Five chicken industry executives were found not guilty of conspiring to fix prices from 2012 to 2019, a defeat for prosecutors that came after two mistrials and a major setback for the Biden administration’s attempts to police rising meat costs.
Criminal trials of industry executives are unusual and they came as soaring meat prices are adding fuel to rising inflation. Each man faced the possibility of prison sentences and million-dollar fines if convicted. “Although we are disappointed in the verdict, we will continue to vigorously enforce the antitrust laws, especially when it comes to price-fixing schemes that affect core staples,” the Justice Department said in a statement. “We will not be deterred from continuing to vigilantly pursue cases to protect the American people and our markets.”
BS 😡