.J. Mar. 21, 2024)

Sixteen states and the U.S. Department of Justice filed a civil antitrust lawsuit against Apple for monopolization or attempted monopolization of smartphone markets in violation of Section 2 of the Sherman Act. The complaint, filed in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, alleges that Apple illegally maintains a monopoly over…

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U.S. and Plaintiff States v. Kroger, No. 3:24-cv-00347 (D. Ore. Feb. 26, 2024)

The United States and nine plaintiff states sued to block the $42 billion proposed merger between the Kroger company and Albertson’s companies, the country’s two largest traditional supermarket chain.  The complaint alleges that the proposed acquisition may substantially lessen competition.  The FTC began an administrative proceeding and the plaintiffs (states and FTC) sought a preliminary…

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People v. Eli Lilly & Co. et al., No. 23STCV00719 (Super. Ct. L.A. Cty. Jan. 12, 2023)

California sued the largest insulin makers and PBMs, alleging that they drove up the cost of the drug through unlawful, unfair and deceptive business practices in violation of Cal. Bus & Prof. Code 17200, et. seq. The three manufacturers named in the lawsuit produce over 90% of the global insulin supply and the three PBMs…

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FTC and Plaintiff States v. Syngenta Crop Protection AG, No. 22-cv-828 (M.D. N.C. Nov. 2022)

The FTC and 10 states sued pesticide manufacturers Syngenta Crop Protection and Corteva, Inc. two of the largest pesticide manufacturers operating in the United States. For allegedly paying distributors to block competitors from selling their cheaper generic products to farmers. The complaint alleges that these big pesticide firms run so-called “loyalty programs” in which distributors…

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FTC and Plaintiff States v. Amgen, No. 23-CV-3053 (N.D. Ill. 06/22/23)

Plaintiff states  joined the Federal Trade Commission’s suit against Amgen’s planned $28 billion purchase of Horizon Therapeutics. The plaintiffs sought a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction blocking Amgen Inc. and its subsidiaries from completing the proposed acquisition. Horizon Therapeutics PLC makes the only U.S. FDA-approved treatment for thyroid eye disease, Tepezza, and the only FDA-approved…

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People of California v. Vitol, Inc. et al., (Cal. Super. Ct. (San Francisco Cty.)

Plaintiff state sued two gasoline trading firms, Vitol Inc. and SK Energy Americas, alleging that they took advantage of market disruptions from a 2015 refinery explosion in Torrance to improperly drive up the gasoline prices. The state sought an injunction, damages, restitution, and civil penalties. The complaint alleged that the two companies made manipulative trades…

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New York et al. v. Meta (originally Facebook Inc.), No. 20-3589 (D.D.C.)

Forty-eight plaintiff states filed a lawsuit against Facebook Inc., alleging that the company harms the public by illegally stifling competition to protect its monopoly power. The states alleged that, over the last decade, the social networking giant illegally acquired competitors in a predatory manner and cut services to smaller firms that threatened its power, depriving…

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U.S. et al. v. JetBlue Airways Corp., No. 1:23-cv-10511 (D. Mass. Mar. 31, 2023)

The U.S. Department of Justice and seven states sued to block JetBlue’s takeover of Spirit Airlines, alleging that the deal would lessen competition and potentially increase costs and decrease reliability for passengers. According to the complaint, Spirit is a budget airline whose presence in a city pair may cause other airlines to lower their prices. …

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United States et al. v. Google LLC, No. 1:23-cv-00108 (E.D. Va. Jan. 24, 2023)

The United States and eight plaintiff states sued Google for monopolizing multiple digital advertising technology products in violation of Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act. The complaint alleges that Google monopolizes key digital advertising technologies, collectively referred to as the “ad tech stack,” that website publishers depend on to sell ads and that…

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California ex rel. Bonta v. KYB Copr.

As part of a large class action, plaintiff state filed suit against manufacturers of automotive shock absorbers, alleging that the defendants, from the mid-1990s through at least 2012, conspired to rig bids for, and to fix stabilize and maintain the price of shock absorbers installed in autos purchased by the plaintiff state. Defendant pled guilty…

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