The US DoJ commences first criminal monopolization case in forty years (Nathan Nephi Zito)

Last month, the Department of Justice Antitrust Division announced its first criminal attempted monopolization charges in more than 40 years. In the case, U.S. v. Zito, Nathan Nephi Zito, the owner of a Montana paving company, pleaded guilty to a violation of Section 2 of the Sherman Act after allegedly attempting to allocate geographic markets per the terms of a proposed agreement with his only rival. The guilty plea came about after the rival blew the whistle on the attempt and cooperated with the Antitrust Division by recording phone calls with Mr. Zito. The guilty plea is notable because, since the 1980s, attempts to collude, such as efforts to allocate markets or rig bids, have been prosecuted civilly through Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act or not prosecuted at all.