United States v. GS Caltex Corp. et al.; Proposed Final Judgments and Competitive Impact Statement, 60306-60327 [2018-25461]
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of Justice, 450 5th Street NW, Suite
8000, Washington, DC 20530.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Antitrust Division
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United States v. GS Caltex Corp. et al.;
Proposed Final Judgments and
Competitive Impact Statement
Notice is hereby given pursuant to the
Antitrust Procedures and Penalties Act,
15 U.S.C. § 16(b)–(h), that proposed
Final Judgments, Stipulations, and a
Competitive Impact Statement have
been filed with the United States
District Court for the Southern District
of Ohio in United States v. GS Caltex et
al., Case No. 2:18–cv–01456–ALM–
CMV. On November 14, 2018, the
United States filed a Complaint alleging
that between 2005 and 2016, GS Caltex
Corporation (‘‘GS Caltex’’), Hanjin
Transportation Co., Ltd. (‘‘Hanjin’’), and
SK Energy Co., Ltd. (‘‘SK Energy’’),
along with unnamed co-conspirators,
conspired to rig bids for Posts, Camps &
Stations (PC&S) and Army and Air
Force Exchange Service (AAFES) fuel
supply contracts with the U.S. military
in South Korea, in violation of Section
1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1. A
proposed Final Judgment for each
Defendant, filed at the same time as the
Complaint, requires GS Caltex, Hanjin,
and SK Energy to pay the United States,
respectively, $57,500,000, $6,182,000,
and $90,384,872. In addition, each
Defendant has agreed to cooperate with
further civil investigative and judicial
proceedings and to institute an antitrust
compliance program.
Copies of the Complaint, proposed
Final Judgments, and Competitive
Impact Statement are available for
inspection on the Antitrust Division’s
website at https://www.justice.gov/atr
and at the Office of the Clerk of the
United States District Court for the
Southern District of Ohio. Copies of
these materials may be obtained from
the Antitrust Division upon request and
payment of the copying fee set by
Department of Justice regulations.
Public comment is invited within 60
days of the date of this notice. Such
comments, including the name of the
submitter, and responses thereto, will be
posted on the Antitrust Division’s
website, filed with the Court, and, under
certain circumstances, published in the
Federal Register. Comments should be
directed to Kathleen S. O’Neill, Chief,
Transportation, Energy & Agriculture
Section, Antitrust Division, Department
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Patricia A. Brink,
Director of Civil Enforcement.
United States District Court for the
Southern District of Ohio Eastern
Division
United States Of America, Plaintiff, v. GS
Caltex Corporation, GS Tower, 508,
Nonhyeon-ro, Gangnam-gu,
Seoul, South Korea
Hanjin Transportation Co., Ltd., 20th Floor
Hanjin New Bldg. 63, Namdaemun-ro,
Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
and
SK Energy Co., Ltd., SK Bldg., 26, Jong-ro,
Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea,
Defendants.
Case No. 2:18–cv–01456–ALM–CMV
Complaint: Violation of Section 1 of the
Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1
Judge: Algenon L. Marbley
COMPLAINT
The United States of America, acting
under the direction of the Acting
Attorney General of the United States,
brings this civil antitrust action to
obtain equitable monetary relief and
recover damages from GS Caltex
Corporation, Hanjin Transportation Co.,
Ltd., and SK Energy Co., Ltd., for
conspiring to rig bids and fix prices, in
violation of Section 1 of the Sherman
Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1, on the supply of fuel
to the U.S. military for its operations in
South Korea.
I. INTRODUCTION
1. Since the end of the Korean War,
the U.S. armed forces have maintained
a significant presence in South Korea,
protecting American interests in the
region and safeguarding peace for the
Korean people. To perform this
important mission, American service
members depend on fuel to power their
bases and military vehicles. The U.S.
military procures this fuel from oil
refiners located in South Korea through
a competitive bidding process.
2. For at least a decade, rather than
engage in fair and honest competition,
Defendants and their co-conspirators
defrauded the U.S. military by fixing
prices and rigging bids for the contracts
to supply this fuel. Defendants met and
communicated in secret with other large
South Korean oil refiners and logistics
companies, and pre-determined which
conspirator would win each contract.
Defendants and their co-conspirators
then fraudulently submitted collusive
bids to the U.S. military. Through this
scheme, Defendants reaped vastly
higher profit margins on the fuel they
supplied to the U.S. military than on the
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fuel they sold to the South Korean
military and to private parties.
3. As a result of this conduct,
Defendants and their co-conspirators
illegally overcharged American
taxpayers by well over $100 million.
This conspiracy unreasonably restrained
trade and commerce, in violation of
Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C.
§ 1. Defendants have agreed to plead
guilty to an information charging a
criminal violation of Section 1 of the
Sherman Act for this unlawful conduct,
and in this civil action, the United
States seeks compensation for the
injuries it incurred as a result of this
conspiracy.
II. DEFENDANTS
4. GS Caltex Corporation (‘‘GS
Caltex’’) is an oil company
headquartered in Seoul, South Korea.
GS Caltex is a joint venture between GS
Energy, a South Korean corporation, and
Chevron Corp., a Delaware corporation;
each owns a 50 percent interest in GS
Caltex. GS Caltex refines and supplies
gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and other
petroleum products for sale
internationally. During the conspiracy,
GS Caltex supplied fuel to U.S. military
installations in South Korea.
5. Hanjin Transportation Co., Ltd.
(‘‘Hanjin’’) is a global transportation and
logistics company based in Seoul, South
Korea. Hanjin is a member of Hanjin
Group, a South Korean conglomerate
with U.S. subsidiaries, including Hanjin
International America. Beginning in
2009, Hanjin partnered with oil
companies, including a co-conspirator
oil company (‘‘Company A’’), to supply
fuel to U.S. military installations in
South Korea.
6. SK Energy Co., Ltd. (‘‘SK Energy’’)
is an oil company headquartered in
Seoul, South Korea. SK Energy is a
wholly-owned subsidiary of SK
Innovation Co., Ltd., a South Korean
company with U.S. subsidiaries,
including SK Energy Americas Inc. SK
Energy refines and supplies gasoline,
diesel, kerosene, and other petroleum
products for sale internationally. During
the conspiracy, SK Energy supplied fuel
to U.S. military installations in South
Korea.
7. Other persons, not named as
defendants in this action, participated
as co-conspirators in the offense alleged
in this Complaint and performed acts
and made statements in furtherance
thereof. These co-conspirators include,
among others, a logistics firm
(‘‘Company B’’) and an oil company
(‘‘Company C’’) that jointly supplied
fuel to the U.S. military.
8. Whenever this Complaint refers to
any act, deed, or transaction of any
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business entity, it means that the
business entity engaged in the act, deed,
or transaction by or through its officers,
directors, employees, agents, or other
representatives while they were actively
engaged in the management, direction,
control, or transaction of its business or
affairs.
III. JURISDICTION AND VENUE
9. The United States brings this action
under Section 4 of the Sherman Act, 15
U.S.C. § 4, and Section 4A of the
Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. § 15a, seeking
equitable relief, including equitable
monetary remedies, and damages from
Defendants’ violation of Section 1 of the
Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1.
10. This Court has subject matter
jurisdiction over this action under 15
U.S.C. §§ 4 and 15a and 28 U.S.C.
§§ 1331 and 1337.
11. Defendants have consented to
venue and personal jurisdiction in this
district for the purpose of this
Complaint.
12. Defendants entered into contracts
with the U.S. military to supply and
deliver fuel to U.S. military installations
in South Korea. Under the terms of
these contracts, Defendants agreed that
the laws of the United States would
govern all contractual disputes and that
U.S. administrative bodies and courts
would have exclusive jurisdiction to
resolve all such disputes. To be eligible
to enter into these contracts, Defendants
registered in databases located in the
United States. For certain contracts,
Defendants submitted bids to U.S.
Department of Defense offices in the
United States. After being awarded
these contracts, Defendants submitted
invoices to and received payments from
U.S. Department of Defense offices in
Columbus, Ohio, which included use of
wires and mails located in the United
States.
13. Through its contracts with the
U.S. military, Defendants’ activities had
a direct, substantial, and reasonably
foreseeable effect on interstate
commerce, import trade or commerce,
and commerce with foreign nations.
Defendants’ conspiracy had a
substantial and intended effect in the
United States. Defendants caused U.S.
Department of Defense agencies to pay
non-competitive prices for the supply of
fuel to U.S. military installations.
Defendants also caused a U.S.
Department of Defense agency located
in the Southern District of Ohio to
transfer U.S. dollars to their foreign
bank accounts.
IV. BACKGROUND
14. From at least March 2005 and
continuing until at least October 2016
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(‘‘the Relevant Period’’), the U.S.
military procured fuel for its
installations in South Korea through
competitive solicitation processes. Oil
companies, either independently or in
conjunction with a logistics company,
submitted bids in response to these
solicitations.
15. The conduct at issue relates to two
types of contracts to supply fuel to the
U.S. military for use in South Korea:
Post, Camps, and Stations (‘‘PC&S’’)
contracts and Army and Air Force
Exchange Services (‘‘AAFES’’) contracts.
16. PC&S contracts are issued and
administered by the Defense Logistics
Agency (‘‘DLA’’), a combat support
agency in the U.S. Department of
Defense. DLA, formerly known as the
Defense Energy Support Center, is
headquartered in Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
The fuel procured under PC&S contracts
is used for military vehicles and to heat
U.S. military buildings. During the
Relevant Period, PC&S contracts ran for
a term of three or four years. DLA issued
PC&S solicitations listing the fuel
requirements for installations across
South Korea, with each delivery
location identified by a separate line
item. Bidders offered a price for each
line item on which they chose to bid.
DLA awarded contracts to the bidders
offering the lowest price for each line
item. The Defense Finance and
Accounting Service (‘‘DFAS’’), a finance
and accounting agency of the U.S.
Department of Defense, wired payments
to the PC&S contract awardees from its
office in Columbus, Ohio.
17. AAFES is an agency of the
Department of Defense headquartered in
Dallas, Texas. AAFES operates official
retail stores (known as ‘‘exchanges’’) on
U.S. Army and Air Force installations
worldwide, which U.S. military
personnel and their families use to
purchase everyday goods and services,
including gasoline for use in their
personal vehicles. AAFES procures fuel
for these stores via contracts awarded
through a competitive solicitation
process. The term of AAFES contracts is
typically two years, but may be
extended for additional years. In 2008,
AAFES issued a solicitation that listed
the fuel requirements for installations in
South Korea. Unlike DLA, AAFES
awarded the entire 2008 contract to the
bidder offering the lowest price across
all the listed locations.
V. DEFENDANTS’ UNLAWFUL
CONDUCT
18. From at least March 2005 and
continuing until at least October 2016,
Defendants and their co-conspirators
engaged in a series of meetings,
telephone conversations, e-mails, and
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other communications to rig bids and
fix prices for the supply of fuel to U.S.
military installations in South Korea.
2006 PC&S and 2008 AAFES Contracts
19. GS Caltex, SK Energy, and
Companies B and C conspired to rig
bids and fix prices on the 2006 PC&S
contracts, which were issued in
response to solicitation SP0600–05–R–
0063, supplemental solicitation
SP0600–05–0063–0001, and their
amendments. The term of the 2006
PC&S contracts covered the supply of
fuel from February 2006 through July
2009.
20. Between early 2005 and mid-2006,
GS Caltex, SK Energy, and other
conspirators met multiple times and
exchanged phone calls and e-mails to
allocate the line items in the
solicitations for the 2006 PC&S
contracts. For each line item allocated to
a different co-conspirator, the other
conspirators agreed not to bid or to bid
high enough to ensure that they would
not win that item. Through these
communications, these conspirators
agreed to inflate their bids to produce
higher profit margins. DLA awarded the
2006 PC&S line items according to the
allocations made by the conspiracy.
21. As part of their discussions related
to the 2006 PC&S contracts, GS Caltex
and other conspirators agreed not to
compete with SK Energy in bidding for
the 2008 AAFES contract. In 2008, GS
Caltex and other conspirators honored
their agreement: GS Caltex bid
significantly above the bid submitted by
SK Energy for the AAFES contract,
while Companies B and C declined to
bid even after AAFES explicitly
requested their participation in the
bidding. The initial term of the 2008
AAFES contract ran from July 2008 to
July 2010; the contract was later
extended through July 2013. As
envisioned by the conspiracy, AAFES
awarded the 2008 contract to SK Energy.
2009 PC&S Contracts
22. Continuing their conspiracy,
Defendants and other co-conspirators
conspired to rig bids and fix prices for
the 2009 PC&S contracts, which were
issued in response to solicitation
SP0600–08–R–0233. Hanjin and
Company A joined the conspiracy for
the purpose of bidding on the
solicitation for the 2009 PC&S contracts.
Hanjin and Company A partnered to bid
jointly on the 2009 PC&S contracts, with
Company A providing the fuel and
Hanjin providing transportation and
logistics. The term of the 2009 PC&S
contracts covered the supply of fuel
from October 2009 through August
2013.
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23. Between late 2008 and mid-2009,
Defendants and other co-conspirators
met multiple times and exchanged
phone calls and e-mails to allocate the
line items in the solicitation for the
2009 PC&S contracts. As in 2006, these
conspirators agreed to bid high so as to
not win line items allocated to other coconspirators. The original conspirators
agreed to allocate to Hanjin and
Company A certain line items that had
previously been allocated to the original
conspirators.
24. With one exception, DLA awarded
the 2009 PC&S contracts in line with the
allocations made by the Defendants and
other co-conspirators. Companies B and
C accidentally won one line item that
the conspiracy had allocated to GS
Caltex. To remedy this misallocation,
Company B and GS Caltex agreed that
GS Caltex, rather than Company C,
would supply Company B with the fuel
procured under this line item.
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2013 PC&S Contracts
25. Similar to 2006 and 2009,
Defendants and other co-conspirators
conspired to rig bids and fix prices for
the 2013 PC&S contracts, which were
issued in response to solicitation
SP0600–12–R–0332. The term of the
2013 PC&S Contract covered the supply
of fuel from August 2013 through July
2016.
26. Defendants and other coconspirators communicated via phone
calls and e-mails to allocate and set the
price for each line item in the
solicitation for the 2013 PC&S contracts.
Defendants and other co-conspirators
believed that they had an agreement as
to their bidding strategy and pricing for
the 2013 PC&S contracts. As a result of
this agreement, they bid higher prices
than they would have in a competitive
process.
27. However, Hanjin and Company A
submitted bids for the 2013 PC&S
contracts below the prices set by the
other co-conspirators. Although lower
than the pricing agreed upon by the
conspirators, Hanjin and Company A
still submitted bids above a competitive,
non-collusive price, knowing that they
would likely win the contracts because
the other conspirators would bid even
higher prices.
28. As a result of their bidding
strategy, Hanjin and Company A jointly
won nearly all the line items in the 2013
PC&S contracts. As in 2009, Company A
was to provide the fuel for these line
items, and Hanjin was to provide
transportation and logistics. GS Caltex
and other co-conspirators won a few,
small line items; SK Energy won none.
DLA made inflated payments under the
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2013 PC&S contracts through October
2016.
29. After the award of the 2013 PC&S
contracts, Hanjin, Company A, and GS
Caltex reached an understanding that
GS Caltex, rather than Company A,
would supply Hanjin with fuel for
certain line items. Under this side
agreement, Hanjin paid a much lower
price to GS Caltex for fuel than the price
it previously had agreed to pay
Company A to acquire fuel for those line
items. However, the price that Hanjin
paid to GS Caltex exceeded a
competitive price for fuel.
VI. VIOLATIONS ALLEGED
30. The United States incorporates by
reference the allegations in paragraphs 1
through 29.
31. The conduct of Defendants and
their co-conspirators unreasonably
restrained trade and harmed
competition for the supply of fuel to the
U.S. military in South Korea in violation
of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15
U.S.C. § 1.
32. The United States was injured as
a result of the unlawful conduct because
it paid more for the supply of fuel than
it would have had the Defendants and
their co-conspirators engaged in fair
competition.
VIII. REQUEST FOR RELIEF
33. The United States requests that
this Court:
(a) adjudge that Defendants’ and their
co-conspirators’ conduct constitutes an
unreasonable restraint of interstate
commerce, import trade or commerce,
and commerce with foreign nations in
violation of Section 1 of the Sherman
Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1;
(b) award the United States damages
to which it is entitled for the losses
incurred as the result of Defendants’ and
their co-conspirators’ conduct;
(c) award the United States equitable
disgorgement of the ill-gotten gains
obtained by Defendants;
(d) award the United States its costs
of this action; and
(e) award the United States other
relief that the Court deems just and
proper.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General.
lllllllllllllllllllll
Patricia A. Brink,
Director of Civil Enforcement.
lllllllllllllllllllll
Kathleen S. O’Neill,
Chief, Transportation, Energy & Agriculture
Section.
lllllllllllllllllllll
Robert A. Lepore,
Assistant Chief, Transportation, Energy &
Agriculture Section.
lllllllllllllllllllll
J. Richard Doidge
Julie Elmer
Jeremy Evans
John A. Holler
Caroline Anderson
Jonathan Silberman
Patrick Kuhlmann
Attorneys for the United States
U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust
Division, 450 5th Street NW, Suite 8000,
Washington, DC 20530, Tel.: (202) 514–8944,
Fax: (202) 616–2441, E-mail: Dick.Doidge@
usdoj.gov.
Dated: November 14, 2018
Respectfully submitted,
FOR PLAINTIFF UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA
Benjamin C. Glassman,
United States Attorney
By:
lllllllllllllllllllll
Andrew M. Malek (Ohio Bar #0061442)
Assistant United States Attorney, 303
Marconi Boulevard, Suite 200, Columbus,
Ohio 43215, Tel: (614) 469–5715, Fax: (614)
469–2769, E-mail: Andrew.Malek@usdoj.gov.
United States District Court for the
Southern District of Ohio Eastern
Division
United States of America, Plaintiff, v. GS
Caltex Corporation, Defendant.
Case No. 2:18–cv–01456–ALM–CMV
PROPOSED FINAL JUDGMENT AS TO
DEFENDANT GS CALTEX
CORPORATION
WHEREAS Plaintiff, United States of
America, filed its Complaint on
November 14, 2018, the United States
and Defendant GS Caltex Corporation
(‘‘GS Caltex’’), by their respective
attorneys, have consented to the entry of
this Final Judgment without trial or
adjudication of any issue of fact or law;
Dated: November 14, 2018
WHEREAS, on such date as may be
Respectfully submitted,
determined by the Court, GS Caltex will
FOR PLAINTIFF UNITED STATES OF
plead guilty pursuant to Fed. R. Crim.
AMERICA:
P. 11(c)(1)(C) (the ‘‘Plea Agreement’’) to
lllllllllllllllllllll an Information to be filed in United
Makan Delrahim,
States v. GS Caltex Corporation [to be
Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust.
assigned] (S.D.Ohio) (the ‘‘Criminal
lllllllllllllllllllll Action’’) that will allege a violation of
Andrew C. Finch,
Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General. U.S.C. § 1, relating to the same events
lllllllllllllllllllll giving rise to the allegations described
in the Complaint;
Bernard A. Nigro Jr.,
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WHEREAS, this Final Judgment does
not constitute any evidence against or
admission by any party regarding any
issue of fact or law;
NOW, THEREFORE, before the taking
of any testimony and without trial or
final adjudication of any issue of fact or
law herein, and upon consent of the
parties hereto, it is hereby ORDERED,
ADJUDGED, AND DECREED:
I. JURISDICTION
This Court has jurisdiction of the
subject matter of this action and each of
the parties consenting hereto. The
Complaint states a claim upon which
relief may be granted to the United
States against GS Caltex under Section
1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1.
II. APPLICABILITY
This Final Judgment applies to GS
Caltex, as defined above, and all other
persons in active concert or
participation with any of them who
receive actual notice of this Final
Judgment by personal service or
otherwise.
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III. PAYMENT
GS Caltex shall pay to the United
States within ten (10) business days of
the entry of this Final Judgment the
amount of fifty-seven million, five
hundred thousand dollars
($57,500,000), less the amount paid
(excluding any interest) pursuant to the
settlement agreement attached hereto as
Attachment 1, to satisfy all civil
antitrust claims alleged against GS
Caltex by the United States in the
Complaint. Payment of the amount
ordered hereby shall be made by wire
transfer of funds or cashier’s check. If
the payment is made by wire transfer,
GS Caltex shall contact Janie Ingalls of
the Antitrust Division’s Antitrust
Documents Group at (202) 514–2481 for
instructions before making the transfer.
If the payment is made by cashier’s
check, the check shall be made payable
to the United States Department of
Justice and delivered to: Janie Ingalls,
United States Department of Justice
Antitrust Division, Antitrust Documents
Group, 450 5th Street, NW, Suite 1024,
Washington, D.C. 20530. In the event of
a default in payment, interest at the rate
of eighteen (18) percent per annum shall
accrue thereon from the date of default
to the date of payment.
IV. COOPERATION
GS Caltex shall cooperate fully with
the United States regarding any matter
about which GS Caltex has knowledge
or information relating to any ongoing
civil investigation, litigation, or other
proceeding arising out of any ongoing
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federal investigation of the subject
matter discussed in the Complaint
(hereinafter, any such investigation,
litigation, or proceeding shall be
referred to as a ‘‘Civil Federal
Proceeding’’).
The United States agrees that any
cooperation provided in connection
with the Plea Agreement and/or
pursuant to the settlement agreement
attached hereto as Attachment 1 will be
considered cooperation for purposes of
this Final Judgment, and the United
States will use its reasonable best
efforts, where appropriate, to coordinate
any requests for cooperation in
connection with the Civil Federal
Proceeding with requests for
cooperation in connection with the Plea
Agreement and the settlement
agreement attached hereto as
Attachment 1, so as to avoid
unnecessary duplication and expense.
GS Caltex’s cooperation shall include,
but not be limited to, the following:
(a) Upon request, completely and
truthfully disclosing and producing, to
the offices of the United States and at no
expense to the United States, copies of
all non-privileged information,
documents, materials, and records in its
possession (and for any foreign-language
information, documents, materials, or
records, copies must be produced with
an English translation), regardless of
their geographic location, about which
the United States may inquire in
connection with any Civil Federal
Proceeding, including but not limited to
all information about activities of GS
Caltex and present and former officers,
directors, employees, and agents of GS
Caltex;
(b) Making available in the United
States, at no expense to the United
States, its present officers, directors,
employees, and agents to provide
information and/or testimony as
requested by the United States in
connection with any Civil Federal
Proceeding, including the provision of
testimony in trial and other judicial
proceedings, as well as interviews with
law enforcement authorities, consistent
with the rights and privileges of those
individuals;
(c) Using its best efforts to make
available in the United States, at no
expense to the United States, its former
officers, directors, employees, and
agents to provide information and/or
testimony as requested by the United
States in connection with any Civil
Federal Proceeding, including the
provision of testimony in trial and other
judicial proceedings, as well as
interviews with law enforcement
authorities, consistent with the rights
and privileges of those individuals;
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(d) Providing testimony or
information necessary to identify or
establish the original location,
authenticity, or other basis for
admission into evidence of documents
or physical evidence produced by GS
Caltex in any Civil Federal Proceeding
as requested by the United States; and
(e) Completely and truthfully
responding to all other inquiries of the
United States in connection with any
Civil Federal Proceeding.
However, notwithstanding any
provision of this Final Judgment, GS
Caltex is not required to: (1) Request of
its current or former officers, directors,
employees, or agents that they forgo
seeking the advice of an attorney nor
that they act contrary to that advice; (2)
take any action against its officers,
directors, employees, or agents for
following their attorney’s advice; or (3)
waive any claim of privilege or work
product protection.
The obligations of GS Caltex to
cooperate fully with the United States as
described in this Section shall cease
upon the conclusion of all Civil Federal
Proceedings (which may include Civil
Federal Proceedings related to the
conduct of third parties), including
exhaustion of all appeals or expiration
of time for all appeals of any Court
ruling in each such Civil Federal
Proceeding, at which point the United
States will provide written notice to GS
Caltex that its obligations under this
Section have expired.
V. ANTITRUST COMPLIANCE
PROGRAM
A. Within thirty (30) days after entry
of this Final Judgment, GS Caltex shall
appoint an Antitrust Compliance Officer
and identify to the United States his or
her name, business address, telephone
number, and email address. Within
forty-five (45) days of a vacancy in the
Antitrust Compliance Officer position,
GS Caltex shall appoint a replacement,
and shall identify to the United States
the Antitrust Compliance Officer’s
name, business address, telephone
number, and email address. GS Caltex’s
initial or replacement appointment of an
Antitrust Compliance Officer is subject
to the approval of the United States, in
its sole discretion.
