The plaintiffs allege that the pricing took place between 2012 and early 2019.
Photo:
Dan rhys / Reuters
According to court documents, the current 65 65 billion poultry industry in the U.S. Extending the government’s anti-trust proceedings, current and former officials of the chicken-industry have been charged with price-fixing.
The charge targets officials from six different chicken companies, including Pilgrim Pride Corpo.
, And will provide new details about the alleged conspiracy. The plaintiffs allege that the pricing was done from the year 2012 to early 2019, which was a longer period than previously alleged by the Justice Department.
Among those charged is Bill Lovett, a former chief executive of Pilgrim Pride, who retired in March 2019. Mr Lovete declined to comment. U.S. through sales. A representative from Pilgrim, the second-largest chicken supplier, had no immediate comment.
With the new charges, a total of 10 industry officials are facing prosecution.
The indictment, returned by a federal grand jury in Colorado, was Tuesday, but was dropped on a court docket Wednesday morning.
The allegations come after the Justice Department convicted four senior poultry industry officials, including Jason Penn, the then chief executive of Pilgrim Pride, in June. The judge’s attorneys allege that during the bidding process for a chicken-supply deal for large restaurant chains, officials at a small chicken company called Pilgrim and Claxton Poultry Farms exchanged prices and other details.
Write to Jacob Bunge [email protected] and Brent.Andel@wentj Brent Kendall
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