Antitrust Law Daily Wrap Up, ANTITRUST NEWS: Two more auto parts executives sentenced in price fixing investigation, (Apr 10, 2014)

By Jeffrey May, J.D.

Two executives from Japan-based seatbelt manufacturer Takata Corp. were sentenced by the federal district court in Detroit this week after pleading to participating in a conspiracy to fix prices for seatbelts. Yasuhiko Ueno and Yoshinobu Fujino will serve prison time and each pay a $20,000 fine (U.S. v. Ueno, Criminal No. 2:13-CR-20870-SFC-RSW; U.S. v. Fujino, Criminal No. 5:13-CR-20869-JCO-RSW).

In November 2013, one-count felony charges were filed against Ueno and Fujino, as well as a third Takata executive—Saburo Imamiya—for conspiring to fix prices and rig bids for seatbelts sold to Toyota Motor Corp., Honda Motor Co. Ltd., Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., Mazda Motor Corp., and Fuji Heavy Industries Inc., more commonly known as Subaru.

Pursuant to the plea agreements, Ueno was sentenced to serve 19 months in prison and to pay a $20,000 fine, and Fujino was sentenced to serve 14 months in prison and to pay a $20,000 fine.

Imamiya also agreed to plead guilty, and last month was sentenced to serve 16 months in prison and to pay a $20,000 fine.

Takata was fined $71.3 million in December 2013 for its role in the conspiracy. Gary Walker, a U.S. citizen and a former executive of Takata’s U.S. subsidiary was charged in September 2013 and agreed to plead guilty to the charge and to serve 14 months in prison and pay a $20,000 fine.

Attorneys: Kathryn Hellings for U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division. L. Barrett Boss (Cozen & O’Connor) for Yoshinobu Fujino. Steven Peikin (Sullivan & Cromwell) for Yasuhiko Ueno.

Companies: Takata Corp.

News: Antitrust AntitrustDivisionNews