Tag Archives: TK Holdings Inc.

Executive of Japanese Automotive Parts Manufacturer Indicted for Role in Conspiracy to Fix Prices

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A Detroit federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment against an executive of a Japanese manufacturer of automotive parts for his participation in a conspiracy to fix prices of seatbelts, the Department of Justice announced today.

The indictment, filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, charges Hiromu Usuda, an executive at Takata Corp., with conspiring to rig bids for, and to fix, stabilize and maintain the prices of, seatbelts sold to Toyota Motor Corp., Honda Motor Company Ltd., Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., Mazda Motor Corp., Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. – more commonly known by its brand name, Subaru – and/or certain of their subsidiaries, for installation in vehicles manufactured and sold in the United States and elsewhere.  Usuda served as Group and Department Manager in the Customer Relations Division at Takata, from January 2005 until at least February 2011.

“Antitrust violators who refuse to accept responsibility for their crimes leave us no choice but to indict,” said Brent Synder, Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division’s criminal enforcement program.  “We will continue to prosecute those that commit these crimes.”

The indictment alleges, among other things, that from at least Jan. 1, 2005, through at least February 2011, Usuda and others attended meetings with co-conspirators and reached collusive agreements to rig bids, allocate the supply and fix the prices of seatbelts sold to the automobile manufacturers.  It alleges that Usuda participated directly in the conspiratorial conduct and that he directed, authorized and consented to his subordinates’ participation.

Takata is a Tokyo-based manufacturer of automotive parts, including seatbelts.  Takata supplies automotive parts to automobile manufacturers in the United States, in part, through its U.S. subsidiary, TK Holdings Inc., located in Auburn Hills, Michigan.  Takata pleaded guilty on Dec. 5, 2013, for its involvement in the conspiracy, and was sentenced to pay a criminal fine of $71.3 million.  Four other executives from Takata have pleaded guilty, have been sentenced to serve time in a U.S. prison and to pay criminal fines for their roles in the conspiracy.

Including Usuda, 50 individuals have been charged in the government’s ongoing investigation into price fixing and bid rigging in the auto parts industry.  Additionally, 32 companies have pleaded guilty or agreed to plead guilty and have agreed to pay a total of more than $2.4 billion in fines.

Usuda is charged with price fixing in violation of the Sherman Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine for individuals.  The maximum fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime, if either of those amounts is greater than the statutory maximum fine.

Today’s indictment is the result of an ongoing federal antitrust investigation into price fixing, bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct in the automotive parts industry, which is being conducted by four of the Antitrust Division’s criminal enforcement sections and the FBI.  Today’s charge was brought by the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal I Section and the FBI’s Detroit Field Office, with the assistance of the FBI headquarters’ International Corruption Unit. Anyone with information on price fixing, bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct related to other products in the automotive parts industry should contact the Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 888-647-3258, visit www.justice.gov/atr/contact/newcase.html or call the FBI’s Detroit Field Office at 313-965-2323.

FORMER TOP EXECUTIVE OF JAPANESE AUTOMOTIVE PARTS

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WASHINGTON — A Detroit federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment against a former top executive of a Japanese manufacturer of automotive parts for his participation in a conspiracy to fix prices of seatbelts, the Department of Justice announced today.

The indictment, filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, charges Gikou Nakajima, a former executive at Takata Corp., with participating in a conspiracy to suppress and eliminate competition in the automotive parts industry by agreeing to rig bids for, and to fix, stabilize and maintain the prices of, seatbelts sold to Toyota Motor Corp., Honda Motor Company Ltd., Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., Mazda Motor Corp., Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. – more commonly known by its brand name, Subaru – and/or certain of their subsidiaries, for installation in vehicles sold in the United States and elsewhere.  Nakajima served as director of customer relations division at Takata, the highest-level global sales executive at the company, from June 2005 until at least June 2009.

“Today’s indictment demonstrates that the Antitrust Division continues to hold accountable executives who collude with their competitors,” said Brent Snyder, Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division’s criminal enforcement program.  “The division will not tolerate executives participating in – and directing their subordinates to participate in – conspiracies to raise the prices on automotive parts that are essential to the safety of U.S. consumers.”

The indictment alleges, among other things, that from at least as early as September 2005 and continuing until June 2009, Nakajima and others attended meetings with co-conspirators and reached collusive agreements to rig bids, allocate the supply and fix the prices of seatbelts sold to the automobile manufacturers. It alleges that Nakajima participated directly in the conspiratorial conduct, and that he directed, authorized and consented to his subordinates’ participation.

Takata is a Tokyo-based manufacturer of automotive parts, including seatbelts.  Takata supplies automotive parts to automobile manufacturers in the United States, in part, through its U.S. subsidiary, TK Holdings Inc., located in Auburn Hills, Michigan.  Takata pleaded guilty on Dec. 5, 2013, for its involvement in the conspiracy, and was sentenced to pay criminal fine of $71.3 million.  Four other executives from Takata have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced to serve time in a U.S. prison and to pay criminal fines for their roles in the conspiracy.

