Original URL: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2005/12/01/samsung_price-fixing_guilty_plea/
Samsung yesterday pleaded guilty to conspiring with other memory makers to fix prices.
The plea was merely a formality - the South Korean giant coughed to the charge (http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2005/10/13/samsung_pricing/) back in October. Then, it agreed to pay $300m to settle the case brought against it by the US Department of Justice.
In November 2001, Samsung described allegations that it and other memory makers had secretly agreed to fix DRAM prices between 1 July 1999 and 14 June 2002 as "total nonsense".
The comment was made after the DoJ began to investigate such claims. That three-year probe notched up is first victim in September 2004: Germany's Infineon admitted its culpability (http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2004/09/15/infineon_pricefix_fine/) and agreed to pay $160m. Two months later, Micron said some of its employees had been involved, and that it was co-operating with the DoJ (http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2004/11/12/micron_doj/) to avoid "prosecution, fines or other penalties".
In December 2004, just after four Infineon executives were jailed (http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2004/12/02/infineon_execs_plea/) for their part in the scam, Samsung said it was putting aside $100m (http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2004/12/30/samsung_100m_fine_fund/) to help cover any fine it might be forced to pay by the DoJ.
Hynix made the same move in March 2005 - just as well, as it was fined $185m (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/04/21/hynix_fine_doj/) by the DoJ less than a month later. ®
Samsung, Toshiba join SanDisk in US antitrust probe (18 September 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/09/18/nand_flash_antitrust_probe_widens/
Sun makes Hynix DRAM cartel lawsuit deadline (9 May 2007)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/05/09/sun_hynix_again/
Samsung settles DRAM price-fixing lawsuit (7 February 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/02/07/samsung_settles_dram_lawsuit/
Feds allege Samsung, Hynix execs fixed DRAM prices (19 October 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/10/19/doj_indicts_samsung_hynix_execs/
Fourth Samsung exec pleads guilty to price fixing (25 September 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/09/25/another_samsung_exec_guilty/
California to sue DRAM makers over price-fixing claims (14 July 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/07/14/us_states_sues_dram_makers/
Three Samsung DRAMers prepare for life behind bars (23 March 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/03/23/samsung_dram_jail/
Korea may probe Samsung, Hynix price-fix claims (3 March 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/03/03/korea_ftc_hynix_samsung_probe/
Hynix staffers to plead guilty to DRAM price-fix charges (2 March 2006)
http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2006/03/02/hynix_staffers_price_fix_guilty_plea/
Lawsuit claims Micron fixed memory prices (27 February 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/02/27/micron_price_fix_lawsuit/
South Korea warns Japan over Hynix DRAM tax (20 January 2006)
http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2006/01/20/south_korea_vs_japan_hynix/
Samsung chairman in clear on bribery charge (16 December 2005)
http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2005/12/16/samsung_bribery_charge_dropped/
Samsung pays $300m to settle DRAM cartel case (13 October 2005)
http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2005/10/13/samsung_pricing/
Hynix makes $185m price-fixing confession to US DoJ (21 April 2005)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/04/21/hynix_fine_doj/
Hynix ring-fences $342m against antitrust fines (29 March 2005)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/03/29/hynix_fine_fund/
Samsung founds $100m antitrust fines fund (30 December 2004)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/12/30/samsung_100m_fine_fund/
Four Infineon execs heading to jail on price-fixing charges (2 December 2004)
http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2004/12/02/infineon_execs_plea/
Micron employees fixed DRAM prices (12 November 2004)
http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2004/11/12/micron_doj/
Infineon pleads guilty to memory price-fixing (15 September 2004)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/09/15/infineon_pricefix_fine/
Samsung damns DRAM price-fixing charge (27 November 2001)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/11/27/samsung_damns_dram_pricefixing_charge/