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FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA
The United States and Anchor Industrial Products, Inc. (Anchor) have entered into a plea agreement, pursuant to which Anchor will waive indictment and plead guilty to the captioned Information. The one-count Information charges Anchor with a violation of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1. The purpose of this memorandum is to provide the Court with sufficient information to accept the plea by setting forth the violated statute, a description of the criminal Information, the terms of the Plea Agreement, and a preliminary statement of facts which supports the agreement.
STATUTE VIOLATED A. 15 U.S.C. Section 1 Section One of Title 15, United States Code, provides:
B. The Information The Information charges Anchor with participating in a conspiracy to suppress and eliminate competition by fixing the price of carbon cathode block sold in the United States and elsewhere in unreasonable restraint of trade and commerce from at least as early as February 1996 and continuing until at least December 1997. C. Elements of the Offense The elements of a Sherman Act offense, each of which the United States must prove beyond a reasonable doubt at trial, are:
D. Maximum Penalty The maximum penalty Anchor may receive upon its conviction in this case is a fine in an amount equal to the largest of: (a) $10 million; (b) twice the gross pecuniary gain derived from the crime; or (c) twice the gross pecuniary loss caused to the victims of the crime.
FACTUAL BASIS This statement of facts is intended to be used as a factual basis for the guilty plea of Anchor. It is not intended to be exhaustive in terms of details surrounding the charged conspiracy. A. Background Carbon cathode block is a carbon product with great strength and resistance to heat and chemical reaction. Because of its superior conductivity properties, it is commonly used in aluminum smelters or pots in the production of primary aluminum. There are three forms of cathodes. They are referred to in the industry generally as amorphous, graphitic and graphitized. B. The Conspiracy During the period covered by the Information, Anchor, then known as Hepworth Refractories, Inc., was an Ohio corporation with its principal place of business located in Franklin, Ohio. Anchor sold two forms of cathodes, namely amorphous and graphitic (but not the graphitized), to various customers located in the United States. The Information defines carbon cathode block to mean cathode blocks used in the production of primary aluminum, but not including graphitized cathode block. As alleged in the Information, beginning at least as early as February 1996 and continuing through at least December 1997, Anchor and certain other competitor companies entered into and participated in a combination to suppress and eliminate competition by fixing the price of carbon cathode block sold in the United States and elsewhere. The combination and conspiracy engaged in by the defendant and co-conspirators was in unreasonable restraint of trade and commerce in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act (15 U.S.C. § 1). The conspiracy consisted of a continuing agreement, understanding, and concert of action among the conspirators, the substantial terms of which were to agree to fix and maintain prices and to coordinate pricing for the sale of carbon cathode block sold in the United States and elsewhere. For the purpose of forming and carrying out the charged combination and conspiracy, the defendant and co-conspirators did what they combined and conspired to do, including:
C. Interstate and Foreign Commerce At all times during the conspiracy, the defendant and co-conspirators sold a substantial quantity of carbon cathode block to customers located in states or countries other than the states or countries in which the carbon cathode block was produced. Defendant's sales of carbon cathode block in the United States during the term of the conspiracy charged were approximately $2.8 million. PLEA AGREEMENT The guilty plea in this case will be entered pursuant to the Plea Agreement between Anchor and the Antitrust Division. The Plea Agreement provides that Anchor will enter a plea of guilty in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania pursuant to Rule 11(e)(1)(C) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, to a one-count criminal Information charging the company with participating in a conspiracy to restrict competition by fixing the price of carbon cathode block sold in the United States and elsewhere from at least as early as February 1996 and continuing until at least December 1997, in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1. Also pursuant to the Plea Agreement, the United States and Anchor agree to jointly recommend that the Court impose a sentence requiring Anchor to pay a fine to the United States in the amount of $600,000 as the appropriate disposition of the case. The fine is due and payable on the date of the imposition of sentence or within seven days thereafter. If the Court rejects the Plea Agreement, the United States and Anchor further agree that the agreement shall automatically convert to a plea agreement pursuant to Rule 11(e)(1)(B), Fed.R.Crim.P., and the aforementioned sentence shall be the joint recommendation of the parties, although not binding on the Court. If the Court does not accept the parties' joint recommendation pursuant to Rule 11(e)(1)(B), Fed.R.Crim.P., Anchor shall have no right to withdraw its plea. Finally, it is also agreed that the parties will not seek either an upward or a downward departure under the Sentencing Guidelines. Anchor and its affiliates (i.e., all Anchor's parents and all subsidiaries of those parents) have agreed to fully cooperate with the United States in the conduct of the present investigation of cathode block products used in the production of primary aluminum and any litigation or other proceedings to which the United States is a party resulting therefrom. Such cooperation includes, but is not limited to, the production of relevant documents under the control of Anchor and its affiliates. Anchor must also use its best efforts to secure, in connection with the present investigation and any litigation resulting therefrom, the full and truthful cooperation of all current and former directors, officers, employees and representatives of Anchor and its affiliates with relevant information who are identified by the United States. Such cooperation includes testifying truthfully in trial and grand jury proceedings. Also pursuant to the Plea Agreement, the United States agrees, subject to the continuing full cooperation of Anchor and its affiliates, not to bring further criminal proceedings against Anchor or its affiliates for any act or offense committed prior to the date of the Plea Agreement undertaken in connection with any antitrust conspiracy involving the sale or manufacture of any cathode block products used in the production of primary aluminum. Dated:
FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA
This is to certify that on the 15th day of March 2001, a copy of the
Government's Rule 11
Memorandum has been faxed/mailed to counsel of record for the defendant as follows:
Roxann E. Henry, Esquire
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