Sioux Erosion Control has been charged with a price-fixing conspiracy that involved over $100 million in publicly-funded transportation construction contracts across Oklahoma.
According to court documents, Vice President B.G. Dale Biscoe, employee Randall David Shelton and Sioux allegedly conspired with their competitors in the erosion control industry to raise and maintain prices for erosion-control products and services from September 2017 through April 2023.
Erosion control products, including sod, and services are used to control runoff of soil or rock on highway construction and repair projects.
The defendants and their co‑conspirators allegedly agreed to divide up contracts across different areas of Oklahoma and rigged bids for particular projects by submitting intentionally high-priced bids or outright refusing to bid, the Department of Justice said on Thursday.
Biscoe, Shelton and Sioux are charged with violating the Sherman Antitrust Act, which imposes a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine for individuals and a $100 million fine for companies.
Dental Practice Fined $6.3M For Committing Covid-19 Loan Scam
West Coast Dental Administrative Services LLC, which operates a network of six dental offices in Southern California, has paid a $6.3 million fine for allegedly receiving seven improper loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) administered by the Small Business Administration’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Federal prosecutors alleged that West Coast Dental and its founders and former owners Drs. Soleyman Cohen-Sedgh, Farid Pakravan and Farhad Manavi received the second draw PPP loans and subsequent forgiveness of these loans based on false certifications that the company qualified for the loans, despite ineligibility based due to employing more than 300 workers.
Dr. Manavi also paid an additional fine of $35,150 to resolve potential liability under the False Claims Act for a separate improper PPP loan for City Real Estate Holdings Inc., his real estate investment company, the DOJ said on Thursday.
The U.S. further alleged that West Coast Dental failed to disclose common ownership of the affiliated dental offices in their separate PPP applications, and that City Real Estate Holdings Inc. was ineligible to receive the loan under PPP rules, because it is a passive business operated for investment purposes.
Entertainment Venue Operator Faces $3.5 Million Fine For Allegedly Conducting Illegal Premerger Activities
Legends Hospitality Parent Holdings LLC, a New-York-based operator of stadiums and other entertainment venues, is facing a $3.5 million fine for engaging in alleged illegal premerger activities in connection with its proposed acquisition of entertainment venue manager ASM Global Inc.
Legends allegedly exercised control over aspects of Los Angeles-based ASM during a required premerger waiting period in violation of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act (HSR Act), the DOJ said on Monday.
"Companies must remain separate and independent before they close their merger. Our complaint alleges that Legends did not live up to that obligation," said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Andrew Forman of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division.
The DOJ filed a civil antitrust lawsuit against Legends for the HSR Act violation in the Southern District of New York that, if approved, would require Legends to pay the $3.5 million fine, refrain from certain conduct and appoint an antitrust compliance officer who would implement an antitrust training and compliance program and submit regular compliance reporting to the DOJ.
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