B. The Antitrust Compliance Officer
shall institute an antitrust compliance
program for the company’s employees
and directors with responsibility for
bidding for any contract with the United
States. The antitrust compliance
program shall provide at least two hours
of training annually on the antitrust
laws of the United States, such training
to be delivered by an attorney with
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relevant experience in the field of
United States antitrust law.
C. Each Antitrust Compliance Officer
shall obtain, within six months after
entry of this Final Judgment, and on an
annual basis thereafter, on or before
each anniversary of the entry of this
Final Judgment, from each person
subject to Paragraph V.B of this Final
Judgment, and thereafter maintaining, a
certification that each such person has
received the required two hours of
annual antitrust training.
D. Each Antitrust Compliance Officer
shall communicate annually to all
employees that they may disclose to the
Antitrust Compliance Officer, without
reprisal, information concerning any
potential violation of the United States
antitrust laws.
E. Each Antitrust Compliance Offer
shall provide to the United States
within six months after entry of this
Final Judgment, and on an annual basis
thereafter, on or before each anniversary
of the entry of this Final Judgment, a
written statement as to the fact and
manner of GS Caltex’s compliance with
Section V of this Final Judgment.
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VI. RETENTION OF JURISDICTION
This Court retains jurisdiction to
enable any of the parties to this Final
Judgment to apply to this Court at any
time for further orders and directions as
may be necessary or appropriate to carry
out or construe this Final Judgment, to
modify or terminate any of its
provisions, to enforce compliance, and
to punish violations of its provisions.
VII. ENFORCEMENT OF FINAL
JUDGMENT
A. The United States retains and
reserves all rights to enforce the
provisions of this Final Judgment,
including the right to seek an order of
contempt from the Court. GS Caltex
agrees that in any civil contempt action,
any motion to show cause, or any
similar action brought by the United
States regarding an alleged violation of
this Final Judgment, the United States
may establish a violation of the decree
and the appropriateness of any remedy
therefor by a preponderance of the
evidence, and GS Caltex waives any
argument that a different standard of
proof should apply.
B. The Final Judgment should be
interpreted to give full effect to the
procompetitive purposes of the antitrust
laws and to restore all competition the
United States alleged was harmed by the
challenged conduct. GS Caltex agrees
that they may be held in contempt of,
and that the Court may enforce, any
provision of this Final Judgment that, as
interpreted by the Court in light of these
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procompetitive principles and applying
ordinary tools of interpretation, is stated
specifically and in reasonable detail,
whether or not it is clear and
unambiguous on its face. In any such
interpretation, the terms of this Final
Judgment should not be construed
against either party as the drafter.
C. In any enforcement proceeding in
which the Court finds that GS Caltex
has violated this Final Judgment, the
United States may apply to the Court for
a one-time extension of this Final
Judgment, together with such other
relief as may be appropriate. In
connection with any successful effort by
the United States to enforce this Final
Judgment against GS Caltex, whether
litigated or resolved prior to litigation,
GS Caltex agrees to reimburse the
United States for the fees and expenses
of its attorneys, as well as any other
costs including experts’ fees, incurred in
connection with that enforcement effort,
including in the investigation of the
potential violation.
States Department of Justice and the
United States Attorney’s Office for the
Southern District of Ohio, on behalf of
the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) and
the Army and Air Force Exchange
Service (AAFES) (collectively the
‘‘United States’’), GS Caltex Corporation
(GS Caltex), and Relator [REDACTED]
(hereafter collectively referred to as ‘‘the
Parties’’), through their authorized
representatives.
RECITALS
A. GS Caltex is a South Korea-based
energy company that produces various
petroleum products that it sells to South
Korean and international customers,
including the United States Department
of Defense (DoD).
B. On February 28, 2018, Relator, a
resident and citizen of South Korea,
filed a qui tam action in the United
States District Court for the Southern
District of Ohio captioned United States
ex rel. [REDACTED] v. GS Caltex, et al.,
Civil Action No. [REDACTED], pursuant
to the qui tam provisions of the False
VIII. EXPIRATION OF FINAL
Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. § 3730(b) (the
JUDGMENT
Civil FCA Action). Relator contends that
Unless this Court grants an extension, GS Caltex conspired with other South
Korean entities to rig bids on DoD
this Final Judgment shall expire seven
contracts to supply fuel to U.S. military
(7) years from the date of its entry,
bases throughout South Korea beginning
except that after five (5) years from the
in 2005 and continuing until 2016,
date of its entry, this Final Judgment
including DLA Post, Camps, and
may be terminated upon notice by the
United States to the Court and GS Caltex Stations contracts and/or contract
amendments (‘‘PC&S contracts’’)
that the continuation of the Final
executed in 2006, 2009, 2011, and 2013,
Judgment no longer is necessary or in
and AAFES contracts executed in 2008.
the public interest.
C. On such date as may be determined
by the Court, GS Caltex will plead guilty
IX. PUBLIC INTEREST
pursuant to Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(c)(1)(C)
DETERMINATION
(the ‘‘Plea Agreement’’) to an
Entry of this Final Judgment is in the
Information to be filed in United States
public interest. The parties have
v. GS Caltex Corporation, Criminal
complied with the requirements of the
Action No. [to be assigned] (S.D. Ohio)
Antitrust Procedures and Penalties Act,
15 U.S.C. § 16, including making copies (the ‘‘Criminal Action’’) that will allege
that GS Caltex participated in a
available to the public of this Final
combination and conspiracy beginning
Judgment, the Competitive Impact
at least in or around March 2005 and
Statement, and any comments thereon
continuing until at least in or around
and the United States’ responses to
October 2016, to suppress and eliminate
comments. Based upon the record
competition on certain contracts
before the Court, which includes the
solicited by the DoD to supply ultra-low
Competitive Impact Statement and any
sulfur diesel and gasoline to numerous
comments and response to comments
U.S. Army, Navy, Marine, and Air Force
filed with the Court, entry of this Final
installations in Korea, known as PC&S
Judgment is in the public interest.
contracts, in violation of the Sherman
Dated: lllllllllllllllll Antitrust Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1.
lllllllllllllllllllll
D. GS Caltex will execute a
Stipulation with the Antitrust Division
United States District Judge
of the United States Department of
Justice in which GS Caltex will consent
ATTACHMENT 1
to the entry of a Final Judgment to be
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT
filed in United States v. GS Caltex
Corporation, Civil Action No. [to be
This Settlement Agreement
assigned] (S.D. Ohio) (the Civil Antitrust
(Agreement) is entered into among the
Action) that will settle any and all civil
United States of America, acting
through the Civil Division of the United antitrust claims of the United States
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against GS Caltex arising from any act
or offense committed before the date of
the Stipulation that was undertaken in
furtherance of an attempted or
completed antitrust conspiracy
involving PC&S and/or AAFES fuel
supply contracts with the U.S. military
in South Korea during the period 2005
through 2016.
E. The United States contends that it
has certain civil claims against GS
Caltex arising from a conspiracy with
other South Korean entities to rig bids
on DoD contracts to supply fuel to U.S.
military bases throughout South Korea
executed between 2005 and 2013,
including DLA PC&S contracts and
AAFES contracts, as well as the conduct
described in the Plea Agreement in the
Criminal Action. The conduct
referenced in this Paragraph, as well as
the conduct, actions, and claims alleged
by Relator in the Civil FCA Action is
referred to below as the Covered
Conduct.
F. With the exception of any
admissions that are made by GS Caltex
in connection with the Plea Agreement
in the Criminal Action, this Settlement
Agreement is neither an admission of
liability by GS Caltex nor a concession
by the United States or Relator that their
claims are not well founded.
G. Relator claims entitlement under
31 U.S.C. § 3730(d) to a share of the
proceeds of this Settlement Agreement
and to Relator’s reasonable expenses,
attorneys’ fees and costs.
To avoid the delay, uncertainty,
inconvenience, and expense of
protracted litigation of the above claims,
and in consideration of the mutual
promises and obligations of this
Settlement Agreement, the Parties agree
and covenant as follows:
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1.a. GS Caltex shall pay to the United
States $42,621,000 (FCA Settlement
Amount), of which $28,414,474 is
restitution. Relator’s right pursuant to
31 U.S.C. § 3730(d) to reasonable
expenses, attorneys’ fees and costs will
be addressed separately by Relator,
Relator’s counsel and GS Caltex.
1.b. Interest at an annual rate of three
(3) percent shall accrue on the FCA
Settlement Amount beginning on the
Effective Date of this Agreement and
continuing until the date that both of
the following events have occurred: (i)
the Plea Agreement is accepted by the
Court in the Criminal Action; and (ii)
the proposed Final Judgment is entered
by the Court in the Civil Antitrust
Action (Accrued Interest).
1.c. The total FCA payment due from
GS Caltex shall be the FCA Settlement
Amount plus any Accrued Interest
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(Total FCA Settlement Amount). GS
Caltex shall pay the Total FCA
Settlement Amount by electronic funds
transfer no later than seven (7) business
days after both events identified above
in Paragraph 1.b. have occurred
(Payment Due Date). The Civil Division
of the United States Department of
Justice shall provide to counsel for GS
Caltex written payment instructions and
confirmation of the Total FCA
Settlement Amount no later than five (5)
business days before the Payment Due
Date. If GS Caltex does not pay the Total
FCA Settlement Amount on or before
the Payment Due Date, interest at an
annual rate of nine (9) percent shall
accrue on the Total FCA Settlement
Amount beginning on the first calendar
day after the Payment Due Date and
shall continue to accrue until paid.
1.d. If GS Caltex’s Plea Agreement in
the Criminal Action is not accepted by
the Court or the Court does not enter the
Final Judgment in the Civil Antitrust
Action, this Agreement shall be null and
void at the option of either the United
States or GS Caltex. If either the United
States or GS Caltex exercises this
option, which option shall be exercised
by notifying all Parties, through counsel,
in writing within five (5) business days
of the Court’s decision, the Parties will
not object and this Agreement will be
rescinded. If this Agreement is
rescinded, GS Caltex will not plead,
argue or otherwise raise any defenses
under the theories of statute of
limitations, laches, estoppel or similar
theories, to any civil or administrative
claims, actions or proceedings arising
from the Covered Conduct that are
brought by the United States within
ninety (90) calendar days of rescission,
except to the extent such defenses were
available on the day on which Relator’s
qui tam complaint in the Civil FCA
Action was filed.
2. Subject to the exceptions in
Paragraph 3 (concerning excluded
claims) below, and conditioned upon
GS Caltex’s full payment of the Total
FCA Settlement Amount, the United
States releases GS Caltex together with
its current and former parent
corporations; direct and indirect
subsidiaries; brother or sister
corporations; divisions; current or
former corporate owners; and the
corporate successors and assigns of any
of them from any civil or administrative
monetary claim the United States has
for the Covered Conduct under the False
Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729–3733; the
Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act, 31
U.S.C. §§ 3801–3812; Contract Disputes
Act, 41 U.S.C. §§ 7101–7109; or the
common law theories of breach of
contract, payment by mistake, unjust
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60311
enrichment, and fraud, or under any
statute creating causes of action for civil
damages or civil penalties which the
Civil Division of the United States
Department of Justice has authority to
assert and compromise pursuant to 28
C.F.R. Part O, Subpart I, § 0.45(d).
3. Notwithstanding the release given
in paragraph 2 of this Agreement, or any
other term of this Agreement, the
following claims of the United States are
specifically reserved and are not
released:
a. Any liability arising under Title 26,
U.S. Code (Internal Revenue Code);
b. Any criminal liability, except to the
extent detailed in the Plea Agreement;
c. Except as explicitly stated in this
Agreement, any administrative liability,
including the suspension and
debarment rights of any federal agency;
d. Any liability to the United States
(or its agencies) for any conduct other
than the Covered Conduct;
e. Any liability based upon
obligations created by this Agreement;
f. Any liability of individuals;
g. Any liability for express or implied
warranty claims or other claims for
defective or deficient products or
services, including quality of goods and
services;
h. Any liability for failure to deliver
goods or services due; and
i. Any liability for personal injury or
property damage or for other
consequential damages arising from the
Covered Conduct.
4. Relator and his heirs, successors,
attorneys, agents, and assigns shall not
object to this Agreement but agree and
confirm that this Agreement is fair,
adequate, and reasonable under all the
circumstances, pursuant to 31 U.S.C.
§ 3730(c)(2)(B). The determination of
Relator’s share, if any, of the FCA
Settlement Amount pursuant to 31
U.S.C. § 3730(d) is a matter that shall be
handled separately by and between the
Relator and the United States, without
any direct involvement or input from
GS Caltex. In connection with this
Agreement and this Civil FCA Action,
Relator, on behalf of himself and his
heirs, successors, attorneys, agents, and
assigns agrees that neither this
Agreement, nor any intervention by the
United States in the Civil FCA Action in
order to dismiss the Civil FCA Action,
nor any dismissal of the Civil FCA
Action, shall waive or otherwise affect
the ability of the United States to
contend that provisions in the False
Claims Act, including 31 U.S.C.
§ 3730(d)(3), bar Relator from sharing in
the proceeds of this Agreement, except
that the United States will not contend
that Relator is barred from sharing in the
proceeds of this Agreement pursuant to
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31 U.S.C. § 3730(e)(4). Moreover, the
United States and Relator, on behalf of
himself and his heirs, successors,
attorneys, agents, and assigns agree that
they each retain all of their rights
pursuant to the False Claims Act on the
issue of the share percentage, if any, that
Relator should receive of any proceeds
of the settlement of his claims, and that
no agreements concerning Relator share
have been reached to date.
5. Relator, for himself, and for his
heirs, successors, attorneys, agents, and
assigns, releases GS Caltex, together
with its predecessors, successors,
assigns, shareholders, subsidiaries,
businesses, affiliates, divisions, sister
companies, owners, directors, officers,
agents, employees, and counsel, from
any action, in law or in equity, suits,
debts, liens, contracts, agreements,
covenants, promises, liability,
obligations, claims, demands, rights of
subrogation, contribution and
indemnity, damages, loss, cost or
expenses, direct or indirect, of any kind
or nature whatsoever (including without
limitation any civil monetary claim
Relator has on behalf of the United
States for the Covered Conduct under
the False Claims Act. 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729–
3733), known or unknown, fixed or
contingent, foreign (including Korean),
state or federal, under common law,
statute or regulation, liquidated or
unliquidated, claimed or concealed, and
without regard to the date of occurrence,
which Relator ever had, now has, may
assert, or may in the future claim to
have, against GS Caltex by reason of any
act, cause, matter, or thing whatsoever
from the beginning of time to the date
hereof. Relator represents and warrants
that he and his counsel are the exclusive
owner of the rights, claims, and causes
of action herein released and none of
them have previously assigned,
reassigned, or transferred or purported
to assign, reassign or transfer, through
bankruptcy or by any other means, any
or any portion of any claim, demand,
action, cause of action, or other right
released or discharged under this
Agreement except between themselves
and their counsel. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, or any other terms of this
Agreement, this Agreement does not
resolve or release Relator’s right
pursuant to 31 U.S.C. § 3730(d) to
reasonable expenses necessarily
incurred, plus reasonable attorneys’ fees
and costs relating to the Covered
Conduct, the amount of which will be
addressed separately by Relator,
Relator’s counsel, and GS Caltex.
6. GS Caltex waives and shall not
assert any defenses GS Caltex may have
to any criminal prosecution or
administrative action relating to the
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Covered Conduct that may be based in
whole or in part on a contention that,
under the Double Jeopardy Clause in the
Fifth Amendment of the Constitution, or
under the Excessive Fines Clause in the
Eighth Amendment of the Constitution,
this Agreement bars a remedy sought in
such criminal prosecution or
administrative action.
7. GS Caltex fully and finally releases
the United States, its agencies, officers,
agents, employees, and servants, from
any claims (including attorney’s fees,
costs, and expenses of every kind and
however denominated) that GS Caltex
has asserted, could have asserted, or
may assert in the future against the
United States, its agencies, officers,
agents, employees, and servants, related
to the Covered Conduct and the United
States’ investigation and prosecution
thereof.
8. GS Caltex, for itself and on behalf
of its predecessors, successors, assigns,
shareholders, subsidiaries, businesses,
affiliates, divisions, sister companies,
owners, directors, officers, agents,
employees, and counsel, releases
Relator, together with his heirs,
successors, attorneys, agents, and
assigns from any action, in law or in
equity, suits, debts, liens, contracts,
agreements, covenants, promises,
liability, obligations, claims, demands,
rights of subrogation, contribution and
indemnity, damages, loss, cost or
expenses, direct or indirect, of any kind
or nature whatsoever, known or
unknown, fixed or contingent, foreign
(including Korean), state or federal,
under common law, statute or
regulation, liquidated or unliquidated,
claimed or concealed, and without
regard to the date of occurrence, which
GS Caltex ever had, now has, may
assert, or may in the future claim to
have, against Relator by reason of any
act, cause, matter, or thing whatsoever
from the beginning of time to the date
hereof. GS Caltex represents and
warrants that it and its counsel are the
exclusive owner of the rights, claims,
and causes of action herein released and
none of them have previously assigned,
reassigned, or transferred or purported
to assign, reassign or transfer, through
bankruptcy or by any other means, any
or any portion of any claim, demand,
action, cause of action, or other right
released or discharged under this
Agreement except between themselves
and their counsel. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, or any other terms of this
Agreement, this Agreement does not
resolve or release GS Caltex’s right
pursuant to 31 U.S.C. § 3730(d) to assert
defenses to Relator’s claimed attorneys’
fees, expenses, and costs relating to the
Covered Conduct, the amount of which
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will be addressed separately by Relator,
Relator’s counsel, and GS Caltex.
9. a. Unallowable Costs Defined: All
costs (as defined in the Federal
Acquisition Regulation, 48 C.F.R.
§ 31.205–47) incurred by or on behalf of
GS Caltex, and its present or former
officers, directors, employees,
shareholders, and agents in connection
with:
(1) the matters covered by this
Agreement, any related plea agreement,
and any related civil antitrust
agreement;
(2) the United States’ audit(s) and
civil and any criminal investigation(s) of
the matters covered by this Agreement;
(3) GS Caltex’s investigation, defense,
and corrective actions undertaken in
response to the United States’ audit(s)
and civil and any criminal
investigation(s) in connection with the
matters covered by this Agreement
(including attorney’s fees);
(4) the negotiation and performance of
this Agreement, any related plea
agreement, and any related civil
antitrust agreement;
(5) the payment GS Caltex makes to
the United States pursuant to this
Agreement and any payments that GS
Caltex may make to Relator, including
costs and attorneys’ fees, are
unallowable costs for government
contracting purposes (hereinafter
referred to as Unallowable Costs).
b. Future Treatment of Unallowable
Costs: Unallowable Costs will be
separately determined and accounted
for by GS Caltex, and GS Caltex shall
not charge such Unallowable Costs
directly or indirectly to any contract
with the United States.
c. Treatment of Unallowable Costs
Previously Submitted for Payment:
Within 90 days of the Effective Date of
this Agreement, GS Caltex shall identify
and repay by adjustment to future
claims for payment or otherwise any
Unallowable Costs included in
payments previously sought by GS
Caltex or any of its subsidiaries or
affiliates from the United States. GS
Caltex agrees that the United States, at
a minimum, shall be entitled to recoup
from GS Caltex any overpayment plus
applicable interest and penalties as a
result of the inclusion of such
Unallowable Costs on previouslysubmitted requests for payment. The
United States, including the Department
of Justice and/or the affected agencies,
reserves its rights to audit, examine, or
re-examine GS Caltex’s books and
records and to disagree with any
calculations submitted by GS Caltex or
any of its subsidiaries or affiliates
regarding any Unallowable Costs
included in payments previously sought
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by GS Caltex, or the effect of any such
Unallowable Costs on the amount of
such payments.
10. GS Caltex agrees to cooperate fully
and truthfully with the United States in
connection with the Civil FCA Action.
The Civil Division of the United States
Department of Justice will use
reasonable best efforts, where
appropriate, to coordinate any requests
for cooperation in connection with the
Civil FCA Action with requests for
cooperation in connection with the Plea
Agreement in the Criminal Action and
the Civil Antitrust Action, so as to avoid
unnecessary duplication and expense.
GS Caltex’s ongoing, full, and truthful
cooperation shall include, but not be
limited to:
a. upon request by the United States
with reasonable notice, producing at the
offices of counsel for the United States
in Washington, D.C. and not at the
expense of the United States, complete
and un-redacted copies of all nonprivileged documents related to the
Covered Conduct wherever located in
GS Caltex’s possession, custody, or
control;
b. upon request by the United States
with reasonable notice, making current
GS Caltex directors, officers, and
employees available for interviews,
consistent with the rights and privileges
of such individuals, by counsel for the
United States and/or their investigative
agents, not at the expense of the United
States, in the United States or Hong
Kong unless another place is mutually
agreed upon;
c. upon request by the United States
with reasonable notice, (i) using best
efforts to assist in locating former GS
Caltex directors, officers, and employees
identified by attorneys and/or
investigative agents of the United States,
and (ii) using best efforts to make any
such former GS Caltex directors,
officers, and employees available for
interviews, consistent with the rights
and privileges of such individuals, by
counsel for the United States and/or
their investigative agents, not at the
expense of the United States, in the
United States or Hong Kong unless
another place is mutually agreed upon;
and
d. upon request by the United States
with reasonable notice, making current
GS Caltex directors, officers, and
employees available, and using best
efforts to make former GS Caltex
directors, officers, employees available,
to testify, consistent with the rights and
privileges of such individuals, fully,
truthfully, and under oath, without
falsely implicating any person or
withholding any information, (i) at
depositions in the United States, Hong
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Kong, or any other mutually agreed
upon place, (ii) at trial in the United
States, and (iii) at any other judicial
proceedings wherever located related to
the Civil FCA Action.
11. This Agreement is intended to be
for the benefit of the Parties only.
12. Upon receipt of the payment of
the Total FCA Settlement Amount
described in Paragraph 1.a-c., above, or
receipt of the Total FCA Settlement
Amount and any additional interest that
accrues if GS Caltex does not pay on or
before the Payment Due Date, the
United States and Relator shall
promptly sign and file a Joint
Stipulation of Dismissal, with prejudice,
of the claims filed against GS Caltex in
the Civil FCA Action, pursuant to Rule
41(a)(1), which dismissal shall be
conditioned on the Court retaining
jurisdiction over Relator’s claims to a
relator’s share and recovery of attorneys’
fees and costs pursuant to 31 U.S.C.
§ 3730(d).
13. Except as provided herein, each
Party shall bear its own legal and other
costs incurred in connection with this
matter. The Parties agree that Relator
and GS Caltex will not seek to recover
from the United States any costs or fees
related to the preparation and
performance of this Agreement.
14. Each party and signatory to this
Agreement represents that it freely and
voluntarily enters into this Agreement
without any degree of duress or
compulsion.
15. This Agreement is governed by the
laws of the United States. The exclusive
jurisdiction and venue for any dispute
relating to this Agreement is the United
States District Court for the Southern
District of Ohio. GS Caltex agrees that
the United States District Court for the
Southern District of Ohio has
jurisdiction over it for purposes of the
Civil FCA Action. For purposes of
construing this Agreement, this
Agreement shall be deemed to have
been drafted by all Parties to this
Agreement and shall not, therefore, be
construed against any Party for that
reason in any subsequent dispute.
16. This Agreement constitutes the
complete agreement between the Parties
on the subject matters addressed herein.
This Agreement may not be amended
except by written consent of the Parties.
17. The undersigned counsel
represent and warrant that they are fully
authorized to execute this Agreement on
behalf of the persons and entities
indicated below.
18. This Agreement may be executed
in counterparts, each of which
constitutes an original and all of which
constitute one and the same Agreement.
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19. This Agreement is binding on GS
Caltex’s successors, transferees, heirs,
and assigns.
20. This Agreement is binding on
Relator’s successors, transferees, heirs,
and assigns.
21. All parties consent to the United
States’ disclosure of this Agreement,
and information about this Agreement,
to the public, as permitted by order of
the Court. This Agreement shall not be
released in un-redacted form until the
Court unseals the entire Civil FCA
Action.
22. This Agreement is effective on the
date of signature of the last signatory to
the Agreement (Effective Date of this
Agreement). Electronic copies of
signatures shall constitute acceptable,
binding signatures for purposes of this
Agreement
The United States of America
Dated: lllllllllllllllll
By: lllllllllllllllllll
Andrew A. Steinberg,
Trial Attorney, Commercial Litigation
Branch, Civil Division, U.S. Department of
Justice
Dated: lllllllllllllllll
By: lllllllllllllllllll
Mark T. D’Alessandro,
Civil Chief
Andrew Malek,
Assistant United States Attorney, U.S.
Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of
Ohio
GS Caltex Corporation—Defendant
Dated: lllllllllllllllll
By: lllllllllllllllllll
Authorized Representative of GS Caltex
Corporation
Dated: lllllllllllllllll
By: lllllllllllllllllll
Marguerite M. Sullivan,
Latham & Watkins LLP
Scott D. Hammond, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
LLP, Counsel for GS Caltex Corporation
[Redacted]—Relator
Dated: lllllllllllllllll
By: lllllllllllllllllll
[redacted]
Dated: lllllllllllllllll
By: lllllllllllllllllll
Eric Havian,
Constantine Cannon LLP, Counsel for Relator
United States District Court for the
Southern District of Ohio Eastern
Division
United States of America, Plaintiff, v.
Hanjin Transportation Co., Ltd. Defendant.
Case No. 2:18–cv–01456–ALM–CMV
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PROPOSED FINAL JUDGMENT AS TO
DEFENDANT HANJIN
TRANSPORTATION CO., LTD.
WHEREAS Plaintiff, United States of
America, filed its Complaint on
November 14, 2018, the United States
and Defendant Hanjin Transportation
Co., Ltd. (‘‘Hanjin’’), by their respective
attorneys, have consented to the entry of
this Final Judgment without trial or
adjudication of any issue of fact or law;
WHEREAS, on such date as may be
determined by the Court, Hanjin will
plead guilty pursuant to Fed. R. Crim.
P. 11(c)(1)(C) (the ‘‘Plea Agreement’’) to
an Information to be filed in United
States v. Hanjin Transportation Co., Ltd.
[to be assigned] (S.D.Ohio) (the
‘‘Criminal Action’’) that will allege a
violation of Section 1 of the Sherman
Act, 15 U.S. C. § 1, relating to the same
events giving rise to the allegations
described in the Complaint;
WHEREAS, this Final Judgment does
not constitute any evidence against or
admission by any party regarding any
issue of fact or law;
NOW, THEREFORE, before the taking
of any testimony and without trial or
final adjudication of any issue of fact or
law herein, and upon consent of the
parties hereto, it is hereby ORDERED,
ADJUDGED, AND DECREED:
I. JURISDICTION
This Court has jurisdiction of the
subject matter of this action and each of
the parties consenting hereto. The
Complaint states a claim upon which
relief may be granted to the United
States against Hanjin under Section 1 of
the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1.
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II. APPLICABILITY
This Final Judgment applies to
Hanjin, as defined above, and all other
persons in active concert or
participation with any of them who
receive actual notice of this Final
Judgment by personal service or
otherwise.
III. PAYMENT
Hanjin shall pay to the United States
within ten (10) business days of the
entry of this Final Judgment the amount
of six million, one hundred eighty-two
thousand ($6,182,000), less the amount
paid (excluding any interest) pursuant
to the settlement agreement attached
hereto as Attachment 1, to satisfy all
civil antitrust claims alleged against
Hanjin by the United States in the
Complaint. Payment of the amount
ordered hereby shall be made by wire
transfer of funds or cashier’s check. If
the payment is made by wire transfer,
Hanjin shall contact Janie Ingalls of the
Antitrust Division’s Antitrust
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Documents Group at (202) 514–2481 for
instructions before making the transfer.
If the payment is made by cashier’s
check, the check shall be made payable
to the United States Department of
Justice and delivered to: Janie Ingalls,
United States Department of Justice
Antitrust Division, Antitrust Documents
Group, 450 5th Street, NW, Suite 1024,
Washington, D.C. 20530. In the event of
a default in payment, interest at the rate
of eighteen (18) percent per annum shall
accrue thereon from the date of default
to the date of payment.
IV. COOPERATION
Hanjin shall cooperate fully with the
United States regarding any matter
about which Hanjin has knowledge or
information relating to any ongoing civil
investigation, litigation, or other
proceeding arising out of any ongoing
federal investigation of the subject
matter discussed in the Complaint
(hereinafter, any such investigation,
litigation, or proceeding shall be
referred to as a ‘‘Civil Federal
Proceeding’’).
The United States agrees that any
cooperation provided in connection
with the Plea Agreement and/or
pursuant to the settlement agreement
attached hereto as Attachment 1 will be
considered cooperation for purposes of
this Final Judgment, and the United
States will use its reasonable best
efforts, where appropriate, to coordinate
any requests for cooperation in
connection with the Civil Federal
Proceeding with requests for
cooperation in connection with the Plea
Agreement and the settlement
agreement attached hereto as
Attachment 1, so as to avoid
unnecessary duplication and expense.
Hanjin’s cooperation shall include, but
not be limited to, the following:
(a) Upon request, completely and
truthfully disclosing and producing, to
the offices of the United States and at no
expense to the United States, copies of
all non-privileged information,
documents, materials, and records in its
possession (and for any foreign-language
information, documents, materials, or
records, copies must be produced with
an English translation), regardless of
their geographic location, about which
the United States may inquire in
connection with any Civil Federal
Proceeding, including but not limited to
all information about activities of
Hanjin and present and former officers,
directors, employees, and agents of
Hanjin;
(b) Making available in the United
States, at no expense to the United
States, its present officers, directors,
employees, and agents to provide
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information and/or testimony as
requested by the United States in
connection with any Civil Federal
Proceeding, including the provision of
testimony in trial and other judicial
proceedings, as well as interviews with
law enforcement authorities, consistent
with the rights and privileges of those
individuals;
(c) Using its best efforts to make
available in the United States, at no
expense to the United States, its former
officers, directors, employees, and
agents to provide information and/or
testimony as requested by the United
States in connection with any Civil
Federal Proceeding, including the
provision of testimony in trial and other
judicial proceedings, as well as
interviews with law enforcement
authorities, consistent with the rights
and privileges of those individuals;
(d) Providing testimony or
information necessary to identify or
establish the original location,
authenticity, or other basis for
admission into evidence of documents
or physical evidence produced by
Hanjin in any Civil Federal Proceeding
as requested by the United States; and
(e) Completely and truthfully
responding to all other inquiries of the
United States in connection with any
Civil Federal Proceeding.
However, notwithstanding any
provision of this Final Judgment, Hanjin
is not required to: (1) request of its
current or former officers, directors,
employees, or agents that they forgo
seeking the advice of an attorney nor
that they act contrary to that advice; (2)
take any action against its officers,
directors, employees, or agents for
following their attorney’s advice; or (3)
waive any claim of privilege or work
product protection.
The obligations of Hanjin to cooperate
fully with the United States as described
in this Section shall cease upon the
conclusion of all Civil Federal
Proceedings (which may include Civil
Federal Proceedings related to the
conduct of third parties), including
exhaustion of all appeals or expiration
of time for all appeals of any Court
ruling in each such Civil Federal
Proceeding, at which point the United
States will provide written notice to
Hanjin that its obligations under this
Section have expired.
V. ANTITRUST COMPLIANCE
PROGRAM
A. Within thirty (30) days after entry
of this Final Judgment, Hanjin shall
appoint an Antitrust Compliance Officer
and identify to the United States his or
her name, business address, telephone
number, and email address. Within
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forty-five (45) days of a vacancy in the
Antitrust Compliance Officer position,
Hanjin shall appoint a replacement, and
shall identify to the United States the
Antitrust Compliance Officer’s name,
business address, telephone number,
and email address. Hanjin’s initial or
replacement appointment of an
Antitrust Compliance Officer is subject
to the approval of the United States, in
its sole discretion.
B. The Antitrust Compliance Officer
shall institute an antitrust compliance
program for the company’s employees
and directors with responsibility for
bidding for any contract with the United
States. The antitrust compliance
program shall provide at least two hours
of training annually on the antitrust
laws of the United States, such training
to be delivered by an attorney with
relevant experience in the field of
United States antitrust law.
C. Each Antitrust Compliance Officer
shall obtain, within six months after
entry of this Final Judgment, and on an
annual basis thereafter, on or before
each anniversary of the entry of this
Final Judgment, from each person
subject to Paragraph V.B of this Final
Judgment, and thereafter maintaining, a
certification that each such person has
received the required two hours of
annual antitrust training.
D. Each Antitrust Compliance Officer
shall communicate annually to all
employees that they may disclose to the
Antitrust Compliance Officer, without
reprisal, information concerning any
potential violation of the United States
antitrust laws.
E. Each Antitrust Compliance Offer
shall provide to the United States
within six months after entry of this
Final Judgment, and on an annual basis
thereafter, on or before each anniversary
of the entry of this Final Judgment, a
written statement as to the fact and
manner of Hanjin’s compliance with
Section V of this Final Judgment.
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VI. RETENTION OF JURISDICTION
This Court retains jurisdiction to
enable any of the parties to this Final
Judgment to apply to this Court at any
time for further orders and directions as
may be necessary or appropriate to carry
out or construe this Final Judgment, to
modify or terminate any of its
provisions, to enforce compliance, and
to punish violations of its provisions.
VII. ENFORCEMENT OF FINAL
JUDGMENT
A. The United States retains and
reserves all rights to enforce the
provisions of this Final Judgment,
including the right to seek an order of
contempt from the Court. Hanjin agrees
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that in any civil contempt action, any
motion to show cause, or any similar
action brought by the United States
regarding an alleged violation of this
Final Judgment, the United States may
establish a violation of the decree and
the appropriateness of any remedy
therefor by a preponderance of the
evidence, and Hanjin waives any
argument that a different standard of
proof should apply.
B. The Final Judgment should be
interpreted to give full effect to the
procompetitive purposes of the antitrust
laws and to restore all competition the
United States alleged was harmed by the
challenged conduct. Hanjin agrees that
they may be held in contempt of, and
that the Court may enforce, any
provision of this Final Judgment that, as
interpreted by the Court in light of these
procompetitive principles and applying
ordinary tools of interpretation, is stated
specifically and in reasonable detail,
whether or not it is clear and
unambiguous on its face. In any such
interpretation, the terms of this Final
Judgment should not be construed
against either party as the drafter.
C. In any enforcement proceeding in
which the Court finds that Hanjin has
violated this Final Judgment, the United
States may apply to the Court for a onetime extension of this Final Judgment,
together with such other relief as may be
appropriate. In connection with any
successful effort by the United States to
enforce this Final Judgment against
Hanjin, whether litigated or resolved
prior to litigation, Hanjin agrees to
reimburse the United States for the fees
and expenses of its attorneys, as well as
any other costs including experts’ fees,
incurred in connection with that
enforcement effort, including in the
investigation of the potential violation.
VIII. EXPIRATION OF FINAL
JUDGMENT
Unless this Court grants an extension,
this Final Judgment shall expire seven
(7) years from the date of its entry,
except that after five (5) years from the
date of its entry, this Final Judgment
may be terminated upon notice by the
United States to the Court and Hanjin
that the continuation of the Final
Judgment no longer is necessary or in
the public interest.
IX. PUBLIC INTEREST
DETERMINATION
Entry of this Final Judgment is in the
public interest. The parties have
complied with the requirements of the
Antitrust Procedures and Penalties Act,
15 U.S.C. § 16, including making copies
available to the public of this Final
Judgment, the Competitive Impact
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Statement, and any comments thereon
and the United States’ responses to
comments. Based upon the record
before the Court, which includes the
Competitive Impact Statement and any
comments and response to comments
filed with the Court, entry of this Final
Judgment is in the public interest.
Dated: lllllllllllllllll
llllllllllllllllllll
United States District Judge
ATTACHMENT 1
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT
This Settlement Agreement
(Agreement) is entered into among the
United States of America, acting
through the Civil Division of the United
States Department of Justice and the
United States Attorney’s Office for the
Southern District of Ohio, on behalf of
the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) and
the Army and Air Force Exchange
Service (AAFES) (collectively the
‘‘United States’’), Hanjin Transportation
Co., Ltd. (Hanjin), and Relator
[REDACTED] (hereafter collectively
referred to as ‘‘the Parties’’), through
their authorized representatives.
RECITALS
A. Hanjin is a South Korea-based
logistics company with South Korean
and international customers, including
the United States Department of Defense
(DoD).
B. On February 28, 2018, Relator, a
resident and citizen of South Korea,
filed a qui tam action in the United
States District Court for the Southern
District of Ohio captioned United States
ex rel. [REDACTED] v. GS Caltex, et al.,
Civil Action No. [REDACTED], pursuant
to the qui tam provisions of the False
Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. § 3730(b) (the
Civil FCA Action). Relator contends that
Hanjin conspired with other South
Korean entities to rig bids on DoD
contracts to supply fuel to U.S. military
bases throughout South Korea beginning
in 2008 and continuing until 2016,
including DLA Post, Camps, and
Stations contracts executed in 2009 and
2013, and AAFES contracts executed in
2008.
C. On such date as may be determined
by the Court, Hanjin will plead guilty
pursuant to Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(c)(1)(C)
(the ‘‘Plea Agreement’’) to an
Information to be filed in United States
v. Hanjin Transportation Co., Ltd.,
Criminal Action No. [to be assigned]
(S.D. Ohio) (the ‘‘Criminal Action’’) that
will allege that Hanjin participated in a
combination and conspiracy beginning
at least in or around March 2005 and
continuing until at least in or around
October 2016, to suppress and eliminate
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competition on certain contracts
solicited by the DoD to supply ultra-low
sulfur diesel and gasoline to numerous
U.S. Army, Navy, Marine, and Air Force
installations in Korea, including PC&S
contracts, in violation of the Sherman
Antitrust Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1.
D. Hanjin will execute a Stipulation
with the Antitrust Division of the
United States Department of Justice in
which Hanjin will consent to the entry
of a Final Judgment to be filed in United
States v. Hanjin Transportation Co.,
Ltd., Civil Action No. [to be assigned]
(S.D. Ohio) (the Civil Antitrust Action)
that will settle any and all civil antitrust
claims of the United States against
Hanjin arising from any act or offense
committed before the date of the
Stipulation that was undertaken in
furtherance of an attempted or
completed antitrust conspiracy
involving PC&S and/or AAFES fuel
supply contracts with the U.S. military
in South Korea during the period 2005
through 2016.
E. The United States contends that it
has certain civil claims against Hanjin
arising from a conspiracy with other
South Korean entities to rig bids on DoD
contracts to supply fuel to U.S. military
bases throughout South Korea beginning
in 2008 and continuing to 2016,
including DLA Post, Camps, and
Stations contracts executed in 2009 and
2013, and AAFES contracts executed in
2008. The conduct described in in this
Paragraph, as well as the conduct,
actions, and claims alleged by Relator in
the Civil FCA Action is referred to
below as the Covered Conduct.
F. With the exception of any
admissions that are made by Hanjin in
connection with the Plea Agreement in
the Criminal Action, this Settlement
Agreement is neither an admission of
liability by Hanjin nor a concession by
the United States or Relator that their
claims are not well founded.
G. Relator claims entitlement under
31 U.S.C. § 3730(d) to a share of the
proceeds of this Settlement Agreement
and to Relator’s reasonable expenses,
attorneys’ fees, and costs.
To avoid the delay, uncertainty,
inconvenience, and expense of
protracted litigation of the above claims,
and in consideration of the mutual
promises and obligations of this
Settlement Agreement, the Parties agree
and covenant as follows:
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1. Hanjin agrees to pay to the United
States $6,182,000 (FCA Settlement
Amount) by electronic funds transfer no
later than thirteen (13) business days
after the Effective Date of this
Agreement pursuant to written
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Jkt 247001
instructions to be provided by the Civil
Division of the United States
Department of Justice. Relator claims
entitlement under 31 U.S.C. § 3730(d) to
Relator’s reasonable expenses, attorneys’
fees and costs. The FCA Settlement
Amount does not include the Relator’s
fees and costs, and Hanjin
acknowledges (without waiving any
applicable arguments or defenses) that
Relator retains all rights to seek to
recover such expenses, attorneys’ fees,
and costs from Hanjin pursuant to 31
U.S.C. § 3730(d).
2. Subject to the exceptions in
Paragraph 4 (concerning excluded
claims) below, and conditioned upon
Hanjin’s full payment of the FCA
Settlement Amount, the United States
releases Hanjin together with its current
and former parent corporations; direct
and indirect subsidiaries; brother or
sister corporations; divisions; current or
former corporate owners; and the
corporate successors and assigns of any
of them from any civil or administrative
monetary claim the United States has
for the Covered Conduct under the False
Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729–3733; the
Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act, 31
U.S.C. §§ 3801–3812; Contract Disputes
Act, 41 U.S.C. §§ 7101–7109; or the
common law theories of breach of
contract, payment by mistake, unjust
enrichment, and fraud.
3. Except as set forth in Paragraph 1
(concerning Relator’s claims under 31
U.S.C. § 3730(d)), and subject to the
exceptions in Paragraph 4 below, and
conditioned upon Hanjin’s full payment
of the FCA Settlement Amount, Relator,
on behalf of: (a) his respective heirs,
successors, assigns, agents and
attorneys; and (b) his companies
([REDACTED], together with their direct
and indirect subsidiaries, brother or
sister corporations, divisions, current or
former corporate owners, and the
corporate successors and assigns of any
of them); hereby fully and finally
releases, waives, and forever discharges
Hanjin, together with its direct and
indirect subsidiaries, brother or sister
corporations, divisions, current or
former corporate owners, and the
corporate successors and assigns of any
of them, from: (i) any civil monetary
claim Relator has on behalf of the
United States for the Covered Conduct
under the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C.
§§ 3729–3733; (ii) any claims or
allegations Relator has asserted or could
have asserted against Hanjin arising
from the Covered Conduct; and (iii) all
liability, claims, demands, actions or
causes of action whatsoever, whether
known or unknown, fixed or contingent,
in law or in equity, in contract or in tort,
under any federal, Korean, or state
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statute or regulation or otherwise, or in
common law, including claims for
attorneys’ fees, costs, and expenses of
every kind and however denominated,
that Relator would have standing to
bring or which Relator may now have or
claim to have against Hanjin and/or its
direct and indirect subsidiaries, brother
or sister corporations, divisions, current
or former corporate owners, and the
corporate successors and assigns of any
of them.
4. Notwithstanding the releases given
in paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Agreement,
or any other term of this Agreement, the
following claims of the United States are
specifically reserved and are not
released:
a. Any liability arising under Title 26,
U.S. Code (Internal Revenue Code);
b. Any criminal liability, except to the
extent detailed in the Plea Agreement;
c. Except as explicitly stated in this
Agreement, any administrative liability,
including the suspension and
debarment rights of any federal agency;
d. Any liability to the United States
(or its agencies) for any conduct other
than the Covered Conduct;
e. Any liability based upon
obligations created by this Agreement;
f. Any liability of individuals;
g. Any liability for express or implied
warranty claims or other claims for
defective or deficient products or
services, including quality of goods and
services;
h. Any liability for failure to deliver
goods or services due; and
i. Any liability for personal injury or
property damage or for other
consequential damages arising from the
Covered Conduct.
5. Relator and his heirs, successors,
attorneys, agents, and assigns shall not
object to this Agreement but agree and
confirm that this Agreement is fair,
adequate, and reasonable under all the
circumstances, pursuant to 31 U.S.C.
§ 3730(c)(2)(B). In connection with this
Agreement and this Civil FCA Action,
Relator, on behalf of himself and his
heirs, successors, attorneys, agents, and
assigns, agrees that neither this
Agreement, nor any intervention by the
United States in the Civil FCA Action in
order to dismiss the Civil FCA Action,
nor any dismissal of the Civil FCA
Action, shall waive or otherwise affect
the ability of the United States to
contend that provisions in the False
Claims Act, including 31 U.S.C.
§ 3730(d)(3), bar Relator from sharing in
the proceeds of this Agreement, except
that the United States will not contend
that Relator is barred from sharing in the
proceeds of this Agreement pursuant to
31 U.S.C. § 3730(e)(4). Moreover, the
United States and Relator, on behalf of
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himself and his heirs, successors,
attorneys, agents, and assigns agree that
they each retain all of their rights
pursuant to the False Claims Act on the
issue of the share percentage, if any, that
Relator should receive of any proceeds
of the settlement of his claims, and that
no agreements concerning Relator share
have been reached to date.
6. Hanjin waives and shall not assert
any defenses Hanjin may have to any
criminal prosecution or administrative
action relating to the Covered Conduct
that may be based in whole or in part
on a contention that, under the Double
Jeopardy Clause in the Fifth
Amendment of the Constitution, or
under the Excessive Fines Clause in the
Eighth Amendment of the Constitution,
this Agreement bars a remedy sought in
such criminal prosecution or
administrative action.
7. Hanjin fully and finally releases the
United States, its agencies, officers,
agents, employees, and servants, from
any claims (including attorney’s fees,
costs, and expenses of every kind and
however denominated) that Hanjin has
asserted, could have asserted, or may
assert in the future against the United
States, its agencies, officers, agents,
employees, and servants, related to the
Covered Conduct and the United States’
investigation and prosecution thereof.
8. Hanjin, together with its direct and
indirect subsidiaries, brother or sister
corporations, divisions, current or
former corporate owners, and the
corporate successors and assigns of any
of them, hereby fully and finally
releases, waives, and forever discharges
the Relator, together with his respective
heirs, successors, assigns, agents and
attorneys, and his companies
([REDACTED]) from any claims or
allegations Hanjin has asserted or could
have asserted, arising from the Covered
Conduct, and from all liability, claims,
demands, actions or causes of action
whatsoever, whether known or
unknown, fixed or contingent, in law or
in equity, in contract or in tort, under
any federal, Korean, or state statute or
regulation or otherwise, or in common
law, including claims for attorneys’ fees,
costs, and expenses of every kind and
however denominated, that it would
have standing to bring or which Hanjin
may now have or claim to have against
Relator and his heirs, successors,
assigns, agents, and attorneys. Relator
hereby represents that neither he nor his
companies, [REDACTED], performed
business with Hanjin.
9. a. Unallowable Costs Defined: All
costs (as defined in the Federal
Acquisition Regulation, 48 C.F.R.
§ 31.205–47) incurred by or on behalf of
Hanjin, and its present or former
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officers, directors, employees,
shareholders, and agents in connection
with:
(1) the matters covered by this
Agreement, any related plea agreement,
and any related civil antitrust
agreement;
(2) the United States’ audit(s) and
civil and any criminal investigation(s) of
the matters covered by this Agreement;
(3) Hanjin’s investigation, defense,
and corrective actions undertaken in
response to the United States’ audit(s)
and civil and any criminal
investigation(s) in connection with the
matters covered by this Agreement
(including attorney’s fees);
(4) the negotiation and performance of
this Agreement, any related plea
agreement, and any related civil
antitrust agreement;
(5) the payment Hanjin makes to the
United States pursuant to this
Agreement and any payments that
Hanjin may make to Relator, including
costs and attorneys’ fees,
are unallowable costs for government
contracting purposes (hereinafter
referred to as Unallowable Costs).
b. Future Treatment of Unallowable
Costs: Unallowable Costs will be
separately determined and accounted
for by Hanjin, and Hanjin shall not
charge such Unallowable Costs directly
or indirectly to any contract with the
United States.
c. Treatment of Unallowable Costs
Previously Submitted for Payment:
Within 90 days of the Effective Date of
this Agreement, Hanjin shall identify
and repay by adjustment to future
claims for payment or otherwise any
Unallowable Costs included in
payments previously sought by Hanjin
or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates
from the United States. Hanjin agrees
that the United States, at a minimum,
shall be entitled to recoup from Hanjin
any overpayment plus applicable
interest and penalties as a result of the
inclusion of such Unallowable Costs on
previously-submitted requests for
payment. The United States, including
the Department of Justice and/or the
affected agencies, reserves its rights to
audit, examine, or re-examine Hanjin’s
books and records and to disagree with
any calculations submitted by Hanjin or
any of its subsidiaries or affiliates
regarding any Unallowable Costs
included in payments previously sought
by Hanjin, or the effect of any such
Unallowable Costs on the amount of
such payments.
10. Hanjin agrees to cooperate fully
and truthfully with the United States in
connection with the Civil FCA Action.
