Four poultry executives charged in chicken price fixing plot
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52923932
A federal grand jury in Colorado has charged four executives from two US poultry companies with conspiracy for chicken price-fixing.
The leaders of the Pilgrim's Pride and Claxton Poultry companies were indicted on Wednesday for a years-long plot to rig bids and elevate costs.
Prosecutors say they worked to raise prices for chicken sold to restaurants and stores from at least 2012 to 2017.
The chiefs face up to 10 years in prison and a $1m (£798,0000) fine.
The case stems from a Justice department antitrust investigation into anticompetitive conduct in the poultry industry.
Pilgrim's CEO Jayson Penn and former vice-president Roger Austin, along with Claxton president Mikell Fries and vice-president Scott Brady are now the first to be charged in the agency's price fixing investigation.
Pilgrim's Pride is one of the largest chicken producers in the US, taking in more than 17% of the American consumer poultry market.