Including Nakajima, 35 individuals have been charged in the government’s ongoing investigation into price fixing and bid rigging in the auto parts industry, 24 of whom have pleaded guilty or agreed to plead guilty.  Of those, 22 have been sentenced to serve prison terms ranging from a year and one day to two years.  Additionally, 27 companies have pleaded guilty or agreed to plead guilty and have agreed to pay a total of more than $2.3 billion in fines.

Nakajima is charged with price fixing in violation of the Sherman Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine for individuals.  The maximum fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime, if either of those amounts is greater than the statutory maximum fine.

Today’s indictment is the result of an ongoing federal antitrust investigation into price fixing, bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct in the automotive parts industry, which is being conducted by four of the Antitrust Division’s criminal enforcement sections and the FBI.  Today’s charge was brought by the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal I Section and the FBI’s Detroit Field Office, with the assistance of the FBI headquarters’ International Corruption Unit.  Anyone with information on price fixing, bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct related to other products in the automotive parts industry should contact the Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 888-647-3258, visit www.justice.gov/atr/contact/newcase.html or call the FBI’s Detroit Field Office at 313-965-2323.

THREE TAKATA CORP. EXECUTIVES AGREE TO PLEAD GUILTY TO PARTICIPATING IN GLOBAL SEATBELT PRICE FIXING CONSPIRACY

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WASHINGTON — Three high-level executives of Tokyo-based Takata Corp. have  agreed to plead guilty for their participation in a conspiracy to fix prices of  seatbelts installed in cars sold in the United States, the Department of  Justice announced today.  The executives  have also agreed to serve time in a U.S. prison.

According to the one-count felony  charges filed separately against each of the executives today in the U.S.  District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan in Detroit, Yasuhiko Ueno, Saburo  Imamiya and Yoshinobu Fujino participated in a conspiracy to rig bids for, and  to fix, stabilize and maintain the prices of seatbelts sold to Toyota Motor  Corp., Honda Motor Co. Ltd., Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., Fuji Heavy Industries Inc.  – more commonly known by its brand name, Subaru – and Mazda Motor Corp. in the  United States and elsewhere.  The three  executives have agreed to serve prison sentences ranging from 14 to 19 months,  and to cooperate with the department’s ongoing investigation.

Ueno was  employed by Takata’s Auburn Hills, Mich.-based U.S. subsidiary, TK Holdings  Inc., in the United States as senior vice president for sales for Japanese manufacturers  from at least January 2006 through December 2007.  From early 2008 through June 2009, Ueno was  employed by Takata in Japan as deputy division director of the customer  relations division, and as director of the customer relations division from  June 2009 through at least February 2011.  According to the charge, Ueno’s involvement in  the conspiracy lasted from at least as early as January 2006 until at least  February 2011.  Ueno has agreed to serve 19  months in prison and to pay a $20,000 criminal fine.

Imamiya was  employed by Takata in Japan as general manager for Toyota sales from at least  January 2008 to July 2009, and as director of the customer relations division from  July 2009 through at least February 2011.  According to the charge, Imamiya’s involvement  in the conspiracy lasted from at least as early as January 2008 until at least  February 2011.  Imamiya has agreed to  serve 16 months in prison and to pay a $20,000 criminal fine.

Fujino was  employed by Takata in Japan as the manager of the Toyota group within the  customer relations division from at least January 2004 through June 2005, and  as the manager of the Mazda group within the customer relations division from  June 2005 through the end of 2007.  From  the beginning of 2008 through at least February 2011, Fujino was employed by TK  Holdings in the United States as assistant vice president for sales for Japanese  manufacturers.  According to the charge,  Fujino’s involvement in the conspiracy lasted from at least as early as January  2004 until at least February 2011.  Fujino  has agreed to serve 14 months in prison and to pay a $20,000 criminal fine.

Takata  Corp. is a manufacturer of automotive occupant safety systems, including  seatbelts.  Seatbelts are safety strap restraints designed to secure an  occupant in position in a vehicle in the event of an accident, and may be sold  bundled with related parts according to the needs of the automobile  manufacturer.  According to the  charges, the Takata executives and their co-conspirators carried out the  conspiracy by, among other things, agreeing during meetings and communications  to coordinate bids submitted to the automobile manufacturers.

On Sept. 26, 2013, Gary Walker, an  executive of TK Holdings Inc., agreed to plead guilty and serve a sentence of  14 months in prison for his involvement in the same conspiracy.  On Oct. 9, 2013, Takata Corp. agreed to plead  guilty for its involvement in the conspiracy and to pay a criminal fine of  $71.3 million.

Each of the  executives is charged with price fixing in violation of the Sherman Act, which  carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine for  individuals.  The maximum fine for an  individual may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice  the loss suffered by the victims of the crime, if either of those amounts is  greater than the statutory maximum fine.

Including today’s charges, 24  individuals have been charged in the department’s investigation into price  fixing and bid rigging in the auto parts industry.  Additionally, 21 corporations have been  charged.