Hanjin’s ongoing, full, and truthful
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cooperation shall include, but not be
limited to:
a. upon request by the United States
with reasonable notice, producing at the
offices of counsel for the United States
in Washington, D.C. and not at the
expense of the United States, complete
and un-redacted copies of all nonprivileged documents related to the
Covered Conduct wherever located in
Hanjin’s possession, custody, or control,
including but not limited to, reports,
memoranda of interviews, and records
concerning any investigation of the
Covered Conduct that Hanjin has
undertaken, or that has been performed
by another on Hanjin’s behalf;
b. upon request by the United States
with reasonable notice, making current
Hanjin directors, officers, and
employees available for interviews,
consistent with the rights and privileges
of such individuals, by counsel for the
United States and/or their investigative
agents, not at the expense of the United
States, in the United States or Hong
Kong, unless another place is mutually
agreed upon;
c. upon request by the United States
with reasonable notice, (i) using best
efforts to assist in locating former
Hanjin directors, officers, and
employees identified by attorneys and/
or investigative agents of the United
States, and (ii) using best efforts to make
any such former Hanjin directors,
officers, and employees available for
interviews, consistent with the rights
and privileges of such individuals, by
counsel for the United States and/or
their investigative agents, not at the
expense of the United States, in the
United States or Hong Kong, unless
another place is mutually agreed upon;
and
d. upon request by the United States
with reasonable notice, making current
Hanjin directors, officers, and
employees available, and using best
efforts to make former Hanjin directors,
officers, employees available, to testify,
consistent with the rights and privileges
of such individuals, fully, truthfully,
and under oath, without falsely
implicating any person or withholding
any information, (i) at depositions in the
United States, Hong Kong, or any other
mutually agreed upon place, (ii) at trial
in the United States, and (iii) at any
other judicial proceedings wherever
located related to the Civil FCA Action.
11. This Agreement is intended to be
for the benefit of the Parties only.
12. Upon receipt of the payment of
the FCA Settlement Amount described
in Paragraph 1 above, the United States
and Relator shall promptly sign and file
a Joint Stipulation of Dismissal, with
prejudice, of the claims filed against
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Hanjin in the Civil FCA Action,
pursuant to Rule 41(a)(1) ), which
dismissal shall be conditioned on the
Court retaining jurisdiction over
Relator’s claims to a relator’s share and
recovery of attorneys’ fees and costs
pursuant to 31 U.S.C. § 3730(d).
13. Except with respect to payment (if
any) by Hanjin of Relator’s attorneys’
fees, expenses, and costs pursuant to 31
U.S.C. § 3730(d), each Party shall bear
its own legal and other costs incurred in
connection with this matter. The Parties
agree that Relator and Hanjin will not
seek to recover from the United States
any costs or fees related to the
preparation and performance of this
Agreement.
14. Each party and signatory to this
Agreement represents that it freely and
voluntarily enters in to this Agreement
without any degree of duress or
compulsion.
15. This Agreement is governed by the
laws of the United States. The exclusive
jurisdiction and venue for any dispute
relating to this Agreement is the United
States District Court for the Southern
District of Ohio. Hanjin agrees that the
United States District Court for the
Southern District of Ohio has
jurisdiction over it for purposes of the
Civil FCA Action. For purposes of
construing this Agreement, this
Agreement shall be deemed to have
been drafted by all Parties to this
Agreement and shall not, therefore, be
construed against any Party for that
reason in any subsequent dispute.
16. This Agreement constitutes the
complete agreement between the Parties
on the subject matters addressed herein.
This Agreement may not be amended
except by written consent of the Parties.
17. The undersigned counsel
represent and warrant that they are fully
authorized to execute this Agreement on
behalf of the persons and entities
indicated below.
18. This Agreement may be executed
in counterparts, each of which
constitutes an original and all of which
constitute one and the same Agreement.
19. This Agreement is binding on
Hanjin’s successors, transferees, heirs,
and assigns.
20. This Agreement is binding on
Relator’s successors, transferees, heirs,
and assigns.
21. All parties consent to the United
States’ disclosure of this Agreement,
and information about this Agreement,
to the public, as permitted by order of
the Court. This Agreement shall not be
released in un-redacted form until the
Court unseals the entire Civil FCA
Action.
22. This Agreement is effective on the
date of signature of the last signatory to
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the Agreement (Effective Date of this
Agreement). Facsimiles of signatures
shall constitute acceptable, binding
signatures for purposes of this
Agreement.
The United States of America
Dated: lllllllllllllllll
By: lllllllllllllllllll
Andrew A. Steinberg,
Trial Attorney, Commercial Litigation
Branch, Civil Division, U.S. Department of
Justice
Dated: lllllllllllllllll
By: lllllllllllllllllll
Mark T. D’Alessandro
Civil Chief
Andrew Malek
Assistant United States Attorney, U.S.
Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of
Ohio
Hanjin Transportation Co., Ltd.—Defendant
Dated: lllllllllllllllll
By: lllllllllllllllllll
Authorized Representative of Hanjin
Transportation Co., Ltd.
Dated: lllllllllllllllll
By: lllllllllllllllllll
William H. Stallings
Counsel for Hanjin Transportation Co., Ltd.
Dated: lllllllllllllllll
By: lllllllllllllllllll
Kelly B. Kramer
Counsel for Hanjin Transportation Co., Ltd.
[Redacted]—Relator
Dated: lllllllllllllllll
By: lllllllllllllllllll
[Redacted]
Dated: lllllllllllllllll
By: lllllllllllllllllll
Eric Havian
Constantine Cannon LLP, Counsel for Relator
United States District Court for the
Southern District of Ohio Eastern
Division
United States of America, Plaintiff, v. SK
Energy Co., Ltd. Defendant.
Case No. 2:18-cv-01456-ALM-CMV
PROPOSED FINAL JUDGMENT AS TO
DEFENDANT SK ENERGY CO., LTD.
WHEREAS Plaintiff, United States of
America, filed its Complaint on
November 14, 2018, the United States
and Defendant SK Energy Co., Ltd. (‘‘SK
Energy’’), by their respective attorneys,
have consented to the entry of this Final
Judgment without trial or adjudication
of any issue of fact or law;
WHEREAS, on such date as may be
determined by the Court, SK Energy will
plead guilty pursuant to Fed. R. Crim.
P. 11(c)(1)(C) (the ‘‘Plea Agreement’’) to
an Information to be filed in United
States v. SK Energy Co., Ltd. [to be
assigned] (S.D.Ohio) (the ‘‘Criminal
Action’’) that will allege a violation of
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Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.
C. § 1, relating to the same events giving
rise to the allegations described in the
Complaint;
WHEREAS, this Final Judgment does
not constitute any evidence against or
admission by any party regarding any
issue of fact or law;
NOW, THEREFORE, before the taking
of any testimony and without trial or
final adjudication of any issue of fact or
law herein, and upon consent of the
parties hereto, it is hereby ORDERED,
ADJUDGED, AND DECREED:
I. JURISDICTION
This Court has jurisdiction of the
subject matter of this action and each of
the parties consenting hereto. The
Complaint states a claim upon which
relief may be granted to the United
States against SK Energy under Section
1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1.
II. APPLICABILITY
This Final Judgment applies to SK
Energy, as defined above, and all other
persons in active concert or
participation with any of them who
receive actual notice of this Final
Judgment by personal service or
otherwise.
III. PAYMENT
SK Energy shall pay to the United
States within ten (10) business days of
the entry of this Final Judgment the
amount of ninety million, three hundred
eighty-four thousand, eight hundred and
seventy-two dollars ($90,384,872), less
the amount paid (excluding any
interest) pursuant to the settlement
agreement attached hereto as
Attachment 1, to satisfy all civil
antitrust claims alleged against SK
Energy by the United States in the
Complaint. Payment of the amount
ordered hereby shall be made by wire
transfer of funds or cashier’s check. If
the payment is made by wire transfer,
SK Energy shall contact Janie Ingalls of
the Antitrust Division’s Antitrust
Documents Group at (202) 514–2481 for
instructions before making the transfer.
If the payment is made by cashier’s
check, the check shall be made payable
to the United States Department of
Justice and delivered to: Janie Ingalls,
United States Department of Justice
Antitrust Division, Antitrust Documents
Group, 450 5th Street, NW, Suite 1024,
Washington, D.C. 20530. In the event of
a default in payment, interest at the rate
of eighteen (18) percent per annum shall
accrue thereon from the date of default
to the date of payment.
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IV. COOPERATION
SK Energy shall cooperate fully with
the United States regarding any matter
about which SK Energy has knowledge
or information relating to any ongoing
civil investigation, litigation, or other
proceeding arising out of any ongoing
federal investigation of the subject
matter discussed in the Complaint
(hereinafter, any such investigation,
litigation, or proceeding shall be
referred to as a ‘‘Civil Federal
Proceeding’’).
The United States agrees that any
cooperation provided in connection
with the Plea Agreement and/or
pursuant to the settlement agreement
attached hereto as Attachment 1 will be
considered cooperation for purposes of
this Final Judgment, and the United
States will use its reasonable best
efforts, where appropriate, to coordinate
any requests for cooperation in
connection with the Civil Federal
Proceeding with requests for
cooperation in connection with the Plea
Agreement and the settlement
agreement attached hereto as
Attachment 1, so as to avoid
unnecessary duplication and expense.
SK Energy’s cooperation shall
include, but not be limited to, the
following:
(a) Upon request, completely and
truthfully disclosing and producing, to
the offices of the United States and at no
expense to the United States, copies of
all non-privileged information,
documents, materials, and records in its
possession (and for any foreign-language
information, documents, materials, or
records, copies must be produced with
an English translation), regardless of
their geographic location, about which
the United States may inquire in
connection with any Civil Federal
Proceeding, including but not limited to
all information about activities of SK
Energy and present and former officers,
directors, employees, and agents of SK
Energy;
(b) Making available in the United
States, at no expense to the United
States, its present officers, directors,
employees, and agents to provide
information and/or testimony as
requested by the United States in
connection with any Civil Federal
Proceeding, including the provision of
testimony in trial and other judicial
proceedings, as well as interviews with
law enforcement authorities, consistent
with the rights and privileges of those
individuals;
(c) Using its best efforts to make
available in the United States, at no
expense to the United States, its former
officers, directors, employees, and
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agents to provide information and/or
testimony as requested by the United
States in connection with any Civil
Federal Proceeding, including the
provision of testimony in trial and other
judicial proceedings, as well as
interviews with law enforcement
authorities, consistent with the rights
and privileges of those individuals;
(d) Providing testimony or
information necessary to identify or
establish the original location,
authenticity, or other basis for
admission into evidence of documents
or physical evidence produced by SK
Energy in any Civil Federal Proceeding
as requested by the United States; and
(e) Completely and truthfully
responding to all other inquiries of the
United States in connection with any
Civil Federal Proceeding.
However, notwithstanding any
provision of this Final Judgment, SK
Energy is not required to: (1) request of
its current or former officers, directors,
employees, or agents that they forgo
seeking the advice of an attorney nor
that they act contrary to that advice; (2)
take any action against its officers,
directors, employees, or agents for
following their attorney’s advice; or (3)
waive any claim of privilege or work
product protection.
The obligations of SK Energy to
cooperate fully with the United States as
described in this Section shall cease
upon the conclusion of all Civil Federal
Proceedings (which may include Civil
Federal Proceedings related to the
conduct of third parties), including
exhaustion of all appeals or expiration
of time for all appeals of any Court
ruling in each such Civil Federal
Proceeding, at which point the United
States will provide written notice to SK
Energy that its obligations under this
Section have expired.
V. ANTITRUST COMPLIANCE
PROGRAM
A. Within thirty (30) days after entry
of this Final Judgment, SK Energy shall
appoint an Antitrust Compliance Officer
and identify to the United States his or
her name, business address, telephone
number, and email address. Within
forty-five (45) days of a vacancy in the
Antitrust Compliance Officer position,
SK Energy shall appoint a replacement,
and shall identify to the United States
the Antitrust Compliance Officer’s
name, business address, telephone
number, and email address. SK Energy’s
initial or replacement appointment of an
Antitrust Compliance Officer is subject
to the approval of the United States, in
its sole discretion.
B. The Antitrust Compliance Officer
shall institute an antitrust compliance
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60319
program for the company’s employees
and directors with responsibility for
bidding for any contract with the United
States. The antitrust compliance
program shall provide at least two hours
of training annually on the antitrust
laws of the United States, such training
to be delivered by an attorney with
relevant experience in the field of
United States antitrust law.
C. Each Antitrust Compliance Officer
shall obtain, within six months after
entry of this Final Judgment, and on an
annual basis thereafter, on or before
each anniversary of the entry of this
Final Judgment, from each person
subject to Paragraph V.B of this Final
Judgment, and thereafter maintaining, a
certification that each such person has
received the required two hours of
annual antitrust training.
D. Each Antitrust Compliance Officer
shall communicate annually to all
employees that they may disclose to the
Antitrust Compliance Officer, without
reprisal, information concerning any
potential violation of the United States
antitrust laws.
E. Each Antitrust Compliance Offer
shall provide to the United States
within six months after entry of this
Final Judgment, and on an annual basis
thereafter, on or before each anniversary
of the entry of this Final Judgment, a
written statement as to the fact and
manner of SK Energy’s compliance with
Section V of this Final Judgment.
VI. RETENTION OF JURISDICTION
This Court retains jurisdiction to
enable any of the parties to this Final
Judgment to apply to this Court at any
time for further orders and directions as
may be necessary or appropriate to carry
out or construe this Final Judgment, to
modify or terminate any of its
provisions, to enforce compliance, and
to punish violations of its provisions.
VII. ENFORCEMENT OF FINAL
JUDGMENT
A. The United States retains and
reserves all rights to enforce the
provisions of this Final Judgment,
including the right to seek an order of
contempt from the Court. SK Energy
agrees that in any civil contempt action,
any motion to show cause, or any
similar action brought by the United
States regarding an alleged violation of
this Final Judgment, the United States
may establish a violation of the decree
and the appropriateness of any remedy
therefor by a preponderance of the
evidence, and SK Energy waives any
argument that a different standard of
proof should apply.
B. The Final Judgment should be
interpreted to give full effect to the
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procompetitive purposes of the antitrust
laws and to restore all competition the
United States alleged was harmed by the
challenged conduct. SK Energy agrees
that they may be held in contempt of,
and that the Court may enforce, any
provision of this Final Judgment that, as
interpreted by the Court in light of these
procompetitive principles and applying
ordinary tools of interpretation, is stated
specifically and in reasonable detail,
whether or not it is clear and
unambiguous on its face. In any such
interpretation, the terms of this Final
Judgment should not be construed
against either party as the drafter.
C. In any enforcement proceeding in
which the Court finds that SK Energy
has violated this Final Judgment, the
United States may apply to the Court for
a one-time extension of this Final
Judgment, together with such other
relief as may be appropriate. In
connection with any successful effort by
the United States to enforce this Final
Judgment against SK Energy, whether
litigated or resolved prior to litigation,
SK Energy agrees to reimburse the
United States for the fees and expenses
of its attorneys, as well as any other
costs including experts’ fees, incurred in
connection with that enforcement effort,
including in the investigation of the
potential violation.
ATTACHMENT 1
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT
This Settlement Agreement
(Agreement) is entered into among the
United States of America, acting
through the Civil Division of the United
States Department of Justice and the
United States Attorney’s Office for the
Southern District of Ohio, on behalf of
the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) and
the Army and Air Force Exchange
Service (AAFES) (collectively the
‘‘United States’’), SK Energy Co., Ltd.
(SK Energy), and Relator [REDACTED]
(hereafter collectively referred to as ‘‘the
Parties’’), through their authorized
representatives.
RECITALS
A. SK Energy is a South Korea-based
energy company that produces various
petroleum products that it sells to South
Korean and international customers,
including the United States Department
of Defense (DoD).
B. On February 28, 2018, Relator, a
resident and citizen of South Korea,
filed a qui tam action in the United
States District Court for the Southern
District of Ohio captioned United States
ex rel. [REDACTED] v. GS Caltex, et al.,
Civil Action No. [REDACTED], pursuant
to the qui tam provisions of the False
Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. § 3730(b) (the
Civil FCA Action). Relator contends that
VIII. EXPIRATION OF FINAL
SK Energy conspired with other South
JUDGMENT
Korean entities to rig bids on DoD
Unless this Court grants an extension,
contracts to supply fuel to U.S. military
this Final Judgment shall expire seven
bases throughout South Korea beginning
(7) years from the date of its entry,
in 2005 and continuing until 2016,
except that after five (5) years from the
including DLA Post, Camps, and
date of its entry, this Final Judgment
Stations (PC&S) contracts executed in
may be terminated upon notice by the
2006, 2009, and 2013, and AAFES
United States to the Court and SK
contracts executed in 2008.
Energy that the continuation of the Final
C. On such date as may be determined
Judgment no longer is necessary or in
by the Court, SK Energy will plead
the public interest.
guilty pursuant to Fed. R. Crim. P.
11(c)(1)(C) (the ‘‘Plea Agreement’’) to an
IX. PUBLIC INTEREST
Information to be filed in United States
DETERMINATION
v. SK Energy Co., Ltd., Criminal Action
Entry of this Final Judgment is in the
No. [to be assigned] (S.D. Ohio) (the
public interest. The parties have
‘‘Criminal Action’’) that will allege that
complied with the requirements of the
SK Energy participated in a combination
Antitrust Procedures and Penalties Act,
15 U.S.C. § 16, including making copies and conspiracy beginning at least in or
around March 2005 and continuing
available to the public of this Final
until at least in or around October 2016,
Judgment, the Competitive Impact
to suppress and eliminate competition
Statement, and any comments thereon
on certain contracts solicited by the DoD
and the United States’ responses to
to supply fuel to numerous U.S. Army,
comments. Based upon the record
Navy, Marine, and Air Force
before the Court, which includes the
installations in Korea, including PC&S
Competitive Impact Statement and any
contracts and the 2008 AAFES contract,
comments and response to comments
in violation of the Sherman Antitrust
filed with the Court, entry of this Final
Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1.
Judgment is in the public interest.
D. SK Energy will execute a
Dated: lllllllllllllllll Stipulation with the Antitrust Division
lllllllllllllllllllll of the United States Department of
Justice in which SK Energy will consent
United States District Judge
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to the entry of a Final Judgment to be
filed in United States v. SK Energy Co.,
Ltd., Civil Action No. [to be assigned]
(S.D. Ohio) (the Civil Antitrust Action)
that will settle any and all civil antitrust
claims of the United States against SK
Energy arising from any act or offense
committed before the date of the
Stipulation that was undertaken in
furtherance of an attempted or
completed antitrust conspiracy
involving PC&S and/or AAFES fuel
supply contracts with the U.S. military
in South Korea during the period 2005
through 2016.
E. The United States contends that it
has certain civil claims against SK
Energy arising from the conduct
described in the Plea Agreement in the
Criminal Action and in the Stipulation
in the Civil Antitrust Action, as well as
the conduct, actions, and claims alleged
by Relator in the Civil FCA Action. The
conduct referenced in this Paragraph is
referred to below as the Covered
Conduct.
F. With the exception of any
admissions that are made by SK Energy
in connection with the Plea Agreement
in the Criminal Action, this Settlement
Agreement is neither an admission of
liability by SK Energy nor a concession
by the United States that its claims are
not well founded.
G. Relator claims entitlement under
31 U.S.C. § 3730(d) to a share of the
proceeds of this Settlement Agreement
and to Relator’s reasonable expenses,
attorneys’ fees and costs.
To avoid the delay, uncertainty,
inconvenience, and expense of
protracted litigation of the above claims,
and in consideration of the mutual
promises and obligations of this
Settlement Agreement, the Parties agree
and covenant as follows:
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1.a. SK Energy agrees to pay to the
United States $71,866,000 (FCA
Settlement Amount), of which
$47,910,887 is restitution, by electronic
funds transfer no later than thirteen (13)
business days after the Effective Date of
this Agreement pursuant to written
instructions to be provided by the Civil
Division of the Department of Justice.
Relator claims entitlement under 31
U.S.C. § 3730(d) to Relator’s reasonable
expenses, attorneys’ fees and costs. The
FCA Settlement Amount does not
include the Relator’s fees and costs, and
SK Energy acknowledges that Relator
retains all rights to recover such
expenses, attorneys’ fees, and costs from
SK Energy pursuant to 31 U.S.C.
§ 3730(d).
1.b. If SK Energy’s Plea Agreement in
the Criminal Action is not accepted by
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the Court or the Court does not enter a
Final Judgment in the Civil Antitrust
Action, this Agreement shall be null and
void at the option of either the United
States or SK Energy. If either the United
States or SK Energy exercises this
option, which option shall be exercised
by notifying all Parties, through counsel,
in writing within five (5) business days
of the Court’s decision, the Parties will
not object and this Agreement will be
rescinded and the FCA Settlement
Amount shall be returned to SK Energy.
If this Agreement is rescinded, SK
Energy will not plead, argue or
otherwise raise any defenses under the
theories of statute of limitations, laches,
estoppel or similar theories, to any civil
or administrative claims, actions or
proceedings arising from the Covered
Conduct that are brought by the United
States within ninety (90) calendar days
of rescission, except to the extent such
defenses were available on the day on
which Relator’s qui tam complaint in
the Civil FCA Action was filed.
2. Subject to the exceptions in
Paragraph 4 (concerning excluded
claims) below, and conditioned upon
SK Energy’s full payment of the FCA
Settlement Amount, the United States
releases SK Energy together with its
current and former parent corporations;
direct and indirect subsidiaries; brother
or sister corporations; divisions; current
or former corporate owners; and the
corporate successors and assigns of any
of them (the ‘‘SK Energy Released
Parties’’) from any civil or
administrative monetary claim the
United States has for the Covered
Conduct under the False Claims Act, 31
U.S.C. §§ 3729–3733; the Program Fraud
Civil Remedies Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 3801–
3812; Contract Disputes Act, 41 U.S.C.
§§ 7101–7109; or the common law
theories of breach of contract, payment
by mistake, unjust enrichment, and
fraud.
3. Except as set forth in Paragraph 1
(concerning Relator’s claims under 31
U.S.C. § 3730(d)), and conditioned upon
SK Energy’s full payment of the FCA
Settlement Amount, Relator, for himself
and for his heirs, successors, attorneys,
agents, and assigns, releases the SK
Energy Released Parties from (a) any
civil monetary claim the Relator has or
may have for the claims set forth in the
Civil FCA Action, the Civil Antitrust
Action, the Criminal Action, and the
Covered Conduct under the False
Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729–3733, up
until the date of this Agreement; and (b)
all liability, claims, demands, actions, or
causes of action whatsoever, whether
known or unknown, fixed or contingent,
in law or in equity, in contract or in tort,
under any federal, state, or Korean
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21:15 Nov 21, 2018
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statute, law, regulation or doctrine, that
Relator, his heirs, successors, attorneys,
agents, and assigns otherwise has
brought or would have standing to bring
as of the date of this Agreement,
including any liability to Relator arising
from or relating to the claims Relator
asserted or could have asserted in the
Civil FCA Action, up until the date of
this Agreement. Relator further
represents he does not know of any
conduct by the SK Energy Released
Parties or any current or former owners,
officers, directors, trustees,
shareholders, employees, executives,
agents, or affiliates of the SK Energy
Released Parties that would constitute a
violation of the False Claims Act other
than the claims set forth in the Civil
FCA Action and the Covered Conduct,
and Relator acknowledges and agrees
that his representations are a material
inducement to SK Energy’s willingness
to enter into this Agreement.
4. Notwithstanding the releases given
in paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Agreement,
or any other term of this Agreement, the
following claims of the United States are
specifically reserved and are not
released:
a. Any liability arising under Title 26,
U.S. Code (Internal Revenue Code);
b. Any criminal liability, except to the
extent detailed in the Plea Agreement;
c. Except as explicitly stated in this
Agreement, any administrative liability,
including the suspension and
debarment rights of any federal agency;
d. Any liability to the United States
(or its agencies) for any conduct other
than the Covered Conduct;
e. Any liability based upon
obligations created by this Agreement;
f. Any liability of individuals;
g. Any liability for express or implied
warranty claims or other claims for
defective or deficient products or
services, including quality of goods and
services;
h. Any liability for failure to deliver
goods or services due; and
i. Any liability for personal injury or
property damage or for other
consequential damages arising from the
Covered Conduct.
5. Relator and his heirs, successors,
attorneys, agents, and assigns shall not
object to this Agreement but agree and
confirm that this Agreement is fair,
adequate, and reasonable under all the
circumstances, pursuant to 31 U.S.C.
§ 3730(c)(2)(B). The determination of
Relator’s share, if any, of the FCA
Settlement Amount pursuant to 31
U.S.C. § 3730(d) is a matter that shall be
handled separately by and between the
Relator and the United States, without
any direct involvement or input from
SK Energy. In connection with this
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Agreement and this Civil FCA Action,
Relator, on behalf of himself and his
heirs, successors, attorneys, agents, and
assigns agrees that neither this
Agreement, nor any intervention by the
United States in the Civil FCA Action in
order to dismiss the Civil FCA Action,
nor any dismissal of the Civil FCA
Action, shall waive or otherwise affect
the ability of the United States to
contend that provisions in the False
Claims Act, including 31 U.S.C.
