Antitrust Division

#ThisWeekatJustice, the Department: ▶️ Sued RealPage for Algorithmic Pricing Scheme that Harms Millions of American Renters ▶️ Announced a major #HumanSmuggling update from Joint Task Force Alpha with ties to a 2022 mass casualty event in Texas ▶️ Launched a #CivilRights investigation into conditions at Tennessee’s Trousdale Turner Correctional Center ▶️ Announced that Former Congressman George Santos has pleaded guilty to #Fraud and identity theft ▶️ Ten additional states joined Justice Department’s suit against Live Nation-Ticketmaster for monopolizing markets across the live concert industry ▶️ Deputy AG Monaco and DHS Secretary Canegallo joined #WomenInLawEnforcement at the Washington Nationals game Keep up with the latest news from the Justice Department at justice.gov/news For closed captions: https://lnkd.in/gcAKrZQh

Justice Department Sues RealPage for Algorithmic Pricing Scheme that Harms Millions of American Renters The Justice Department, together with the Attorneys General of North Carolina, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Minnesota, Oregon, Tennessee, and Washington, filed a civil antitrust lawsuit today against RealPage Inc. for its unlawful scheme to decrease competition among landlords in apartment pricing and to monopolize the market for commercial revenue management software that landlords use to price apartments. RealPage’s alleged conduct deprives renters of the benefits of competition on apartment leasing terms and harms millions of Americans. The lawsuit was filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina and alleges that RealPage violated Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act. The complaint alleges that RealPage contracts with competing landlords who agree to share with RealPage nonpublic, competitively sensitive information about their apartment rental rates and other lease terms to train and run RealPage’s algorithmic pricing software. This software then generates recommendations, including on apartment rental pricing and other terms, for participating landlords based on their and their rivals’ competitively sensitive information. The complaint further alleges that in a free market, these landlords would otherwise be competing independently to attract renters based on pricing, discounts, concessions, lease terms, and other dimensions of apartment leasing. RealPage also uses this scheme and its substantial data trove to maintain a monopoly in the market for commercial revenue management software. The complaint seeks to end RealPage’s illegal conduct and restore competition for the benefit of renters in states across the country. “Americans should not have to pay more in rent because a company has found a new way to scheme with landlords to break the law,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We allege that RealPage’s pricing algorithm enables landlords to share confidential, competitively sensitive information and align their rents. Using software as the sharing mechanism does not immunize this scheme from Sherman Act liability, and the Justice Department will continue to aggressively enforce the antitrust laws and protect the American people from those who violate them.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/gSNdUKpm

Ten Additional States Join Justice Department’s Suit Against Live Nation-Ticketmaster for Monopolizing Markets Across the Live Concert Industry Today, the Attorneys General of Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, Utah and Vermont joined a civil antitrust lawsuit filed by the Justice Department, 29 other states and the District of Columbia against Live Nation-Ticketmaster for monopolization and other unlawful conduct in violation of Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gUVDuSSy

#ThisWeekatJustice, the Department: ▶️ Attorney General Garland delivered remarks at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming ▶️ Attorney General Garland and Secretary Haaland of the Department of the Interior highlighted Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples and the #HumanTrafficking crises in New Mexico ▶️ Sentenced a former Cornell student for posting online threats against Jewish students on campus ▶️ Charged the leader of an International Malvertising and Ransomware #Cybercrime scheme ▶️ Charged a woman for attempting to defraud Elvis Presley’s family ▶️ Sentenced a National Constitutional Militia member for illegal gun possession Keep up with the latest news from the Justice Department at justice.gov/news For closed captions: https://lnkd.in/gck8MwRE

The Antitrust Division is hosting a virtual Honors Program and Summer Law Intern Program Annual Informational event tonight at 6:00 p.m. ET. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gDuqNFWR

Deputy Assistant Attorney General Michael Kades Statement After Airline Group IAG Abandons Acquisition of Air Europa The Justice Department issued the following statement from Deputy Assistant Attorney General Michael Kades of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division after International Consolidated Airlines Group S.A. (IAG) announced that it would abandon its proposed acquisition of sole control of Air Europa Holding S.L. (Air Europa): “The Antitrust Division is committed to protecting competition in the airlines industry. As a result of this abandonment, travelers between the United States and Europe will benefit from an industry rivalry that lowers prices, boosts quality and promotes choice. I am grateful to our enforcement partner, the European Commission, for its close and constructive collaboration with our staff on this important matter to safeguard competition.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/gvVkHMiq

#ThisWeekatJustice, the Department: ▶️ Launched the Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program to combat #CorporateCrime ▶️ Highlighted ongoing efforts by the Department to combat illegal #DrugTrafficking ▶️ Took legal action against Norfolk Southern to protect American train passengers ▶️ Secured a guilty plea from a Canadian man who stole millions from American bank accounts ▶️ Announced a guilty plea in the trial of a Kansas man involving racially-motivated violence Keep up with the latest news from the Justice Department at justice.gov/news For closed captions: https://lnkd.in/gERTj5dE

Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter Delivers Remarks at the First Public Strike Force on Unfair and Illegal Pricing Meeting Read more: https://lnkd.in/gp4XVCdv

Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission to Host First Public Strike Force on Unfair and Illegal Pricing Meeting The Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will virtually cohost the first public meeting of the Strike Force on Unfair and Illegal Pricing (Strike Force) on Thursday, Aug. 1, to discuss Strike Force enforcement actions taken to lower prices for Americans. The meeting will convene with an open-press session with remarks by Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer, Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Antitrust Division, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Civil Division and FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. Senior officials from other agencies will then offer remarks as well. The remainder of the meeting will move to a closed-door, private discussion of enforcement-related matters. The Strike Force meeting’s open session will begin at 3:30 p.m. ET. The agenda for the public portion of the event will be posted on the FTC’s website prior to the event. A link to view the open virtual meeting will be posted on the FTC’s website the day of the event. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gb3fu5zP

UnitedHealth Group Abandons Two Acquisitions Following Antitrust Division Scrutiny Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division released the following statement after UnitedHealth Group abandoned its proposed acquisitions of Stewardship Health Inc. and a related company following scrutiny from the Antitrust Division. “When you ask Americans what keeps them up at night, affording and accessing quality health care is too often at the top of their list. These transactions are among UnitedHealth Group’s latest proposed provider-related acquisitions, and they raised questions about quality of care, cost of care and working conditions for doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers. I am grateful for the Antitrust Division’s lawyers, economists, paralegals and professional staff who are tireless in their commitment to identify and address pressing antitrust problems in healthcare markets.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/gCj7UfAX