Samsung to Pay $300 Million Fine for Price Fixing

For its part in a price-fixing conspiracy for its dynamic random access memory (DRAM) products, Samsung Electronics has agreed to pay a $300 million fine, the second largest criminal antitrust fine in U.S. history.

Samsung Electronics Company Ltd. (Samsung), a Korean manufacturer of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and its U.S. subsidiary, Samsung Semiconductor Inc., have agreed to plead guilty and to pay the $300 million fine in a plea agreement that must be approved by the court. Samsung's fine is largest criminal fine since 1999.

"Price fixing threatens our free market system, stifles innovation, and robs American consumers of the benefit of competitive prices," said Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales. "Today's guilty plea is evidence of the Department's ongoing commitment to protect consumers from corporations that engage in illegal conduct."

Most Used Semiconductor Product

Including today's charge, three companies and five individuals have been charged and fines totaling more that $646 million have resulted from the Department's ongoing antitrust investigation into price fixing in the DRAM industry, according to a DOJ news release.

DRAM is the most commonly used semiconductor memory product, providing high-speed storage and retrieval of electronic information for a wide variety of computer, telecommunication, and consumer electronic products.

See Full DOJ News Release

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