§ 3730(d)(3), bar Relator from sharing in
the proceeds of this Agreement, except
that the United States will not contend
that Relator is barred from sharing in the
proceeds of this Agreement pursuant to
31 U.S.C. § 3730(e)(4). Moreover, the
United States and Relator, on behalf of
himself and his heirs, successors,
attorneys, agents, and assigns agree that
they each retain all of their rights
pursuant to the False Claims Act on the
issue of the share percentage, if any, that
Relator should receive of any proceeds
of the settlement of his claims, and that
no agreements concerning Relator share
have been reached to date.
6. SK Energy waives and shall not
assert any defenses SK Energy may have
to any criminal prosecution or
administrative action relating to the
Covered Conduct that may be based in
whole or in part on a contention that,
under the Double Jeopardy Clause in the
Fifth Amendment of the Constitution, or
under the Excessive Fines Clause in the
Eighth Amendment of the Constitution,
this Agreement bars a remedy sought in
such criminal prosecution or
administrative action.
7. SK Energy fully and finally releases
the United States, its agencies, officers,
agents, employees, and servants, from
any claims (including attorney’s fees,
costs, and expenses of every kind and
however denominated) that SK Energy
has asserted, could have asserted, or
may assert in the future against the
United States, its agencies, officers,
agents, employees, and servants, related
to the Covered Conduct and the United
States’ investigation and prosecution
thereof.
8. Conditioned upon Relator’s
agreement herein, the SK Energy
Released Parties fully and finally release
Relator his heirs, successors, assigns,
agents and attorneys (the ‘‘Relator
Released Parties’’), from (a) any civil
monetary claim SK Energy has or may
have now or in the future against the
Relator Released Parties related to the
claims set forth in the Civil FCA Action,
the Civil Antitrust Action, the Criminal
Action, and the Covered Conduct under
the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729–
3733, and the Relator’s investigation
and prosecution thereof, including
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attorney’s fees, costs, and expenses of
every kind and however denominated,
up until the date of this Agreement; and
(b) all liability, claims, demands,
actions, or causes of action whatsoever,
whether known or unknown, fixed or
contingent, in law or in equity, in
contract or in tort, under any federal,
state, or Korean statute, law, regulation
or doctrine, that the SK Energy Released
Parties otherwise have brought or would
have standing to bring as of the date of
this Agreement, including any liability
to SK Energy arising from or relating to
claims the SK Energy Released Parties
asserted or could have asserted related
to the Civil FCA Action, up until the
date of this Agreement. The SK Energy
Released Parties further acknowledge
and agree that these representations are
a material inducement to Relator’s
willingness to enter into this
Agreement.
9.a. Unallowable Costs Defined: All
costs (as defined in the Federal
Acquisition Regulation, 48 C.F.R.
§ 31.205–47) incurred by or on behalf of
SK Energy, and its present or former
officers, directors, employees,
shareholders, and agents in connection
with:
(1) the matters covered by this
Agreement, any related plea agreement,
and any related civil antitrust
agreement;
(2) the United States’ audit(s) and
civil and any criminal investigation(s) of
the matters covered by this Agreement;
(3) SK Energy’s investigation, defense,
and corrective actions undertaken in
response to the United States’ audit(s)
and civil and any criminal
investigation(s) in connection with the
matters covered by this Agreement
(including attorney’s fees);
(4) the negotiation and performance of
this Agreement, any related plea
agreement, and any related civil
antitrust agreement;
(5) the payment SK Energy makes to
the United States pursuant to this
Agreement and any payments that SK
Energy may make to Relator, including
costs and attorneys’ fees,
are unallowable costs for government
contracting purposes (hereinafter
referred to as Unallowable Costs).
b. Future Treatment of Unallowable
Costs: Unallowable Costs will be
separately determined and accounted
for by SK Energy, and SK Energy shall
not charge such Unallowable Costs
directly or indirectly to any contract
with the United States.
c. Treatment of Unallowable Costs
Previously Submitted for Payment:
Within 90 days of the Effective Date of
this Agreement, SK Energy shall
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identify and repay by adjustment to
future claims for payment or otherwise
any Unallowable Costs included in
payments previously sought by SK
Energy or any of its subsidiaries or
affiliates from the United States. SK
Energy agrees that the United States, at
a minimum, shall be entitled to recoup
from SK Energy any overpayment plus
applicable interest and penalties as a
result of the inclusion of such
Unallowable Costs on previouslysubmitted requests for payment. The
United States, including the Department
of Justice and/or the affected agencies,
reserves its rights to audit, examine, or
re-examine SK Energy’s books and
records and to disagree with any
calculations submitted by SK Energy or
any of its subsidiaries or affiliates
regarding any Unallowable Costs
included in payments previously sought
by SK Energy, or the effect of any such
Unallowable Costs on the amount of
such payments.
10. SK Energy agrees to cooperate
fully and truthfully with the United
States in connection with the Civil FCA
Action. The Civil Division of the United
States Department of Justice will use
reasonable best efforts, where
appropriate, to coordinate any requests
for cooperation in connection with the
Civil FCA Action with requests for
cooperation in connection with the Plea
Agreement in the Criminal Action and
the Civil Antitrust Action, so as to avoid
unnecessary duplication and expense.
SK Energy’s ongoing, full, and truthful
cooperation shall include, but not be
limited to:
a. upon request by the United States
with reasonable notice, producing at the
offices of counsel for the United States
in Washington, D.C. and not at the
expense of the United States, complete
and un-redacted copies of all nonprivileged documents related to the
Covered Conduct wherever located in
SK Energy’s possession, custody, or
control, including but not limited to,
reports, memoranda of interviews, and
records concerning any investigation of
the Covered Conduct that SK Energy has
undertaken, or that has been performed
by another on SK Energy’s behalf;
b. upon request by the United States
with reasonable notice, making current
SK Energy directors, officers, and
employees available for interviews,
consistent with the rights and privileges
of such individuals, by counsel for the
United States and/or their investigative
agents, not at the expense of the United
States, in the United States or Hong
Kong, unless another place is mutually
agreed upon;
c. upon request by the United States
with reasonable notice, (i) using best
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efforts to assist in locating former SK
Energy directors, officers, and
employees identified by attorneys and/
or investigative agents of the United
States, and (ii) using best efforts to make
any such former SK Energy directors,
officers, and employees available for
interviews, consistent with the rights
and privileges of such individuals, by
counsel for the United States and/or
their investigative agents, not at the
expense of the United States, in the
United States or Hong Kong, unless
another place is mutually agreed upon;
and
d. upon request by the United States
with reasonable notice, making current
SK Energy directors, officers, and
employees available, and using best
efforts to make former SK Energy
directors, officers, employees available,
to testify, consistent with the rights and
privileges of such individuals, fully,
truthfully, and under oath, without
falsely implicating any person or
withholding any information, (i) at
depositions in the United States, Hong
Kong, or any other mutually agreed
upon place, (ii) at trial in the United
States, and (iii) at any other judicial
proceedings wherever located related to
the Civil FCA Action.
11. This Agreement is intended to be
for the benefit of the Parties only.
12. Upon receipt of the payment of
the FCA Settlement Amount described
in Paragraph 1 above, the Court’s
acceptance of SK Energy’s Plea
Agreement in the Criminal Action, and
the Court’s entry of a Final Judgment in
the Civil Antitrust Action, the United
States and Relator shall promptly sign
and file a Joint Stipulation of Dismissal,
with prejudice, of the claims filed
against SK Energy in the Civil FCA
Action, pursuant to Rule 41(a)(1), which
dismissal shall be conditioned on the
Court retaining jurisdiction over
Relator’s claims to a relator’s share and
recovery of attorneys’ fees and costs
pursuant to 31 U.S.C. § 3730(d).
13. Except with respect to the
recovery of Relator’s attorneys’ fees,
expenses, and costs pursuant to 31
U.S.C. § 3730(d), each Party shall bear
its own legal and other costs incurred in
connection with this matter. The Parties
agree that Relator and SK Energy will
not seek to recover from the United
States any costs or fees related to the
preparation and performance of this
Agreement.
14. Each party and signatory to this
Agreement represents that it freely and
voluntarily enters in to this Agreement
without any degree of duress or
compulsion.
15. This Agreement is governed by the
laws of the United States. The exclusive
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jurisdiction and venue for any dispute
relating to this Agreement is the United
States District Court for the Southern
District of Ohio. SK Energy agrees that
the United States District Court for the
Southern District of Ohio has
jurisdiction over it for purposes of this
case. For purposes of construing this
Agreement, this Agreement shall be
deemed to have been drafted by all
Parties to this Agreement and shall not,
therefore, be construed against any Party
for that reason in any subsequent
dispute.
16. This Agreement constitutes the
complete agreement between the Parties
on the subject matter addressed herein.
This Agreement may not be amended
except by written consent of the Parties.
17. The undersigned counsel
represent and warrant that they are fully
authorized to execute this Agreement on
behalf of the persons and entities
indicated below.
18. This Agreement may be executed
in counterparts, each of which
constitutes an original and all of which
constitute one and the same Agreement.
19. This Agreement is binding on SK
Energy’s successors, transferees, heirs,
and assigns.
20. This Agreement is binding on
Relator’s successors, transferees, heirs,
and assigns.
21. All parties consent to the United
States’ disclosure of this Agreement,
and information about this Agreement,
to the public, as permitted by order of
the Court. This Agreement shall not be
released in un-redacted form until the
Court unseals the entire Civil FCA
Action.
22. This Agreement is effective on the
date of signature of the last signatory to
the Agreement (Effective Date of this
Agreement). Facsimiles of signatures
shall constitute acceptable, binding
signatures for purposes of this
Agreement.
The United States of America
Dated: lllllllllllllllll
By: lllllllllllllllllll
Andrew A. Steinberg,
Trial Attorney, Commercial Litigation
Branch, Civil Division, U.S. Department of
Justice
Dated: lllllllllllllllll
By: lllllllllllllllllll
Mark T. D’Alessandro,
Civil Chief
Andrew Malek,
Assistant United States Attorney, U.S.
Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of
Ohio
SK Energy Co., Ltd.—Defendant
Dated: lllllllllllllllll
By: lllllllllllllllllll
Myunghun Lee,
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21:15 Nov 21, 2018
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Authorized Representative of SK Energy, Co.,
Ltd.
Dated: lllllllllllllllll
By: lllllllllllllllllll
Phillip H. Warren,
Counsel for SK Energy Co., Ltd.
[Redacted]—Relator
Dated: lllllllllllllllll
By: lllllllllllllllllll
[Redacted]
Dated: lllllllllllllllll
By: lllllllllllllllllll
Eric Havian,
Counsel for Relator
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF
OHIO EASTERN DIVISION
United States of America, Plaintiff, v. GS
Caltex Corporation, Hanjin Transportation
Co., Ltd., and SK Energy Co., Ltd. Defendants.
Case No. 2:18–cv–01456–ALM–CMV
COMPETITIVE IMPACT STATEMENT
Plaintiff United States of America,
pursuant to Section 2(b) of the Antitrust
Procedures and Penalties Act (‘‘APPA’’
or ‘‘Tunney Act’’), 15 U.S.C. § 16(b)-(h),
files this Competitive Impact Statement
relating to the proposed Final
Judgments submitted for entry in this
civil antitrust proceeding.
I. NATURE AND PURPOSE OF THE
PROCEEDING
On November 14, 2018, the United
States filed a civil antitrust complaint
against Defendants GS Caltex
Corporation (‘‘GS Caltex’’), Hanjin
Transportation Co., Ltd. (‘‘Hanjin’’), and
SK Energy Co., Ltd. (‘‘SK Energy’’)
alleging that Defendants violated
Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C.
§ 1. From at least March 2005 and
continuing until at least October 2016
(‘‘the Relevant Period’’), Defendants and
their co-conspirators conspired to fix
prices and rig bids for the supply of fuel
to the U.S. military for its operations in
South Korea. As a result of this illegal
conduct, Defendants and their coconspirators overcharged American
taxpayers by well over $100 million.
Defendants have agreed to plead guilty
to an information charging a criminal
violation of Section 1 of the Sherman
Act for this unlawful conduct; in this
parallel civil action, the United States
seeks compensation for the injury it
incurred as a result of the conspiracy.
At the same time the Complaint was
filed, the United States also filed agreedupon proposed Final Judgments that
would remedy the violation by having
GS Caltex, Hanjin, and SK Energy pay
$57,500,000, $6,182,000, and
$90,384,872, respectively, to the United
States. These payments resolve all civil
claims of the United States related to the
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conduct described in the Complaint.
The United States and Defendants have
stipulated that the proposed Final
Judgments may be entered after
compliance with the APPA. Entry of the
proposed Final Judgments would
terminate this action, except that the
Court would retain jurisdiction to
construe, modify, or enforce the
provisions of the proposed Final
Judgments and to punish violations
thereof.
II. DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENTS
GIVING RISE TO THE ALLEGED
VIOLATION
A. Defendants
GS Caltex is an oil company
headquartered in Seoul, South Korea.
GS Caltex is a joint venture between GS
Energy, a South Korean corporation, and
Chevron Corp., a Delaware corporation,
which each own a 50 percent interest in
GS Caltex. GS Caltex is engaged in the
refining and supply of gasoline, diesel,
kerosene, and other petroleum products
for sale internationally. During the time
of the conspiracy, GS Caltex supplied
fuel to U.S. military installations in
South Korea.
Hanjin is a global transportation and
logistics company based in Seoul, South
Korea. Hanjin is a member of Hanjin
Group, a South Korean conglomerate
with U.S. subsidiaries, including Hanjin
International America. Beginning in
2009, Hanjin partnered with oil
companies, including a co-conspirator
oil company (‘‘Company A’’), to supply
fuel to U.S. military installations in
South Korea.
SK Energy is an oil company
headquartered in Seoul, South Korea.
SK Energy is engaged in the refining and
supply of gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and
other petroleum products for sale
internationally. During the time of the
conspiracy, SK Energy supplied fuel to
U.S. military installations in South
Korea.
Other persons, not named as
defendants in this action, participated
as co-conspirators in the violation
alleged in the Complaint and performed
acts and made statements in furtherance
thereof. These co-conspirators included,
among others, a logistics firm
(‘‘Company B’’) and an oil company
(‘‘Company C’’) that jointly supplied
fuel to the U.S. military.
B. PC&S and AAFES Contracts
The United States military procures
fuel for its installations in South Korea
through competitive solicitation
processes. Oil companies, either
independently or with a transportation
company, submitted bids in response to
these solicitations.
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The conduct at issue in this action
relates to two types of contracts to
supply fuel to the U.S. military in South
Korea: Post, Camps, and Stations
(‘‘PC&S’’) contracts and Army and Air
Force Exchange Services (‘‘AAFES’’)
contracts.
PC&S contracts are issued and
administered by the Defense Logistics
Agency (‘‘DLA’’), a combat support
agency of the U.S. Department of
Defense. The fuel procured under PC&S
contracts is used to power military
vehicles and heat U.S. military
buildings. During the Relevant Period,
DLA issued PC&S solicitations listing
the fuel requirements for installations
across South Korea, with each delivery
location identified by a separate line
item. Bidders submitted initial bids,
offering a price for each line item on
which they chose to bid. After DLA
reviewed the initial bids, bidders were
allowed to submit revised final bids.
DLA reviewed the bids and awarded
contracts to the bidders offering the
lowest price for each line item.
Payments under the PC&S contracts
were wired to the awardees by a finance
and accounting agency of the U.S.
Department of Defense from its office in
Columbus, Ohio.
AAFES is an agency of the
Department of Defense headquartered in
Dallas, Texas. AAFES operates official
retail stores (known as ‘‘exchanges’’) on
U.S. Army and Air Force installations
worldwide, which U.S. military
personnel and their families use to
purchase everyday goods and services,
including gasoline for use in their
personal vehicles. AAFES procures fuel
for these stores via contracts awarded
through a competitive solicitation
process.
In 2008, AAFES issued a solicitation
that listed the fuel requirements for
installations in South Korea. Bidders
submitted bids offering a price for each
line item in the solicitation. Unlike
DLA, AAFES awarded the entire 2008
contract to the bidder offering the
lowest price across all the listed
locations.
C. The Alleged Violation
The Complaint alleges that
Defendants and their co-conspirators
engaged in a series of meetings,
telephone conversations, e-mails, and
other communications to rig bids and
fix prices for the supply of fuel to U.S.
military installations in South Korea
under several PC&S and AAFES
contracts.
First, the Complaint alleges that GS
Caltex, SK Energy, and Companies B
and C conspired to rig bids and fix
prices on the contracts issued in
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response to DLA solicitations SP0600–
05–R–0063 and SP0600–05–R–0063–
0001 (‘‘2006 PC&S contracts’’). The term
of the 2006 PC&S contracts covered the
supply of fuel from February 2006
through July 2009.
The Complaint alleges that between
early 2005 and mid-2006, GS Caltex, SK
Energy, and other conspirators met
multiple times and exchanged phone
calls and e-mails to allocate the line
items in the solicitations for the 2006
PC&S contracts. Through such
communications, these conspirators
agreed to inflate their bids to produce
larger profit margins. For each line item
allocated to a different co-conspirator,
the other conspirators agreed not to bid
or to bid high enough to ensure that
they would not win that item. DLA
awarded the 2006 PC&S line items
according to the allocations made by the
conspiracy.
Second, the Complaint alleges that, as
part of their discussions related to the
2006 PC&S contracts, GS Caltex and
other conspirators agreed not to
compete with SK Energy in bidding for
the June 2008 AAFES solicitation
(‘‘2008 AAFES contract’’). The initial
term of the 2008 AAFES contract ran
from July 2008 to July 2010; the contract
was later extended through July 2013.
Third, the Complaint alleges that
Defendants and other co-conspirators
conspired to rig bids and fix prices for
the contracts issued in response to DLA
solicitation SP0600–08–R–0233 (‘‘2009
PC&S contracts’’). Hanjin and Company
A joined the conspiracy for the purpose
of bidding on SP0600–08–R–0233. The
term of the 2009 PC&S contracts covered
the supply of fuel from October 2009
through August 2013.
The Complaint explains that between
late 2008 and mid-2009, Defendants and
other co-conspirators met multiple
times and exchanged phone calls and
e-mails to allocate the line items in the
solicitation for the 2009 PC&S contracts.
As in 2006, these conspirators agreed to
bid high so as to not win line items
allocated to other co-conspirators. The
original conspirators agreed to allocate
to Hanjin and Company A certain line
items that had previously been allocated
to the original conspirators.
Finally, the Complaint alleges that
Defendants and other co-conspirators
once again conspired to rig bids and fix
prices for the contracts issued in
response to DLA solicitation SP0600–
12–R–0332 (‘‘2013 PC&S contracts’’).
The term of the 2013 PC&S contracts
covered the supply of fuel from August
2013 through July 2016.
The Complaint explains that
Defendants and other co-conspirators
communicated via phone calls and
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e-mails to allocate and set the price for
each line item in the solicitation for the
2013 PC&S contracts. Defendants and
other co-conspirators believed that they
had an agreement as to their bidding
strategy and pricing for the 2013 PC&S
contracts. As a result of this agreement,
they submitted bids with pricing above
what they would have offered absent
collusion.
Hanjin and Company A submitted
bids for the 2013 PC&S contracts below
the prices set by the other coconspirators, however. Although lower
than the pricing agreed upon by the
conspirators, Hanjin and Company A
still submitted bids above a competitive,
non-collusive price, knowing that they
would likely win the contracts because
the other conspirators would bid even
higher prices.
III. EXPLANATION OF THE
PROPOSED FINAL JUDGMENTS
For violations of Section 1 of the
Sherman Act, the United States may
seek damages, 15 U.S.C. § 15a, and
equitable relief, 15 U.S.C. § 4, including
equitable monetary remedies. See
United States v. KeySpan Corp., 763 F.
Supp. 2d 633, 638–641 (S.D.N.Y. 2011).
This action is also related to a qui tam
action currently filed under seal in the
United States District Court for the
Southern District of Ohio, alleging a
violation of the False Claims Act, 31
U.S.C. § 3730, based on the same facts
alleged in the Complaint.
A. Payment and Cooperation
The proposed Final Judgments require
GS Caltex, Hanjin, and SK Energy
respectively to pay $57,500,000,
$6,182,000, and $90,384,872 to the
United States within 10 business days of
entry of the Final Judgment. These
payments will satisfy all civil claims
arising from the events described in
Section II supra that the United States
has against the Defendants under
Section 1 of the Sherman Act and under
the False Claims Act. The resolution of
the United States’ claims under the
False Claims Act is set forth in separate
agreements reached between the
Defendants, the U.S. Attorney’s Office
for the Southern District of Ohio, and
the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil
Division. See Attachment 1 to each of
the proposed Final Judgments.
As a result of the unlawful agreements
in restraint of trade between Defendants
and their co-conspirators, the United
States paid more for the supply of fuel
to U.S. military installations in South
Korea than it would have if the
companies had engaged in fair and
honest competition. Defendants’
payments under the proposed Final
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Judgments fully compensate the United
States for losses it suffered and deprive
Defendants of the illegitimate profits
they gained as a result of the collusive
bidding. In addition to the payment of
damages, the proposed Final Judgments
also require the Defendants to cooperate
with the United States regarding any
ongoing civil investigation, trial, or
other proceeding related to the conduct
described in the Complaint. To assist
with these proceedings, Defendants are
required to provide all non-privileged
information in their possession, make
available their present employees, and
use best efforts to make available their
former employees, for interviews or
testimony, as requested by the United
States. This cooperation will help the
United States pursue compensation
from co-conspirators not named in this
action.
Under Section 4A of the Clayton Act,
the United States is entitled to treble
damages for injuries it has suffered as a
result of violations of the Sherman Act.
Under the proposed Final Judgments,
each Defendant will pay an amount that
exceeds the overcharge but that reflects
the value of the cooperation
commitments the Defendants have made
as a condition of settlement and the cost
savings realized by avoiding extended
litigation.
The proposed Final Judgments also
require each Defendant to appoint an
Antitrust Compliance Officer and to
institute an antitrust compliance
program. Under the antitrust
compliance program, employees and
directors of Defendants with
responsibility for bidding on contracts
with the United States must undergo
training and all employees must be
informed that there will no reprisal for
disclosing to the Antitrust Compliance
Officer any potential violations of the
United States antitrust laws. The
Antitrust Compliance Officer is required
annually to certify that Defendant is in
compliance with this requirement.
B. Enforcement of Final Judgments
The proposed Final Judgments
contain provisions designed to promote
compliance and make the enforcement
of Division consent decrees as effective
as possible. Paragraph VII(A) provides
that the United States retains and
reserves all rights to enforce the
provisions of the proposed Final
Judgments, including its rights to seek
an order of contempt from the Court.
Defendants have agreed that in any civil
contempt action, any motion to show
cause, or any similar action brought by
the United States regarding an alleged
violation of the Final Judgments, the
United States may establish the
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21:15 Nov 21, 2018
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violation and the appropriateness of any
remedy by a preponderance of the
evidence and that the Defendants have
waived any argument that a different
standard of proof should apply. This
provision aligns the standard for
compliance obligations with the
standard of proof that applies to the
underlying offense that the compliance
commitments address.
Paragraph VII(B) provides additional
clarification regarding the interpretation
of the provisions of the proposed Final
Judgments. The proposed Final
Judgments were drafted to restore all
competition the United States alleged
was harmed by the Defendants’
challenged conduct. The Defendants
agree that they will abide by the
proposed Final Judgments, and that they
may be held in contempt of this Court
for failing to comply with any provision
of the proposed Final Judgments that is
stated specifically and in reasonable
detail, as interpreted in light of this
procompetitive purpose.
Paragraph VII(C) further provides that
should the Court find in an enforcement
proceeding that a Defendant has
violated the Final Judgment, the United
States may apply to the Court for a onetime extension of the Final Judgment,
together with such other relief as may be
appropriate. In addition, in order to
compensate American taxpayers for any
costs associated with the investigation
and enforcement of violations of a
proposed Final Judgment, Paragraph
VII(C) provides that in any successful
effort by the United States to enforce a
Final Judgment against a Defendant,
whether litigated or resolved before
litigation, Defendants agree to reimburse
the United States for any attorneys’ fees,
experts’ fees, or costs incurred in
connection with any enforcement effort,
including the investigation of the
potential violation.
Finally, Section VIII of the proposed
Final Judgments provide that each Final
Judgment shall expire seven years from
the date of its entry, except that after
five years from the date of its entry, a
Final Judgment may be terminated upon
notice by the United States to the Court
and the Defendant that the continuation
of that Final Judgment is no longer
necessary or in the public interest.
IV. REMEDIES AVAILABLE TO
POTENTIAL PRIVATE LITIGANTS
Entry of the proposed Final
Judgments will neither impair nor assist
the bringing of any private antitrust
damages action. Under the provisions of
Section 5(a) of the Clayton Act, 15
U.S.C. § 16(a), the proposed Final
Judgments have no prima facie effect in
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any subsequent lawsuit that may be
brought against Defendants.
