UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT
GRAND JURY H-05-1
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
v.
STORA ENSO NORTH AMERICA CORP.
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CRIM. NO. 3:06CR323CFD
VIOLATION: 15 U.S.C. § 1 (Conspiracy to Restrain Trade) FILED: 12/13/06 |
INDICTMENT
(Conspiracy to Restrain Trade in Violation of 15 U.S.C. § 1)
The Grand Jury charges that:
- The Offense
- Beginning sometime in August 2002, and continuing through at least June,
2003, the exact dates being unknown to the Grand Jury, STORA ENSO NORTH
AMERICA CORPORATION ("SENA"), and other co-conspirators entered into and
engaged in a combination and conspiracy to fix the price at which certain brand name,
coated publication papers sold by SENA and its co-conspirators ("subject magazine
papers"), were sold to customers in the United States. The combination and conspiracy
unreasonably restrained interstate and foreign trade and commerce in violation of Section
1 of the Sherman Act (15 U.S.C. § 1).
- The charged combination and conspiracy consisted of an agreement,
understanding, and concert of action among the defendants and co-conspirators, the
substantial term of which was to fix, raise and maintain the prices at which the subject
magazine papers were sold in the United States.
- Means and Methods of the Conspiracy
- For the purpose of forming and carrying out the charged combination and conspiracy, the defendants and co-conspirators did those things that they combined and
conspired to do, including, among other things:
- engaging in communications and meetings regarding the prices at which
the subject magazine papers were sold and would be sold in the United
States. These communications and meetings took place both inside and
outside the United States.
- agreeing during those communications and meetings to increase the prices
of the subject magazine papers sold in the United States;
- issuing price announcements for the subject magazine papers in accordance
with the agreement reached;
- selling the subject magazine papers to customers located throughout the
United States at collusive and non-competitive prices; and
- accepting payment for the subject magazine papers sold at collusive and
noncompetitive prices.
- Background
- The subject magazine papers include brand name, coated publication papers
sold by SENA and its co-conspirators. The subject magazine papers were primarily used
by customers in the production of magazines and high-volume catalogues.
- Coated papers have a smooth clay coating applied over a free-sheet or
ground-wood base paper. Coated papers are particularly valued for their crisp, vibrant
reproduction of color graphics and photographs.
- Defendant and Co-Conspirators
- During the period covered by this Indictment, STORA ENSO NORTH
AMERICA CORPORATION ("SENA") was a corporation organized and existing under
the laws of the state of Wisconsin. SENA is a U.S.-based subsidiary of Stora Enso Oyj
("Stora Enso"). Stora Enso is foreign corporation headquartered in Helsinki, Finland.
- During the period set forth in this Indictment, SENA's primary business
included the sale and marketing of fine paper, magazine paper, newsprint and specialty
papers in North America. SENA has sales offices, in among other areas, California,
Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, New York, and Texas. SENA's paper sales are targeted at
publishers, retailers, catalogers, commercial printers and merchants.
- Others, not made defendants in this Indictment, participated as co-conspirators in the offense charged herein and performed acts and made statements in
furtherance thereof.
- Whenever in this Indictment reference is made to any act, deed or
transaction of any corporation, the allegation means that the corporation engaged in the
act, deed, or transaction by or through its officers, directors, agents, employees, or other
representatives while they were actively engaged in the management, direction, control or
transaction of its business or affairs.
- Trade and Commerce
- During the period covered by this Indictment, the subject magazine papers
were manufactured in the United States and elsewhere, and sold by the conspirators to
customers located throughout the United States in a continuous and uninterrupted flow of
interstate and foreign trade and commerce. In addition, substantial quantities of materials
and supplies used in the production of the subject magazine papers, as well as payments
for the papers, traveled in interstate and foreign trade and commerce.
- During the period covered by this Indictment, the business activities of the
defendant and co-conspirators, which are the subject of this Indictment, were within the
flow of, and substantially affected, interstate and foreign trade and commerce.
- Jurisdiction and Venue
- The combination and conspiracy charged in this Indictment was carried out, in part, in the state of Connecticut within the five years preceding the return
of this Indictment.
ALL IN VIOLATION OF TITLE 15, UNITED STATES CODE, SECTION 1.
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A TRUE BILL:
DATED: 12/13/06
_______________/s/________________
FOREPERSON |
ALL IN VIOLATION OF TITLE 15, UNITED STATES CODE, SECTION 1.
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A TRUE BILL:
DATED: 12/13/06
_______________/s/________________
FOREPERSON
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_______________/s/________________
THOMAS O. BARNETT
Assistant Attorney General
Antitrust Division
U.S. Department of Justice
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_______________/s/________________ KEVIN J. O’CONNOR United States Attorney District of Connecticut
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SCOTT D. HAMMOND
Deputy Assistant Attorney
Antitrust Division
U.S. Department of Justice
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_______________/s/________________ NANCY H. McMILLEN
JOHN F. TERZAKEN
CALVIN C. CHEUNG U.S
PATRICK B. EGAN
Attorneys, Nat'l Criminal Enforcement Section
Antitrust Division
U.S. Department of Justice
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_______________/s/________________
MARC SIEGEL
Director of Criminal Enforcement
Antitrust Division
U.S. Department of Justice |
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_______________/s/________________
LISA M. PHELAN
Chief, Nat’l Criminal Enforcement Section
Antitrust Division
U.S. Department of Justice |
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