The current prosecution arose from an ongoing federal antitrust investigation into price fixing, bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct in the automotive parts industry, which is being conducted by each of the Antitrust Division’s criminal enforcement sections and the FBI.  Today’s charges were brought by the National Criminal Enforcement Section, with the assistance of the Detroit, Michigan, Field Office of the FBI.  Anyone with information concerning the focus of this investigation should contact the Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 1-888-647-3258, visit www.justice.gov/atr/contact/newcase.html, or call the Detroit Field Office of the FBI at 313-965-2323.

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THREE TAKATA CORP. EXECUTIVES AGREE TO PLEAD GUILTY TO PARTICIPATING IN GLOBAL SEATBELT PRICE FIXING CONSPIRACY

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All Agree to Serve Prison Time in the United States

WASHINGTON — Three high-level executives of Tokyo-based Takata Corp. have  agreed to plead guilty for their participation in a conspiracy to fix prices of  seatbelts installed in cars sold in the United States, the Department of  Justice announced today.  The executives  have also agreed to serve time in a U.S. prison.

According to the one-count felony  charges filed separately against each of the executives today in the U.S.  District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan in Detroit, Yasuhiko Ueno, Saburo  Imamiya and Yoshinobu Fujino participated in a conspiracy to rig bids for, and  to fix, stabilize and maintain the prices of seatbelts sold to Toyota Motor  Corp., Honda Motor Co. Ltd., Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., Fuji Heavy Industries Inc.  – more commonly known by its brand name, Subaru – and Mazda Motor Corp. in the  United States and elsewhere.  The three  executives have agreed to serve prison sentences ranging from 14 to 19 months,  and to cooperate with the department’s ongoing investigation.

Ueno was  employed by Takata’s Auburn Hills, Mich.-based U.S. subsidiary, TK Holdings  Inc., in the United States as senior vice president for sales for Japanese manufacturers  from at least January 2006 through December 2007.  From early 2008 through June 2009, Ueno was  employed by Takata in Japan as deputy division director of the customer  relations division, and as director of the customer relations division from  June 2009 through at least February 2011.  According to the charge, Ueno’s involvement in  the conspiracy lasted from at least as early as January 2006 until at least  February 2011.  Ueno has agreed to serve 19  months in prison and to pay a $20,000 criminal fine.

Imamiya was  employed by Takata in Japan as general manager for Toyota sales from at least  January 2008 to July 2009, and as director of the customer relations division from  July 2009 through at least February 2011.  According to the charge, Imamiya’s involvement  in the conspiracy lasted from at least as early as January 2008 until at least  February 2011.  Imamiya has agreed to  serve 16 months in prison and to pay a $20,000 criminal fine.

Fujino was  employed by Takata in Japan as the manager of the Toyota group within the  customer relations division from at least January 2004 through June 2005, and  as the manager of the Mazda group within the customer relations division from  June 2005 through the end of 2007.  From  the beginning of 2008 through at least February 2011, Fujino was employed by TK  Holdings in the United States as assistant vice president for sales for Japanese  manufacturers.  According to the charge,  Fujino’s involvement in the conspiracy lasted from at least as early as January  2004 until at least February 2011.  Fujino  has agreed to serve 14 months in prison and to pay a $20,000 criminal fine.

Takata  Corp. is a manufacturer of automotive occupant safety systems, including  seatbelts.  Seatbelts are safety strap restraints designed to secure an  occupant in position in a vehicle in the event of an accident, and may be sold  bundled with related parts according to the needs of the automobile  manufacturer.  According to the  charges, the Takata executives and their co-conspirators carried out the  conspiracy by, among other things, agreeing during meetings and communications  to coordinate bids submitted to the automobile manufacturers.

On Sept. 26, 2013, Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 1-888-647-3258, an  executive of TK Holdings Inc., agreed to plead guilty and serve a sentence of  14 months in prison for his involvement in the same conspiracy.  On Oct. 9, 2013, Takata Corp. agreed to plead  guilty for its involvement in the conspiracy and to pay a criminal fine of  $71.3 million.

Each of the  executives is charged with price fixing in violation of the Sherman Act, which  carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine for  individuals.  The maximum fine for an  individual may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice  the loss suffered by the victims of the crime, if either of those amounts is  greater than the statutory maximum fine.

Including today’s charges, 24  individuals have been charged in the department’s investigation into price  fixing and bid rigging in the auto parts industry.  Additionally, 21 corporations have been  charged.

The current prosecution arose from an ongoing federal antitrust investigation into price fixing, bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct in the automotive parts industry, which is being conducted by each of the Antitrust Division’s criminal enforcement sections and the FBI.  Today’s charges were brought by the National Criminal Enforcement Section, with the assistance of the Detroit, Michigan, Field Office of the FBI.  Anyone with information concerning the focus of this investigation should contact the Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 1-888-647-3258, visit www.justice.gov/atr/contact/newcase.html, or call the Detroit Field Office of the FBI at 313-965-2323.