V. PROCEDURES AVAILABLE FOR
MODIFICATION OF THE PROPOSED
FINAL JUDGMENTS
The United States and Defendants
have stipulated that the proposed Final
Judgments may be entered by the Court
after compliance with the provisions of
the APPA, provided that the United
States has not withdrawn its consent.
The APPA conditions entry upon the
Court’s determination that the proposed
Final Judgments are in the public
interest.
The APPA provides a period of at
least sixty (60) days preceding the
effective date of the proposed Final
Judgments within which any person
may submit to the United States written
comments regarding a proposed Final
Judgment. Any person who wishes to
comment should do so within sixty (60)
days of the date of publication of this
Competitive Impact Statement in the
Federal Register, or the last date of
publication in a newspaper of the
summary of this Competitive Impact
Statement, whichever is later. All
comments received during this period
will be considered by the United States,
which remains free to withdraw its
consent to a proposed Final Judgment at
any time prior to the Court’s entry of
judgment. The comments and the
response of the United States will be
filed with the Court. In addition,
comments will be posted on the
Antitrust Division’s internet website
and, in certain circumstances, published
in the Federal Register.
Written comments should be
submitted by mail to:
Kathleen S. O’Neill, Chief,
Transportation, Energy & Agriculture
Section, Antitrust Division, United
States Department of Justice, 450 5th
Street NW, Suite 8000, Washington, DC
20530
The proposed Final Judgments
provide that the Court retains
jurisdiction over this action, and the
parties may apply to the Court for any
necessary or appropriate modification,
interpretation, or enforcement of a Final
Judgment.
VI. ALTERNATIVES TO THE
PROPOSED FINAL JUDGMENTS
The United States considered, as an
alternative to the proposed Final
Judgments, a full trial on the merits
against Defendants. The United States is
satisfied, however, that the relief in the
proposed Final Judgments remedies the
violation of the Sherman Act alleged in
the Complaint. The proposed Final
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Judgments represent substantial
monetary relief while avoiding the time,
expense, and uncertainty of a full trial
on the merits. Further, Defendants’
agreements to cooperate with the civil
investigation and any potential
litigation will enhance the ability of the
United States to obtain relief from the
remaining conspirators.
VII. STANDARD OF REVIEW UNDER
THE APPA FOR THE PROPOSED
FINAL JUDGMENTS
The Clayton Act, as amended by the
APPA, requires that proposed consent
judgments in antitrust cases brought by
the United States be subject to a 60-day
comment period, after which the court
shall determine whether entry of the
proposed Final Judgment ‘‘is in the
public interest.’’ 15 U.S.C. § 16(e)(1). In
making that determination, the court, in
accordance with the statute as amended
in 2004, is required to consider:
(A) the competitive impact of such
judgment, including termination of
alleged violations, provisions for
enforcement and modification, duration
of relief sought, anticipated effects of
alternative remedies actually
considered, whether its terms are
ambiguous, and any other competitive
considerations bearing upon the
adequacy of such judgment that the
court deems necessary to a
determination of whether the consent
judgment is in the public interest; and
(B) the impact of entry of such
judgment upon competition in the
relevant market or markets, upon the
public generally and individuals
alleging specific injury from the
violations set forth in the complaint
including consideration of the public
benefit, if any, to be derived from a
determination of the issues at trial.
15 U.S.C. § 16(e)(1)(A) & (B). In
considering these statutory factors, the
court’s inquiry is necessarily a limited
one as the government is entitled to
‘‘broad discretion to settle with the
defendant within the reaches of the
public interest.’’ United States v.
Microsoft Corp., 56 F.3d 1448, 1461
(D.C. Cir. 1995); see generally United
States v. SBC Commc’ns, Inc., 489 F.
Supp. 2d 1 (D.D.C. 2007) (assessing
public interest standard under the
Tunney Act); United States v. Hillsdale
Cmty. Health Ctr., 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS
162505, at *3 (E.D. Mich. 2015)
(explaining that the ‘‘Court’s review is
limited’’ in Tunney Act settlements);
United States v. InBev N.V./S.A., No.
08–1965 (JR), 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS
84787, at *3 (D.D.C. Aug. 11, 2009)
(noting that the court’s review of a
consent judgment is limited and only
inquires ‘‘into whether the government’s
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determination that the proposed
remedies will cure the antitrust
violations alleged in the complaint was
reasonable, and whether the mechanism
to enforce the final judgment are clear
and manageable’’).
Under the APPA a court considers,
among other things, the relationship
between the remedy secured and the
specific allegations in the government’s
complaint, whether the decree is
sufficiently clear, whether its
enforcement mechanisms are sufficient,
and whether the decree may positively
harm third parties. See Microsoft, 56
F.3d at 1458–62; United States v.
Medical Mut. of Ohio, 1998 U.S. Dist.
LEXIS 21508, at *2–3 (N.D. Ohio 1998).
With respect to the adequacy of the
relief secured by the decree, a court may
not ‘‘engage in an unrestricted
evaluation of what relief would best
serve the public.’’ United States v. BNS,
Inc., 858 F.2d 456, 462 (9th Cir. 1988)
(quoting United States v. Bechtel Corp.,
648 F.2d 660, 666 (9th Cir. 1981)); see
also Microsoft, 56 F.3d at 1460–62;
United States v. Alcoa, Inc., 152 F.
Supp. 2d 37, 40 (D.D.C. 2001); InBev,
2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 84787, at *3.
Instead:
[t]he balancing of competing social
and political interests affected by a
proposed antitrust consent decree must
be left, in the first instance, to the
discretion of the Attorney General. The
court’s role in protecting the public
interest is one of insuring that the
government has not breached its duty to
the public in consenting to the decree.
The court is required to determine not
whether a particular decree is the one
that will best serve society, but whether
the settlement is ‘‘within the reaches of
the public interest.’’ More elaborate
requirements might undermine the
effectiveness of antitrust enforcement by
consent decree.
Bechtel, 648 F.2d at 666 (emphasis
added) (citations omitted).1
In determining whether a proposed
settlement is in the public interest, a
district court ‘‘must accord deference to
the government’s predictions about the
efficacy of its remedies, and may not
require that the remedies perfectly
match the alleged violations.’’ SBC
Commc’ns, 489 F. Supp. 2d at 17; see
also United States v. U.S. Airways
Group, Inc., 38 F. Supp. 3d 69, 74
(D.D.C. 2014) (noting that a court should
1 See also BNS, 858 F.2d at 464 (holding that the
court’s ‘‘ultimate authority under the [APPA] is
limited to approving or disapproving the consent
decree’’); United States v. Gillette Co., 406 F. Supp.
713, 716 (D. Mass. 1975) (noting that, in this way,
the court is constrained to ‘‘look at the overall
picture not hypercritically, nor with a microscope,
but with an artist’s reducing glass’’).
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not reject the proposed remedies
because it believes others are preferable
and that room must be made for the
government to grant concessions in the
negotiation process for settlements);
United States v. Dairy Farmers of Am.,
Inc., 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 33230, at *3
(E.D. Ky. 2007) (citing United States v.
Microsoft, 231 F. Supp. 2d 144, 152
(D.D.C. 2002)) (noting that a court ‘‘must
accord deference to the government’s
predictions as to the effect of the
proposed remedies’’); United States v.
Archer-Daniels-Midland Co., 272 F.
Supp. 2d 1, 6 (D.D.C. 2003) (noting that
the court should grant ‘‘due respect to
the government’s prediction as to the
effect of proposed remedies, its
perception of the market structure, and
its views of the nature of the case’’). The
ultimate question is whether ‘‘the
remedies [obtained in the decree are] so
inconsonant with the allegations
charged as to fall outside of the ‘reaches
of the public interest.’ ’’ Microsoft, 56
F.3d at 1461 (quoting United States v.
Western Elec. Co., 900 F.2d 283, 309
(D.C. Cir. 1990)). To meet this standard,
the United States ‘‘need only provide a
factual basis for concluding that the
settlements are reasonably adequate
remedies for the alleged harms.’’ SBC
Commc’ns, 489 F. Supp. 2d at 17.
Moreover, the court’s role under the
APPA is limited to reviewing the
remedy in relationship to the violations
that the United States has alleged in its
complaint, and does not authorize the
court to ‘‘construct [its] own
hypothetical case and then evaluate the
decree against that case.’’ Microsoft, 56
F.3d at 1459; see also U.S. Airways, 38
F. Supp. 3d at 75 (noting that the court
must simply determine whether there is
a factual foundation for the
government’s decisions such that its
conclusions regarding the proposed
settlements are reasonable); InBev, 2009
U.S. Dist. LEXIS 84787, at *20 (‘‘the
‘public interest’ is not to be measured by
comparing the violations alleged in the
complaint against those the court
believes could have, or even should
have, been alleged.’’). Because the
‘‘court’s authority to review the decree
depends entirely on the government’s
exercising its prosecutorial discretion by
bringing a case in the first place,’’ it
follows that ‘‘the court is only
authorized to review the decree itself,’’
and not to ‘‘effectively redraft the
complaint’’ to inquire into other matters
that the United States did not pursue.
Microsoft, 56 F.3d at 1459–60; see also
Dairy Farmers, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS
33230 at *3 (citing Microsoft favorably).
As the United States District Court for
the District of Columbia confirmed in
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SBC Communications, courts ‘‘cannot
look beyond the complaint in making
the public interest determination unless
the complaint is drafted so narrowly as
to make a mockery of judicial power.’’
SBC Commc’ns, 489 F. Supp. 2d at 15.
In its 2004 amendments,2 Congress
made clear its intent to preserve the
practical benefits of utilizing consent
decrees in antitrust enforcement, adding
the unambiguous instruction that
‘‘[n]othing in this section shall be
construed to require the court to
conduct an evidentiary hearing or to
require the court to permit anyone to
intervene.’’ 15 U.S.C. § 16(e)(2); see also
U.S. Airways, 38 F. Supp. 3d at 76
(indicating that a court is not required
to hold an evidentiary hearing or to
permit intervenors as part of its review
under the Tunney Act). This language
explicitly wrote into the statute what
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2 The 2004 amendments substituted ‘‘shall’’ for
‘‘may’’ in directing relevant factors for a court to
consider and amended the list of factors to focus on
competitive considerations and to address
potentially ambiguous judgment terms. Compare 15
U.S.C. § 16(e) (2004), with 15 U.S.C. § 16(e)(1)
(2006); see also SBC Commc’ns, 489 F. Supp. 2d at
11 (concluding that the 2004 amendments ‘‘effected
minimal changes’’ to Tunney Act review).
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Congress intended when it first enacted
the Tunney Act in 1974. As Senator
Tunney explained: ‘‘[t]he court is
nowhere compelled to go to trial or to
engage in extended proceedings which
might have the effect of vitiating the
benefits of prompt and less costly
settlement through the consent decree
process.’’ 119 Cong. Rec. 24,598 (1973)
(statement of Sen. Tunney). Rather, the
procedure for the public interest
determination is left to the discretion of
the court, with the recognition that the
court’s ‘‘scope of review remains
sharply proscribed by precedent and the
nature of Tunney Act proceedings.’’
SBC Commc’ns, 489 F. Supp. 2d at 11.
A court can make its public interest
determination based on the competitive
impact statement and response to public
comments alone. U.S. Airways, 38 F.
Supp. 3d at 76. See also United States
v. Enova Corp., 107 F. Supp. 2d 10, 17
(D.D.C. 2000) (noting that the ‘‘Tunney
Act expressly allows the court to make
its public interest determination on the
basis of the competitive impact
statement and response to comments
alone’’); S. Rep. No. 93–298 93d Cong.,
1st Sess., at 6 (1973) (‘‘Where the public
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interest can be meaningfully evaluated
simply on the basis of briefs and oral
arguments, that is the approach that
should be utilized.’’).
VIII. DETERMINATIVE DOCUMENTS
There are no determinative materials
or documents within the meaning of the
APPA that were considered by the
United States in formulating the
proposed Final Judgment.
Dated: November 14, 2018
Respectfully submitted,
Benjamin C. Glassman,
United States Attorney
lllllllllllllllllllll
Andrew M. Malek (Ohio Bar #0061442)
Assistant United States Attorney, 303
Marconi Boulevard, Suite 200, Columbus,
Ohio 43215, Tel: (614) 469–5715, Fax: (614)
469–2769, E-mail: Andrew.Malek@usdoj.gov
lllllllllllllllllllll
J. Richard Doidge,
Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice,
Antitrust Division, 450 5th Street NW, Suite
8000, Washington, DC 20530, Tel: (202) 514–
8944, Fax: (202) 616–2441, E-mail:
Dick.Doidge@usdoj.gov
[FR Doc. 2018–25461 Filed 11–21–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410–11–P
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 226 (Friday, November 23, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60306-60327]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-25461]
[[Page 60305]]
Vol. 83
Friday,
No. 226
November 23, 2018
Part III
Department of Justice
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Antitrust Division
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United States v. GS Caltex Corp. et al.; Proposed Final Judgments and
Competitive Impact Statement; Notice
Federal Register / Vol. 83 , No. 226 / Friday, November 23, 2018 /
Notices
[[Page 60306]]
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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Antitrust Division
United States v. GS Caltex Corp. et al.; Proposed Final Judgments
and Competitive Impact Statement
Notice is hereby given pursuant to the Antitrust Procedures and
Penalties Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 16(b)-(h), that proposed Final
Judgments, Stipulations, and a Competitive Impact Statement have been
filed with the United States District Court for the Southern District
of Ohio in United States v. GS Caltex et al., Case No. 2:18-cv-01456-
ALM-CMV. On November 14, 2018, the United States filed a Complaint
alleging that between 2005 and 2016, GS Caltex Corporation (``GS
Caltex''), Hanjin Transportation Co., Ltd. (``Hanjin''), and SK Energy
Co., Ltd. (``SK Energy''), along with unnamed co-conspirators,
conspired to rig bids for Posts, Camps & Stations (PC&S) and Army and
Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) fuel supply contracts with the U.S.
military in South Korea, in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act,
15 U.S.C. Sec. 1. A proposed Final Judgment for each Defendant, filed
at the same time as the Complaint, requires GS Caltex, Hanjin, and SK
Energy to pay the United States, respectively, $57,500,000, $6,182,000,
and $90,384,872. In addition, each Defendant has agreed to cooperate
with further civil investigative and judicial proceedings and to
institute an antitrust compliance program.
Copies of the Complaint, proposed Final Judgments, and Competitive
Impact Statement are available for inspection on the Antitrust
Division's website at https://www.justice.gov/atr and at the Office of
the Clerk of the United States District Court for the Southern District
of Ohio. Copies of these materials may be obtained from the Antitrust
Division upon request and payment of the copying fee set by Department
of Justice regulations.
Public comment is invited within 60 days of the date of this
notice. Such comments, including the name of the submitter, and
responses thereto, will be posted on the Antitrust Division's website,
filed with the Court, and, under certain circumstances, published in
the Federal Register. Comments should be directed to Kathleen S.
O'Neill, Chief, Transportation, Energy & Agriculture Section, Antitrust
Division, Department of Justice, 450 5th Street NW, Suite 8000,
Washington, DC 20530.
Patricia A. Brink,
Director of Civil Enforcement.
United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio Eastern
Division
United States Of America, Plaintiff, v. GS Caltex Corporation, GS
Tower, 508, Nonhyeon-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Hanjin Transportation Co., Ltd., 20th Floor Hanjin New Bldg. 63,
Namdaemun-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea and SK Energy Co., Ltd.,
SK Bldg., 26, Jong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea, Defendants.
Case No. 2:18-cv-01456-ALM-CMV
Complaint: Violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C.
Sec. 1
Judge: Algenon L. Marbley
COMPLAINT
The United States of America, acting under the direction of the
Acting Attorney General of the United States, brings this civil
antitrust action to obtain equitable monetary relief and recover
damages from GS Caltex Corporation, Hanjin Transportation Co., Ltd.,
and SK Energy Co., Ltd., for conspiring to rig bids and fix prices, in
violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 1, on the
supply of fuel to the U.S. military for its operations in South Korea.
I. INTRODUCTION
1. Since the end of the Korean War, the U.S. armed forces have
maintained a significant presence in South Korea, protecting American
interests in the region and safeguarding peace for the Korean people.
To perform this important mission, American service members depend on
fuel to power their bases and military vehicles. The U.S. military
procures this fuel from oil refiners located in South Korea through a
competitive bidding process.
2. For at least a decade, rather than engage in fair and honest
competition, Defendants and their co-conspirators defrauded the U.S.
military by fixing prices and rigging bids for the contracts to supply
this fuel. Defendants met and communicated in secret with other large
South Korean oil refiners and logistics companies, and pre-determined
which conspirator would win each contract. Defendants and their co-
conspirators then fraudulently submitted collusive bids to the U.S.
military. Through this scheme, Defendants reaped vastly higher profit
margins on the fuel they supplied to the U.S. military than on the fuel
they sold to the South Korean military and to private parties.
3. As a result of this conduct, Defendants and their co-
conspirators illegally overcharged American taxpayers by well over $100
million. This conspiracy unreasonably restrained trade and commerce, in
violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 1.
Defendants have agreed to plead guilty to an information charging a
criminal violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act for this unlawful
conduct, and in this civil action, the United States seeks compensation
for the injuries it incurred as a result of this conspiracy.
II. DEFENDANTS
4. GS Caltex Corporation (``GS Caltex'') is an oil company
headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. GS Caltex is a joint venture
between GS Energy, a South Korean corporation, and Chevron Corp., a
Delaware corporation; each owns a 50 percent interest in GS Caltex. GS
Caltex refines and supplies gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and other
petroleum products for sale internationally. During the conspiracy, GS
Caltex supplied fuel to U.S. military installations in South Korea.
5. Hanjin Transportation Co., Ltd. (``Hanjin'') is a global
transportation and logistics company based in Seoul, South Korea.
Hanjin is a member of Hanjin Group, a South Korean conglomerate with
U.S. subsidiaries, including Hanjin International America. Beginning in
2009, Hanjin partnered with oil companies, including a co-conspirator
oil company (``Company A''), to supply fuel to U.S. military
installations in South Korea.
6. SK Energy Co., Ltd. (``SK Energy'') is an oil company
headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. SK Energy is a wholly-owned
subsidiary of SK Innovation Co., Ltd., a South Korean company with U.S.
subsidiaries, including SK Energy Americas Inc. SK Energy refines and
supplies gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and other petroleum products for
sale internationally. During the conspiracy, SK Energy supplied fuel to
U.S. military installations in South Korea.
7. Other persons, not named as defendants in this action,
participated as co-conspirators in the offense alleged in this
Complaint and performed acts and made statements in furtherance
thereof. These co-conspirators include, among others, a logistics firm
(``Company B'') and an oil company (``Company C'') that jointly
supplied fuel to the U.S. military.
8. Whenever this Complaint refers to any act, deed, or transaction
of any
[[Page 60307]]
business entity, it means that the business entity engaged in the act,
deed, or transaction by or through its officers, directors, employees,
agents, or other representatives while they were actively engaged in
the management, direction, control, or transaction of its business or
affairs.
III. JURISDICTION AND VENUE
9. The United States brings this action under Section 4 of the
Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 4, and Section 4A of the Clayton Act, 15
U.S.C. Sec. 15a, seeking equitable relief, including equitable
monetary remedies, and damages from Defendants' violation of Section 1
of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 1.
10. This Court has subject matter jurisdiction over this action
under 15 U.S.C. Sec. Sec. 4 and 15a and 28 U.S.C. Sec. Sec. 1331 and
1337.
11. Defendants have consented to venue and personal jurisdiction in
this district for the purpose of this Complaint.
12. Defendants entered into contracts with the U.S. military to
supply and deliver fuel to U.S. military installations in South Korea.
Under the terms of these contracts, Defendants agreed that the laws of
the United States would govern all contractual disputes and that U.S.
administrative bodies and courts would have exclusive jurisdiction to
resolve all such disputes. To be eligible to enter into these
contracts, Defendants registered in databases located in the United
States. For certain contracts, Defendants submitted bids to U.S.
Department of Defense offices in the United States. After being awarded
these contracts, Defendants submitted invoices to and received payments
from U.S. Department of Defense offices in Columbus, Ohio, which
included use of wires and mails located in the United States.
13. Through its contracts with the U.S. military, Defendants'
activities had a direct, substantial, and reasonably foreseeable effect
on interstate commerce, import trade or commerce, and commerce with
foreign nations. Defendants' conspiracy had a substantial and intended
effect in the United States. Defendants caused U.S. Department of
Defense agencies to pay non-competitive prices for the supply of fuel
to U.S. military installations. Defendants also caused a U.S.
Department of Defense agency located in the Southern District of Ohio
to transfer U.S. dollars to their foreign bank accounts.
IV. BACKGROUND
14. From at least March 2005 and continuing until at least October
2016 (``the Relevant Period''), the U.S. military procured fuel for its
installations in South Korea through competitive solicitation
processes. Oil companies, either independently or in conjunction with a
logistics company, submitted bids in response to these solicitations.
15. The conduct at issue relates to two types of contracts to
supply fuel to the U.S. military for use in South Korea: Post, Camps,
and Stations (``PC&S'') contracts and Army and Air Force Exchange
Services (``AAFES'') contracts.
16. PC&S contracts are issued and administered by the Defense
Logistics Agency (``DLA''), a combat support agency in the U.S.
Department of Defense. DLA, formerly known as the Defense Energy
Support Center, is headquartered in Fort Belvoir, Virginia. The fuel
procured under PC&S contracts is used for military vehicles and to heat
U.S. military buildings. During the Relevant Period, PC&S contracts ran
for a term of three or four years. DLA issued PC&S solicitations
listing the fuel requirements for installations across South Korea,
with each delivery location identified by a separate line item. Bidders
offered a price for each line item on which they chose to bid. DLA
awarded contracts to the bidders offering the lowest price for each
line item. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (``DFAS''), a
finance and accounting agency of the U.S. Department of Defense, wired
payments to the PC&S contract awardees from its office in Columbus,
Ohio.
17. AAFES is an agency of the Department of Defense headquartered
in Dallas, Texas. AAFES operates official retail stores (known as
``exchanges'') on U.S. Army and Air Force installations worldwide,
which U.S. military personnel and their families use to purchase
everyday goods and services, including gasoline for use in their
personal vehicles. AAFES procures fuel for these stores via contracts
awarded through a competitive solicitation process. The term of AAFES
contracts is typically two years, but may be extended for additional
years. In 2008, AAFES issued a solicitation that listed the fuel
requirements for installations in South Korea. Unlike DLA, AAFES
awarded the entire 2008 contract to the bidder offering the lowest
price across all the listed locations.
V. DEFENDANTS' UNLAWFUL CONDUCT
18. From at least March 2005 and continuing until at least October
2016, Defendants and their co-conspirators engaged in a series of
meetings, telephone conversations, e-mails, and other communications to
rig bids and fix prices for the supply of fuel to U.S. military
installations in South Korea.
2006 PC&S and 2008 AAFES Contracts
19. GS Caltex, SK Energy, and Companies B and C conspired to rig
bids and fix prices on the 2006 PC&S contracts, which were issued in
response to solicitation SP0600-05-R-0063, supplemental solicitation
SP0600-05-0063-0001, and their amendments. The term of the 2006 PC&S
contracts covered the supply of fuel from February 2006 through July
2009.
20. Between early 2005 and mid-2006, GS Caltex, SK Energy, and
other conspirators met multiple times and exchanged phone calls and e-
mails to allocate the line items in the solicitations for the 2006 PC&S
contracts. For each line item allocated to a different co-conspirator,
the other conspirators agreed not to bid or to bid high enough to
ensure that they would not win that item. Through these communications,
these conspirators agreed to inflate their bids to produce higher
profit margins. DLA awarded the 2006 PC&S line items according to the
allocations made by the conspiracy.
21. As part of their discussions related to the 2006 PC&S
contracts, GS Caltex and other conspirators agreed not to compete with
SK Energy in bidding for the 2008 AAFES contract. In 2008, GS Caltex
and other conspirators honored their agreement: GS Caltex bid
significantly above the bid submitted by SK Energy for the AAFES
contract, while Companies B and C declined to bid even after AAFES
explicitly requested their participation in the bidding. The initial
term of the 2008 AAFES contract ran from July 2008 to July 2010; the
contract was later extended through July 2013. As envisioned by the
conspiracy, AAFES awarded the 2008 contract to SK Energy.
2009 PC&S Contracts
22. Continuing their conspiracy, Defendants and other co-
conspirators conspired to rig bids and fix prices for the 2009 PC&S
contracts, which were issued in response to solicitation SP0600-08-R-
0233. Hanjin and Company A joined the conspiracy for the purpose of
bidding on the solicitation for the 2009 PC&S contracts. Hanjin and
Company A partnered to bid jointly on the 2009 PC&S contracts, with
Company A providing the fuel and Hanjin providing transportation and
logistics. The term of the 2009 PC&S contracts covered the supply of
fuel from October 2009 through August 2013.
[[Page 60308]]
23. Between late 2008 and mid-2009, Defendants and other co-
conspirators met multiple times and exchanged phone calls and e-mails
to allocate the line items in the solicitation for the 2009 PC&S
contracts. As in 2006, these conspirators agreed to bid high so as to
not win line items allocated to other co-conspirators. The original
conspirators agreed to allocate to Hanjin and Company A certain line
items that had previously been allocated to the original conspirators.
24. With one exception, DLA awarded the 2009 PC&S contracts in line
with the allocations made by the Defendants and other co-conspirators.
Companies B and C accidentally won one line item that the conspiracy
had allocated to GS Caltex. To remedy this misallocation, Company B and
GS Caltex agreed that GS Caltex, rather than Company C, would supply
Company B with the fuel procured under this line item.
2013 PC&S Contracts
25. Similar to 2006 and 2009, Defendants and other co-conspirators
conspired to rig bids and fix prices for the 2013 PC&S contracts, which
were issued in response to solicitation SP0600-12-R-0332. The term of
the 2013 PC&S Contract covered the supply of fuel from August 2013
through July 2016.
26. Defendants and other co-conspirators communicated via phone
calls and e-mails to allocate and set the price for each line item in
the solicitation for the 2013 PC&S contracts. Defendants and other co-
conspirators believed that they had an agreement as to their bidding
strategy and pricing for the 2013 PC&S contracts. As a result of this
agreement, they bid higher prices than they would have in a competitive
process.
27. However, Hanjin and Company A submitted bids for the 2013 PC&S
contracts below the prices set by the other co-conspirators. Although
lower than the pricing agreed upon by the conspirators, Hanjin and
Company A still submitted bids above a competitive, non-collusive
price, knowing that they would likely win the contracts because the
other conspirators would bid even higher prices.
28. As a result of their bidding strategy, Hanjin and Company A
jointly won nearly all the line items in the 2013 PC&S contracts. As in
2009, Company A was to provide the fuel for these line items, and
Hanjin was to provide transportation and logistics. GS Caltex and other
co-conspirators won a few, small line items; SK Energy won none. DLA
made inflated payments under the 2013 PC&S contracts through October
2016.
29. After the award of the 2013 PC&S contracts, Hanjin, Company A,
and GS Caltex reached an understanding that GS Caltex, rather than
Company A, would supply Hanjin with fuel for certain line items. Under
this side agreement, Hanjin paid a much lower price to GS Caltex for
fuel than the price it previously had agreed to pay Company A to
acquire fuel for those line items. However, the price that Hanjin paid
to GS Caltex exceeded a competitive price for fuel.
VI. VIOLATIONS ALLEGED
30. The United States incorporates by reference the allegations in
paragraphs 1 through 29.
31. The conduct of Defendants and their co-conspirators
unreasonably restrained trade and harmed competition for the supply of
fuel to the U.S. military in South Korea in violation of Section 1 of
the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 1.
32. The United States was injured as a result of the unlawful
conduct because it paid more for the supply of fuel than it would have
had the Defendants and their co-conspirators engaged in fair
competition.
VIII. REQUEST FOR RELIEF
33. The United States requests that this Court:
(a) adjudge that Defendants' and their co-conspirators' conduct
constitutes an unreasonable restraint of interstate commerce, import
trade or commerce, and commerce with foreign nations in violation of
Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 1;
(b) award the United States damages to which it is entitled for the
losses incurred as the result of Defendants' and their co-conspirators'
conduct;
(c) award the United States equitable disgorgement of the ill-
gotten gains obtained by Defendants;
(d) award the United States its costs of this action; and
(e) award the United States other relief that the Court deems just
and proper.
Dated: November 14, 2018
Respectfully submitted,
FOR PLAINTIFF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:
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Makan Delrahim,
Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust.
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Andrew C. Finch,
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General.
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Bernard A. Nigro Jr.,
Deputy Assistant Attorney General.
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Patricia A. Brink,
Director of Civil Enforcement.
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Kathleen S. O'Neill,
Chief, Transportation, Energy & Agriculture Section.
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Robert A. Lepore,
Assistant Chief, Transportation, Energy & Agriculture Section.
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J. Richard Doidge
Julie Elmer
Jeremy Evans
John A. Holler
Caroline Anderson
Jonathan Silberman
Patrick Kuhlmann
Attorneys for the United States
U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, 450 5th Street NW,
Suite 8000, Washington, DC 20530, Tel.: (202) 514-8944, Fax: (202)
616-2441, E-mail: [email protected].
Dated: November 14, 2018
Respectfully submitted,
FOR PLAINTIFF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Benjamin C. Glassman,
United States Attorney
By:
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Andrew M. Malek (Ohio Bar #0061442)
Assistant United States Attorney, 303 Marconi Boulevard, Suite 200,
Columbus, Ohio 43215, Tel: (614) 469-5715, Fax: (614) 469-2769, E-
mail: [email protected].
United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio Eastern
Division
United States of America, Plaintiff, v. GS Caltex Corporation,
Defendant.
Case No. 2:18-cv-01456-ALM-CMV
PROPOSED FINAL JUDGMENT AS TO DEFENDANT GS CALTEX CORPORATION
WHEREAS Plaintiff, United States of America, filed its Complaint on
November 14, 2018, the United States and Defendant GS Caltex
Corporation (``GS Caltex''), by their respective attorneys, have
consented to the entry of this Final Judgment without trial or
adjudication of any issue of fact or law;
WHEREAS, on such date as may be determined by the Court, GS Caltex
will plead guilty pursuant to Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(c)(1)(C) (the ``Plea
Agreement'') to an Information to be filed in United States v. GS
Caltex Corporation [to be assigned] (S.D.Ohio) (the ``Criminal
Action'') that will allege a violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act,
15 U.S.C. Sec. 1, relating to the same events giving rise to the
allegations described in the Complaint;
[[Page 60309]]
WHEREAS, this Final Judgment does not constitute any evidence
against or admission by any party regarding any issue of fact or law;
NOW, THEREFORE, before the taking of any testimony and without
trial or final adjudication of any issue of fact or law herein, and
upon consent of the parties hereto, it is hereby ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND
DECREED:
I. JURISDICTION
This Court has jurisdiction of the subject matter of this action
and each of the parties consenting hereto. The Complaint states a claim
upon which relief may be granted to the United States against GS Caltex
under Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 1.
II. APPLICABILITY
This Final Judgment applies to GS Caltex, as defined above, and all
other persons in active concert or participation with any of them who
receive actual notice of this Final Judgment by personal service or
otherwise.
III. PAYMENT
GS Caltex shall pay to the United States within ten (10) business
days of the entry of this Final Judgment the amount of fifty-seven
million, five hundred thousand dollars ($57,500,000), less the amount
paid (excluding any interest) pursuant to the settlement agreement
attached hereto as Attachment 1, to satisfy all civil antitrust claims
alleged against GS Caltex by the United States in the Complaint.
Payment of the amount ordered hereby shall be made by wire transfer of
funds or cashier's check. If the payment is made by wire transfer, GS
Caltex shall contact Janie Ingalls of the Antitrust Division's
Antitrust Documents Group at (202) 514-2481 for instructions before
making the transfer. If the payment is made by cashier's check, the
check shall be made payable to the United States Department of Justice
and delivered to: Janie Ingalls, United States Department of Justice
Antitrust Division, Antitrust Documents Group, 450 5th Street, NW,
Suite 1024, Washington, D.C. 20530. In the event of a default in
payment, interest at the rate of eighteen (18) percent per annum shall
accrue thereon from the date of default to the date of payment.
IV. COOPERATION
GS Caltex shall cooperate fully with the United States regarding
any matter about which GS Caltex has knowledge or information relating
to any ongoing civil investigation, litigation, or other proceeding
arising out of any ongoing federal investigation of the subject matter
discussed in the Complaint (hereinafter, any such investigation,
litigation, or proceeding shall be referred to as a ``Civil Federal
Proceeding'').
The United States agrees that any cooperation provided in
connection with the Plea Agreement and/or pursuant to the settlement
agreement attached hereto as Attachment 1 will be considered
cooperation for purposes of this Final Judgment, and the United States
will use its reasonable best efforts, where appropriate, to coordinate
any requests for cooperation in connection with the Civil Federal
Proceeding with requests for cooperation in connection with the Plea
Agreement and the settlement agreement attached hereto as Attachment 1,
so as to avoid unnecessary duplication and expense.
GS Caltex's cooperation shall include, but not be limited to, the
following:
(a) Upon request, completely and truthfully disclosing and
producing, to the offices of the United States and at no expense to the
United States, copies of all non-privileged information, documents,
materials, and records in its possession (and for any foreign-language
information, documents, materials, or records, copies must be produced
with an English translation), regardless of their geographic location,
about which the United States may inquire in connection with any Civil
Federal Proceeding, including but not limited to all information about
activities of GS Caltex and present and former officers, directors,
employees, and agents of GS Caltex;
(b) Making available in the United States, at no expense to the
United States, its present officers, directors, employees, and agents
to provide information and/or testimony as requested by the United
States in connection with any Civil Federal Proceeding, including the
provision of testimony in trial and other judicial proceedings, as well
as interviews with law enforcement authorities, consistent with the
rights and privileges of those individuals;
(c) Using its best efforts to make available in the United States,
at no expense to the United States, its former officers, directors,
employees, and agents to provide information and/or testimony as
requested by the United States in connection with any Civil Federal
Proceeding, including the provision of testimony in trial and other
judicial proceedings, as well as interviews with law enforcement
authorities, consistent with the rights and privileges of those
individuals;
(d) Providing testimony or information necessary to identify or
establish the original location, authenticity, or other basis for
admission into evidence of documents or physical evidence produced by
GS Caltex in any Civil Federal Proceeding as requested by the United
States; and
(e) Completely and truthfully responding to all other inquiries of
the United States in connection with any Civil Federal Proceeding.
However, notwithstanding any provision of this Final Judgment, GS
Caltex is not required to: (1) Request of its current or former
officers, directors, employees, or agents that they forgo seeking the
advice of an attorney nor that they act contrary to that advice; (2)
take any action against its officers, directors, employees, or agents
for following their attorney's advice; or (3) waive any claim of
privilege or work product protection.
The obligations of GS Caltex to cooperate fully with the United
States as described in this Section shall cease upon the conclusion of
all Civil Federal Proceedings (which may include Civil Federal
Proceedings related to the conduct of third parties), including
exhaustion of all appeals or expiration of time for all appeals of any
Court ruling in each such Civil Federal Proceeding, at which point the
United States will provide written notice to GS Caltex that its
obligations under this Section have expired.
V. ANTITRUST COMPLIANCE PROGRAM
A. Within thirty (30) days after entry of this Final Judgment, GS
Caltex shall appoint an Antitrust Compliance Officer and identify to
the United States his or her name, business address, telephone number,
and email address. Within forty-five (45) days of a vacancy in the
Antitrust Compliance Officer position, GS Caltex shall appoint a
replacement, and shall identify to the United States the Antitrust
Compliance Officer's name, business address, telephone number, and
email address. GS Caltex's initial or replacement appointment of an
Antitrust Compliance Officer is subject to the approval of the United
States, in its sole discretion.
B. The Antitrust Compliance Officer shall institute an antitrust
compliance program for the company's employees and directors with
responsibility for bidding for any contract with the United States. The
antitrust compliance program shall provide at least two hours of
training annually on the antitrust laws of the United States, such
training to be delivered by an attorney with
[[Page 60310]]
relevant experience in the field of United States antitrust law.
C. Each Antitrust Compliance Officer shall obtain, within six
months after entry of this Final Judgment, and on an annual basis
thereafter, on or before each anniversary of the entry of this Final
Judgment, from each person subject to Paragraph V.B of this Final
Judgment, and thereafter maintaining, a certification that each such
person has received the required two hours of annual antitrust
training.
D. Each Antitrust Compliance Officer shall communicate annually to
all employees that they may disclose to the Antitrust Compliance
Officer, without reprisal, information concerning any potential
violation of the United States antitrust laws.
E. Each Antitrust Compliance Offer shall provide to the United
States within six months after entry of this Final Judgment, and on an
annual basis thereafter, on or before each anniversary of the entry of
this Final Judgment, a written statement as to the fact and manner of
GS Caltex's compliance with Section V of this Final Judgment.
VI. RETENTION OF JURISDICTION
This Court retains jurisdiction to enable any of the parties to
this Final Judgment to apply to this Court at any time for further
orders and directions as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out
or construe this Final Judgment, to modify or terminate any of its
provisions, to enforce compliance, and to punish violations of its
provisions.
VII. ENFORCEMENT OF FINAL JUDGMENT
A. The United States retains and reserves all rights to enforce the
provisions of this Final Judgment, including the right to seek an order
of contempt from the Court. GS Caltex agrees that in any civil contempt
action, any motion to show cause, or any similar action brought by the
United States regarding an alleged violation of this Final Judgment,
the United States may establish a violation of the decree and the
appropriateness of any remedy therefor by a preponderance of the
evidence, and GS Caltex waives any argument that a different standard
of proof should apply.
B. The Final Judgment should be interpreted to give full effect to
the procompetitive purposes of the antitrust laws and to restore all
competition the United States alleged was harmed by the challenged
conduct. GS Caltex agrees that they may be held in contempt of, and
that the Court may enforce, any provision of this Final Judgment that,
as interpreted by the Court in light of these procompetitive principles
and applying ordinary tools of interpretation, is stated specifically
and in reasonable detail, whether or not it is clear and unambiguous on
its face. In any such interpretation, the terms of this Final Judgment
should not be construed against either party as the drafter.
C. In any enforcement proceeding in which the Court finds that GS
Caltex has violated this Final Judgment, the United States may apply to
the Court for a one-time extension of this Final Judgment, together
with such other relief as may be appropriate. In connection with any
successful effort by the United States to enforce this Final Judgment
against GS Caltex, whether litigated or resolved prior to litigation,
GS Caltex agrees to reimburse the United States for the fees and
expenses of its attorneys, as well as any other costs including
experts' fees, incurred in connection with that enforcement effort,
including in the investigation of the potential violation.
VIII. EXPIRATION OF FINAL JUDGMENT
Unless this Court grants an extension, this Final Judgment shall
expire seven (7) years from the date of its entry, except that after
five (5) years from the date of its entry, this Final Judgment may be
terminated upon notice by the United States to the Court and GS Caltex
that the continuation of the Final Judgment no longer is necessary or
in the public interest.
IX. PUBLIC INTEREST DETERMINATION
Entry of this Final Judgment is in the public interest. The parties
have complied with the requirements of the Antitrust Procedures and
Penalties Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 16, including making copies available to
the public of this Final Judgment, the Competitive Impact Statement,
and any comments thereon and the United States' responses to comments.
Based upon the record before the Court, which includes the Competitive
Impact Statement and any comments and response to comments filed with
the Court, entry of this Final Judgment is in the public interest.
Dated:-----------------------------------------------------------------
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United States District Judge
ATTACHMENT 1
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT
This Settlement Agreement (Agreement) is entered into among the
United States of America, acting through the Civil Division of the
United States Department of Justice and the United States Attorney's
Office for the Southern District of Ohio, on behalf of the Defense
Logistics Agency (DLA) and the Army and Air Force Exchange Service
(AAFES) (collectively the ``United States''), GS Caltex Corporation (GS
Caltex), and Relator [REDACTED] (hereafter collectively referred to as
``the Parties''), through their authorized representatives.
RECITALS
A. GS Caltex is a South Korea-based energy company that produces
various petroleum products that it sells to South Korean and
international customers, including the United States Department of
Defense (DoD).
B. On February 28, 2018, Relator, a resident and citizen of South
Korea, filed a qui tam action in the United States District Court for
the Southern District of Ohio captioned United States ex rel.
[REDACTED] v. GS Caltex, et al., Civil Action No. [REDACTED], pursuant
to the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. Sec.
3730(b) (the Civil FCA Action). Relator contends that GS Caltex
conspired with other South Korean entities to rig bids on DoD contracts
to supply fuel to U.S. military bases throughout South Korea beginning
in 2005 and continuing until 2016, including DLA Post, Camps, and
Stations contracts and/or contract amendments (``PC&S contracts'')
executed in 2006, 2009, 2011, and 2013, and AAFES contracts executed in
2008.
C. On such date as may be determined by the Court, GS Caltex will
plead guilty pursuant to Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(c)(1)(C) (the ``Plea
Agreement'') to an Information to be filed in United States v. GS
Caltex Corporation, Criminal Action No. [to be assigned] (S.D. Ohio)
(the ``Criminal Action'') that will allege that GS Caltex participated
in a combination and conspiracy beginning at least in or around March
2005 and continuing until at least in or around October 2016, to
suppress and eliminate competition on certain contracts solicited by
the DoD to supply ultra[dash]low sulfur diesel and gasoline to numerous
U.S. Army, Navy, Marine, and Air Force installations in Korea, known as
PC&S contracts, in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act, 15 U.S.C.
Sec. 1.
D. GS Caltex will execute a Stipulation with the Antitrust Division
of the United States Department of Justice in which GS Caltex will
consent to the entry of a Final Judgment to be filed in United States
v. GS Caltex Corporation, Civil Action No. [to be assigned] (S.D. Ohio)
(the Civil Antitrust Action) that will settle any and all civil
antitrust claims of the United States
[[Page 60311]]
against GS Caltex arising from any act or offense committed before the
date of the Stipulation that was undertaken in furtherance of an
attempted or completed antitrust conspiracy involving PC&S and/or AAFES
fuel supply contracts with the U.S. military in South Korea during the
period 2005 through 2016.
E. The United States contends that it has certain civil claims
against GS Caltex arising from a conspiracy with other South Korean
entities to rig bids on DoD contracts to supply fuel to U.S. military
bases throughout South Korea executed between 2005 and 2013, including
DLA PC&S contracts and AAFES contracts, as well as the conduct
described in the Plea Agreement in the Criminal Action. The conduct
referenced in this Paragraph, as well as the conduct, actions, and
claims alleged by Relator in the Civil FCA Action is referred to below
as the Covered Conduct.
F. With the exception of any admissions that are made by GS Caltex
in connection with the Plea Agreement in the Criminal Action, this
Settlement Agreement is neither an admission of liability by GS Caltex
nor a concession by the United States or Relator that their claims are
not well founded.
G. Relator claims entitlement under 31 U.S.C. Sec. 3730(d) to a
share of the proceeds of this Settlement Agreement and to Relator's
reasonable expenses, attorneys' fees and costs.
To avoid the delay, uncertainty, inconvenience, and expense of
protracted litigation of the above claims, and in consideration of the
mutual promises and obligations of this Settlement Agreement, the
Parties agree and covenant as follows:
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1.a. GS Caltex shall pay to the United States $42,621,000 (FCA
Settlement Amount), of which $28,414,474 is restitution. Relator's
right pursuant to 31 U.S.C. Sec. 3730(d) to reasonable expenses,
attorneys' fees and costs will be addressed separately by Relator,
Relator's counsel and GS Caltex.
1.b. Interest at an annual rate of three (3) percent shall accrue
on the FCA Settlement Amount beginning on the Effective Date of this
Agreement and continuing until the date that both of the following
events have occurred: (i) the Plea Agreement is accepted by the Court
in the Criminal Action; and (ii) the proposed Final Judgment is entered
by the Court in the Civil Antitrust Action (Accrued Interest).
1.c. The total FCA payment due from GS Caltex shall be the FCA
Settlement Amount plus any Accrued Interest (Total FCA Settlement
Amount). GS Caltex shall pay the Total FCA Settlement Amount by
electronic funds transfer no later than seven (7) business days after
both events identified above in Paragraph 1.b. have occurred (Payment
Due Date). The Civil Division of the United States Department of
Justice shall provide to counsel for GS Caltex written payment
instructions and confirmation of the Total FCA Settlement Amount no
later than five (5) business days before the Payment Due Date. If GS
Caltex does not pay the Total FCA Settlement Amount on or before the
Payment Due Date, interest at an annual rate of nine (9) percent shall
accrue on the Total FCA Settlement Amount beginning on the first
calendar day after the Payment Due Date and shall continue to accrue
until paid.
1.d. If GS Caltex's Plea Agreement in the Criminal Action is not
accepted by the Court or the Court does not enter the Final Judgment in
the Civil Antitrust Action, this Agreement shall be null and void at
the option of either the United States or GS Caltex. If either the
United States or GS Caltex exercises this option, which option shall be
exercised by notifying all Parties, through counsel, in writing within
five (5) business days of the Court's decision, the Parties will not
object and this Agreement will be rescinded. If this Agreement is
rescinded, GS Caltex will not plead, argue or otherwise raise any
defenses under the theories of statute of limitations, laches, estoppel
or similar theories, to any civil or administrative claims, actions or
proceedings arising from the Covered Conduct that are brought by the
United States within ninety (90) calendar days of rescission, except to
the extent such defenses were available on the day on which Relator's
qui tam complaint in the Civil FCA Action was filed.
2. Subject to the exceptions in Paragraph 3 (concerning excluded
claims) below, and conditioned upon GS Caltex's full payment of the
Total FCA Settlement Amount, the United States releases GS Caltex
together with its current and former parent corporations; direct and
indirect subsidiaries; brother or sister corporations; divisions;
current or former corporate owners; and the corporate successors and
assigns of any of them from any civil or administrative monetary claim
the United States has for the Covered Conduct under the False Claims
Act, 31 U.S.C. Sec. Sec. 3729-3733; the Program Fraud Civil Remedies
Act, 31 U.S.C. Sec. Sec. 3801-3812; Contract Disputes Act, 41 U.S.C.
Sec. Sec. 7101-7109; or the common law theories of breach of contract,
payment by mistake, unjust enrichment, and fraud, or under any statute
creating causes of action for civil damages or civil penalties which
the Civil Division of the United States Department of Justice has
authority to assert and compromise pursuant to 28 C.F.R. Part O,
Subpart I, Sec. 0.45(d).
3. Notwithstanding the release given in paragraph 2 of this
Agreement, or any other term of this Agreement, the following claims of
the United States are specifically reserved and are not released:
a. Any liability arising under Title 26, U.S. Code (Internal
Revenue Code);
b. Any criminal liability, except to the extent detailed in the
Plea Agreement;
c. Except as explicitly stated in this Agreement, any
administrative liability, including the suspension and debarment rights
of any federal agency;
d. Any liability to the United States (or its agencies) for any
conduct other than the Covered Conduct;
e. Any liability based upon obligations created by this Agreement;
f. Any liability of individuals;
g. Any liability for express or implied warranty claims or other
claims for defective or deficient products or services, including
quality of goods and services;
h. Any liability for failure to deliver goods or services due; and
i. Any liability for personal injury or property damage or for
other consequential damages arising from the Covered Conduct.
4. Relator and his heirs, successors, attorneys, agents, and
assigns shall not object to this Agreement but agree and confirm that
this Agreement is fair, adequate, and reasonable under all the
circumstances, pursuant to 31 U.S.C. Sec. 3730(c)(2)(B). The
determination of Relator's share, if any, of the FCA Settlement Amount
pursuant to 31 U.S.C. Sec. 3730(d) is a matter that shall be handled
separately by and between the Relator and the United States, without
any direct involvement or input from GS Caltex. In connection with this
Agreement and this Civil FCA Action, Relator, on behalf of himself and
his heirs, successors, attorneys, agents, and assigns agrees that
neither this Agreement, nor any intervention by the United States in
the Civil FCA Action in order to dismiss the Civil FCA Action, nor any
dismissal of the Civil FCA Action, shall waive or otherwise affect the
ability of the United States to contend that provisions in the False
Claims Act, including 31 U.S.C. Sec. 3730(d)(3), bar Relator from
sharing in the proceeds of this Agreement, except that the United
States will not contend that Relator is barred from sharing in the
proceeds of this Agreement pursuant to
[[Page 60312]]
31 U.S.C. Sec. 3730(e)(4). Moreover, the United States and Relator, on
behalf of himself and his heirs, successors, attorneys, agents, and
assigns agree that they each retain all of their rights pursuant to the
False Claims Act on the issue of the share percentage, if any, that
Relator should receive of any proceeds of the settlement of his claims,
and that no agreements concerning Relator share have been reached to
date.
5. Relator, for himself, and for his heirs, successors, attorneys,
agents, and assigns, releases GS Caltex, together with its
predecessors, successors, assigns, shareholders, subsidiaries,
businesses, affiliates, divisions, sister companies, owners, directors,
officers, agents, employees, and counsel, from any action, in law or in
equity, suits, debts, liens, contracts, agreements, covenants,
promises, liability, obligations, claims, demands, rights of
subrogation, contribution and indemnity, damages, loss, cost or
expenses, direct or indirect, of any kind or nature whatsoever
(including without limitation any civil monetary claim Relator has on
behalf of the United States for the Covered Conduct under the False
Claims Act. 31 U.S.C. Sec. Sec. 3729-3733), known or unknown, fixed or
contingent, foreign (including Korean), state or federal, under common
law, statute or regulation, liquidated or unliquidated, claimed or
concealed, and without regard to the date of occurrence, which Relator
ever had, now has, may assert, or may in the future claim to have,
against GS Caltex by reason of any act, cause, matter, or thing
whatsoever from the beginning of time to the date hereof. Relator
represents and warrants that he and his counsel are the exclusive owner
of the rights, claims, and causes of action herein released and none of
them have previously assigned, reassigned, or transferred or purported
to assign, reassign or transfer, through bankruptcy or by any other
means, any or any portion of any claim, demand, action, cause of
action, or other right released or discharged under this Agreement
except between themselves and their counsel. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, or any other terms of this Agreement, this Agreement does
not resolve or release Relator's right pursuant to 31 U.S.C. Sec.
3730(d) to reasonable expenses necessarily incurred, plus reasonable
attorneys' fees and costs relating to the Covered Conduct, the amount
of which will be addressed separately by Relator, Relator's counsel,
and GS Caltex.
6. GS Caltex waives and shall not assert any defenses GS Caltex may
have to any criminal prosecution or administrative action relating to
the Covered Conduct that may be based in whole or in part on a
contention that, under the Double Jeopardy Clause in the Fifth
Amendment of the Constitution, or under the Excessive Fines Clause in
the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, this Agreement bars a remedy
sought in such criminal prosecution or administrative action.
7. GS Caltex fully and finally releases the United States, its
agencies, officers, agents, employees, and servants, from any claims
(including attorney's fees, costs, and expenses of every kind and
however denominated) that GS Caltex has asserted, could have asserted,
or may assert in the future against the United States, its agencies,
officers, agents, employees, and servants, related to the Covered
Conduct and the United States' investigation and prosecution thereof.
8. GS Caltex, for itself and on behalf of its predecessors,
successors, assigns, shareholders, subsidiaries, businesses,
affiliates, divisions, sister companies, owners, directors, officers,
agents, employees, and counsel, releases Relator, together with his
heirs, successors, attorneys, agents, and assigns from any action, in
law or in equity, suits, debts, liens, contracts, agreements,
covenants, promises, liability, obligations, claims, demands, rights of
subrogation, contribution and indemnity, damages, loss, cost or
expenses, direct or indirect, of any kind or nature whatsoever, known
or unknown, fixed or contingent, foreign (including Korean), state or
federal, under common law, statute or regulation, liquidated or
unliquidated, claimed or concealed, and without regard to the date of
occurrence, which GS Caltex ever had, now has, may assert, or may in
the future claim to have, against Relator by reason of any act, cause,
matter, or thing whatsoever from the beginning of time to the date
hereof. GS Caltex represents and warrants that it and its counsel are
the exclusive owner of the rights, claims, and causes of action herein
released and none of them have previously assigned, reassigned, or
transferred or purported to assign, reassign or transfer, through
bankruptcy or by any other means, any or any portion of any claim,
demand, action, cause of action, or other right released or discharged
under this Agreement except between themselves and their counsel.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, or any other terms of this Agreement,
this Agreement does not resolve or release GS Caltex's right pursuant
to 31 U.S.C. Sec. 3730(d) to assert defenses to Relator's claimed
attorneys' fees, expenses, and costs relating to the Covered Conduct,
the amount of which will be addressed separately by Relator, Relator's
counsel, and GS Caltex.
9. a. Unallowable Costs Defined: All costs (as defined in the
Federal Acquisition Regulation, 48 C.F.R. Sec. 31.205-47) incurred by
or on behalf of GS Caltex, and its present or former officers,
directors, employees, shareholders, and agents in connection with:
(1) the matters covered by this Agreement, any related plea
agreement, and any related civil antitrust agreement;
(2) the United States' audit(s) and civil and any criminal
investigation(s) of the matters covered by this Agreement;
(3) GS Caltex's investigation, defense, and corrective actions
undertaken in response to the United States' audit(s) and civil and any
criminal investigation(s) in connection with the matters covered by
this Agreement (including attorney's fees);
(4) the negotiation and performance of this Agreement, any related
plea agreement, and any related civil antitrust agreement;
(5) the payment GS Caltex makes to the United States pursuant to
this Agreement and any payments that GS Caltex may make to Relator,
including costs and attorneys' fees, are unallowable costs for
government contracting purposes (hereinafter referred to as Unallowable
Costs).
b. Future Treatment of Unallowable Costs: Unallowable Costs will be
separately determined and accounted for by GS Caltex, and GS Caltex
shall not charge such Unallowable Costs directly or indirectly to any
contract with the United States.
c. Treatment of Unallowable Costs Previously Submitted for Payment:
Within 90 days of the Effective Date of this Agreement, GS Caltex shall
identify and repay by adjustment to future claims for payment or
otherwise any Unallowable Costs included in payments previously sought
by GS Caltex or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates from the United
States. GS Caltex agrees that the United States, at a minimum, shall be
entitled to recoup from GS Caltex any overpayment plus applicable
interest and penalties as a result of the inclusion of such Unallowable
Costs on previously-submitted requests for payment. The United States,
including the Department of Justice and/or the affected agencies,
reserves its rights to audit, examine, or re-examine GS Caltex's books
and records and to disagree with any calculations submitted by GS
Caltex or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates regarding any
Unallowable Costs included in payments previously sought
[[Page 60313]]
by GS Caltex, or the effect of any such Unallowable Costs on the amount
of such payments.
10. GS Caltex agrees to cooperate fully and truthfully with the
United States in connection with the Civil FCA Action. The Civil
Division of the United States Department of Justice will use reasonable
best efforts, where appropriate, to coordinate any requests for
cooperation in connection with the Civil FCA Action with requests for
cooperation in connection with the Plea Agreement in the Criminal
Action and the Civil Antitrust Action, so as to avoid unnecessary
duplication and expense. GS Caltex's ongoing, full, and truthful
cooperation shall include, but not be limited to:
a. upon request by the United States with reasonable notice,
producing at the offices of counsel for the United States in
Washington, D.C. and not at the expense of the United States, complete
and un-redacted copies of all non-privileged documents related to the
Covered Conduct wherever located in GS Caltex's possession, custody, or
control;
b. upon request by the United States with reasonable notice, making
current GS Caltex directors, officers, and employees available for
interviews, consistent with the rights and privileges of such
individuals, by counsel for the United States and/or their
investigative agents, not at the expense of the United States, in the
United States or Hong Kong unless another place is mutually agreed
upon;
c. upon request by the United States with reasonable notice, (i)
using best efforts to assist in locating former GS Caltex directors,
officers, and employees identified by attorneys and/or investigative
agents of the United States, and (ii) using best efforts to make any
such former GS Caltex directors, officers, and employees available for
interviews, consistent with the rights and privileges of such
individuals, by counsel for the United States and/or their
investigative agents, not at the expense of the United States, in the
United States or Hong Kong unless another place is mutually agreed
upon; and
d. upon request by the United States with reasonable notice, making
current GS Caltex directors, officers, and employees available, and
using best efforts to make former GS Caltex directors, officers,
employees available, to testify, consistent with the rights and
privileges of such individuals, fully, truthfully, and under oath,
without falsely implicating any person or withholding any information,
(i) at depositions in the United States, Hong Kong, or any other
mutually agreed upon place, (ii) at trial in the United States, and
(iii) at any other judicial proceedings wherever located related to the
Civil FCA Action.
11. This Agreement is intended to be for the benefit of the Parties
only.
12. Upon receipt of the payment of the Total FCA Settlement Amount
described in Paragraph 1.a-c., above, or receipt of the Total FCA
Settlement Amount and any additional interest that accrues if GS Caltex
does not pay on or before the Payment Due Date, the United States and
Relator shall promptly sign and file a Joint Stipulation of Dismissal,
with prejudice, of the claims filed against GS Caltex in the Civil FCA
Action, pursuant to Rule 41(a)(1), which dismissal shall be conditioned
on the Court retaining jurisdiction over Relator's claims to a
relator's share and recovery of attorneys' fees and costs pursuant to
31 U.S.C. Sec. 3730(d).
13. Except as provided herein, each Party shall bear its own legal
and other costs incurred in connection with this matter. The Parties
agree that Relator and GS Caltex will not seek to recover from the
United States any costs or fees related to the preparation and
performance of this Agreement.
14. Each party and signatory to this Agreement represents that it
freely and voluntarily enters into this Agreement without any degree of
duress or compulsion.
15. This Agreement is governed by the laws of the United States.
The exclusive jurisdiction and venue for any dispute relating to this
Agreement is the United States District Court for the Southern District
of Ohio. GS Caltex agrees that the United States District Court for the
Southern District of Ohio has jurisdiction over it for purposes of the
Civil FCA Action. For purposes of construing this Agreement, this
Agreement shall be deemed to have been drafted by all Parties to this
Agreement and shall not, therefore, be construed against any Party for
that reason in any subsequent dispute.
16. This Agreement constitutes the complete agreement between the
Parties on the subject matters addressed herein. This Agreement may not
be amended except by written consent of the Parties.
17. The undersigned counsel represent and warrant that they are
fully authorized to execute this Agreement on behalf of the persons and
entities indicated below.
18. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which
constitutes an original and all of which constitute one and the same
Agreement.
19. This Agreement is binding on GS Caltex's successors,
transferees, heirs, and assigns.
20. This Agreement is binding on Relator's successors, transferees,
heirs, and assigns.
21. All parties consent to the United States' disclosure of this
Agreement, and information about this Agreement, to the public, as
permitted by order of the Court. This Agreement shall not be released
in un-redacted form until the Court unseals the entire Civil FCA
Action.
22. This Agreement is effective on the date of signature of the
last signatory to the Agreement (Effective Date of this Agreement).
Electronic copies of signatures shall constitute acceptable, binding
signatures for purposes of this Agreement
The United States of America
Dated:-----------------------------------------------------------------
By:--------------------------------------------------------------------
Andrew A. Steinberg,
Trial Attorney, Commercial Litigation Branch, Civil Division, U.S.
Department of Justice
Dated:-----------------------------------------------------------------
By:--------------------------------------------------------------------
Mark T. D'Alessandro,
Civil Chief
Andrew Malek,
Assistant United States Attorney, U.S. Attorney's Office for the
Southern District of Ohio
GS Caltex Corporation--Defendant
Dated:-----------------------------------------------------------------
By:--------------------------------------------------------------------
Authorized Representative of GS Caltex Corporation
Dated:-----------------------------------------------------------------
By:--------------------------------------------------------------------
Marguerite M. Sullivan,
Latham & Watkins LLP
Scott D. Hammond, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, Counsel for GS Caltex
Corporation
[Redacted]--Relator
Dated:-----------------------------------------------------------------
By:--------------------------------------------------------------------
[redacted]
Dated:-----------------------------------------------------------------
By:--------------------------------------------------------------------
Eric Havian,
Constantine Cannon LLP, Counsel for Relator
United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio Eastern
Division
United States of America, Plaintiff, v. Hanjin Transportation
Co., Ltd. Defendant.
Case No. 2:18-cv-01456-ALM-CMV
[[Page 60314]]
PROPOSED FINAL JUDGMENT AS TO DEFENDANT HANJIN TRANSPORTATION CO., LTD.
WHEREAS Plaintiff, United States of America, filed its Complaint on
November 14, 2018, the United States and Defendant Hanjin
Transportation Co., Ltd. (``Hanjin''), by their respective attorneys,
have consented to the entry of this Final Judgment without trial or
adjudication of any issue of fact or law;
WHEREAS, on such date as may be determined by the Court, Hanjin
will plead guilty pursuant to Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(c)(1)(C) (the ``Plea
Agreement'') to an Information to be filed in United States v. Hanjin
Transportation Co., Ltd. [to be assigned] (S.D.Ohio) (the ``Criminal
Action'') that will allege a violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act,
15 U.S. C. Sec. 1, relating to the same events giving rise to the
allegations described in the Complaint;
WHEREAS, this Final Judgment does not constitute any evidence
against or admission by any party regarding any issue of fact or law;
NOW, THEREFORE, before the taking of any testimony and without
trial or final adjudication of any issue of fact or law herein, and
upon consent of the parties hereto, it is hereby ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND
DECREED:
I. JURISDICTION
This Court has jurisdiction of the subject matter of this action
and each of the parties consenting hereto. The Complaint states a claim
upon which relief may be granted to the United States against Hanjin
under Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 1.
II. APPLICABILITY
This Final Judgment applies to Hanjin, as defined above, and all
other persons in active concert or participation with any of them who
receive actual notice of this Final Judgment by personal service or
otherwise.
III. PAYMENT
Hanjin shall pay to the United States within ten (10) business days
of the entry of this Final Judgment the amount of six million, one
hundred eighty-two thousand ($6,182,000), less the amount paid
(excluding any interest) pursuant to the settlement agreement attached
hereto as Attachment 1, to satisfy all civil antitrust claims alleged
against Hanjin by the United States in the Complaint. Payment of the
amount ordered hereby shall be made by wire transfer of funds or
cashier's check. If the payment is made by wire transfer, Hanjin shall
contact Janie Ingalls of the Antitrust Division's Antitrust Documents
Group at (202) 514-2481 for instructions before making the transfer. If
the payment is made by cashier's check, the check shall be made payable
to the United States Department of Justice and delivered to: Janie
Ingalls, United States Department of Justice Antitrust Division,
Antitrust Documents Group, 450 5th Street, NW, Suite 1024, Washington,
D.C. 20530. In the event of a default in payment, interest at the rate
of eighteen (18) percent per annum shall accrue thereon from the date
of default to the date of payment.
IV. COOPERATION
Hanjin shall cooperate fully with the United States regarding any
matter about which Hanjin has knowledge or information relating to any
ongoing civil investigation, litigation, or other proceeding arising
out of any ongoing federal investigation of the subject matter
discussed in the Complaint (hereinafter, any such investigation,
litigation, or proceeding shall be referred to as a ``Civil Federal
Proceeding'').
The United States agrees that any cooperation provided in
connection with the Plea Agreement and/or pursuant to the settlement
agreement attached hereto as Attachment 1 will be considered
cooperation for purposes of this Final Judgment, and the United States
will use its reasonable best efforts, where appropriate, to coordinate
any requests for cooperation in connection with the Civil Federal
Proceeding with requests for cooperation in connection with the Plea
Agreement and the settlement agreement attached hereto as Attachment 1,
so as to avoid unnecessary duplication and expense. Hanjin's
cooperation shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(a) Upon request, completely and truthfully disclosing and
producing, to the offices of the United States and at no expense to the
United States, copies of all non-privileged information, documents,
materials, and records in its possession (and for any foreign-language
information, documents, materials, or records, copies must be produced
with an English translation), regardless of their geographic location,
about which the United States may inquire in connection with any Civil
Federal Proceeding, including but not limited to all information about
activities of Hanjin and present and former officers, directors,
employees, and agents of Hanjin;
(b) Making available in the United States, at no expense to the
United States, its present officers, directors, employees, and agents
to provide information and/or testimony as requested by the United
States in connection with any Civil Federal Proceeding, including the
provision of testimony in trial and other judicial proceedings, as well
as interviews with law enforcement authorities, consistent with the
rights and privileges of those individuals;
(c) Using its best efforts to make available in the United States,
at no expense to the United States, its former officers, directors,
employees, and agents to provide information and/or testimony as
requested by the United States in connection with any Civil Federal
Proceeding, including the provision of testimony in trial and other
judicial proceedings, as well as interviews with law enforcement
authorities, consistent with the rights and privileges of those
individuals;
(d) Providing testimony or information necessary to identify or
establish the original location, authenticity, or other basis for
admission into evidence of documents or physical evidence produced by
Hanjin in any Civil Federal Proceeding as requested by the United
States; and
(e) Completely and truthfully responding to all other inquiries of
the United States in connection with any Civil Federal Proceeding.
However, notwithstanding any provision of this Final Judgment,
Hanjin is not required to: (1) request of its current or former
officers, directors, employees, or agents that they forgo seeking the
advice of an attorney nor that they act contrary to that advice; (2)
take any action against its officers, directors, employees, or agents
for following their attorney's advice; or (3) waive any claim of
privilege or work product protection.
The obligations of Hanjin to cooperate fully with the United States
as described in this Section shall cease upon the conclusion of all
Civil Federal Proceedings (which may include Civil Federal Proceedings
related to the conduct of third parties), including exhaustion of all
appeals or expiration of time for all appeals of any Court ruling in
each such Civil Federal Proceeding, at which point the United States
will provide written notice to Hanjin that its obligations under this
Section have expired.
V. ANTITRUST COMPLIANCE PROGRAM
A. Within thirty (30) days after entry of this Final Judgment,
Hanjin shall appoint an Antitrust Compliance Officer and identify to
the United States his or her name, business address, telephone number,
and email address. Within
[[Page 60315]]
forty-five (45) days of a vacancy in the Antitrust Compliance Officer
position, Hanjin shall appoint a replacement, and shall identify to the
United States the Antitrust Compliance Officer's name, business
address, telephone number, and email address. Hanjin's initial or
replacement appointment of an Antitrust Compliance Officer is subject
to the approval of the United States, in its sole discretion.
B. The Antitrust Compliance Officer shall institute an antitrust
compliance program for the company's employees and directors with
responsibility for bidding for any contract with the United States. The
antitrust compliance program shall provide at least two hours of
training annually on the antitrust laws of the United States, such
training to be delivered by an attorney with relevant experience in the
field of United States antitrust law.
C. Each Antitrust Compliance Officer shall obtain, within six
months after entry of this Final Judgment, and on an annual basis
thereafter, on or before each anniversary of the entry of this Final
Judgment, from each person subject to Paragraph V.B of this Final
Judgment, and thereafter maintaining, a certification that each such
person has received the required two hours of annual antitrust
training.
D. Each Antitrust Compliance Officer shall communicate annually to
all employees that they may disclose to the Antitrust Compliance
Officer, without reprisal, information concerning any potential
violation of the United States antitrust laws.
E. Each Antitrust Compliance Offer shall provide to the United
States within six months after entry of this Final Judgment, and on an
annual basis thereafter, on or before each anniversary of the entry of
this Final Judgment, a written statement as to the fact and manner of
Hanjin's compliance with Section V of this Final Judgment.
VI. RETENTION OF JURISDICTION
This Court retains jurisdiction to enable any of the parties to
this Final Judgment to apply to this Court at any time for further
orders and directions as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out
or construe this Final Judgment, to modify or terminate any of its
provisions, to enforce compliance, and to punish violations of its
provisions.
VII. ENFORCEMENT OF FINAL JUDGMENT
A. The United States retains and reserves all rights to enforce the
provisions of this Final Judgment, including the right to seek an order
of contempt from the Court. Hanjin agrees that in any civil contempt
action, any motion to show cause, or any similar action brought by the
United States regarding an alleged violation of this Final Judgment,
the United States may establish a violation of the decree and the
appropriateness of any remedy therefor by a preponderance of the
evidence, and Hanjin waives any argument that a different standard of
proof should apply.
B. The Final Judgment should be interpreted to give full effect to
the procompetitive purposes of the antitrust laws and to restore all
competition the United States alleged was harmed by the challenged
conduct. Hanjin agrees that they may be held in contempt of, and that
the Court may enforce, any provision of this Final Judgment that, as
interpreted by the Court in light of these procompetitive principles
and applying ordinary tools of interpretation, is stated specifically
and in reasonable detail, whether or not it is clear and unambiguous on
its face. In any such interpretation, the terms of this Final Judgment
should not be construed against either party as the drafter.
C. In any enforcement proceeding in which the Court finds that
Hanjin has violated this Final Judgment, the United States may apply to
the Court for a one-time extension of this Final Judgment, together
with such other relief as may be appropriate. In connection with any
successful effort by the United States to enforce this Final Judgment
against Hanjin, whether litigated or resolved prior to litigation,
Hanjin agrees to reimburse the United States for the fees and expenses
of its attorneys, as well as any other costs including experts' fees,
incurred in connection with that enforcement effort, including in the
investigation of the potential violation.
VIII. EXPIRATION OF FINAL JUDGMENT
Unless this Court grants an extension, this Final Judgment shall
expire seven (7) years from the date of its entry, except that after
five (5) years from the date of its entry, this Final Judgment may be
terminated upon notice by the United States to the Court and Hanjin
that the continuation of the Final Judgment no longer is necessary or
in the public interest.
IX. PUBLIC INTEREST DETERMINATION
Entry of this Final Judgment is in the public interest. The parties
have complied with the requirements of the Antitrust Procedures and
Penalties Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 16, including making copies available to
the public of this Final Judgment, the Competitive Impact Statement,
and any comments thereon and the United States' responses to comments.
Based upon the record before the Court, which includes the Competitive
Impact Statement and any comments and response to comments filed with
the Court, entry of this Final Judgment is in the public interest.
Dated:-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
United States District Judge
ATTACHMENT 1
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT
This Settlement Agreement (Agreement) is entered into among the
United States of America, acting through the Civil Division of the
United States Department of Justice and the United States Attorney's
Office for the Southern District of Ohio, on behalf of the Defense
Logistics Agency (DLA) and the Army and Air Force Exchange Service
(AAFES) (collectively the ``United States''), Hanjin Transportation
Co., Ltd. (Hanjin), and Relator [REDACTED] (hereafter collectively
referred to as ``the Parties''), through their authorized
representatives.
RECITALS
A. Hanjin is a South Korea-based logistics company with South
Korean and international customers, including the United States
Department of Defense (DoD).
B. On February 28, 2018, Relator, a resident and citizen of South
Korea, filed a qui tam action in the United States District Court for
the Southern District of Ohio captioned United States ex rel.
[REDACTED] v. GS Caltex, et al., Civil Action No. [REDACTED], pursuant
to the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. Sec.
3730(b) (the Civil FCA Action). Relator contends that Hanjin conspired
with other South Korean entities to rig bids on DoD contracts to supply
fuel to U.S. military bases throughout South Korea beginning in 2008
and continuing until 2016, including DLA Post, Camps, and Stations
contracts executed in 2009 and 2013, and AAFES contracts executed in
2008.
C. On such date as may be determined by the Court, Hanjin will
plead guilty pursuant to Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(c)(1)(C) (the ``Plea
Agreement'') to an Information to be filed in United States v. Hanjin
Transportation Co., Ltd., Criminal Action No. [to be assigned] (S.D.
Ohio) (the ``Criminal Action'') that will allege that Hanjin
participated in a combination and conspiracy beginning at least in or
around March 2005 and continuing until at least in or around October
2016, to suppress and eliminate
[[Page 60316]]
competition on certain contracts solicited by the DoD to supply
ultra[dash]low sulfur diesel and gasoline to numerous U.S. Army, Navy,
Marine, and Air Force installations in Korea, including PC&S contracts,
in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 1.
D. Hanjin will execute a Stipulation with the Antitrust Division of
the United States Department of Justice in which Hanjin will consent to
the entry of a Final Judgment to be filed in United States v. Hanjin
Transportation Co., Ltd., Civil Action No. [to be assigned] (S.D. Ohio)
(the Civil Antitrust Action) that will settle any and all civil
antitrust claims of the United States against Hanjin arising from any
act or offense committed before the date of the Stipulation that was
undertaken in furtherance of an attempted or completed antitrust
conspiracy involving PC&S and/or AAFES fuel supply contracts with the
U.S. military in South Korea during the period 2005 through 2016.
E. The United States contends that it has certain civil claims
against Hanjin arising from a conspiracy with other South Korean
entities to rig bids on DoD contracts to supply fuel to U.S. military
bases throughout South Korea beginning in 2008 and continuing to 2016,
including DLA Post, Camps, and Stations contracts executed in 2009 and
2013, and AAFES contracts executed in 2008. The conduct described in in
this Paragraph, as well as the conduct, actions, and claims alleged by
Relator in the Civil FCA Action is referred to below as the Covered
Conduct.
F. With the exception of any admissions that are made by Hanjin in
connection with the Plea Agreement in the Criminal Action, this
Settlement Agreement is neither an admission of liability by Hanjin nor
a concession by the United States or Relator that their claims are not
well founded.
G. Relator claims entitlement under 31 U.S.C. Sec. 3730(d) to a
share of the proceeds of this Settlement Agreement and to Relator's
reasonable expenses, attorneys' fees, and costs.
To avoid the delay, uncertainty, inconvenience, and expense of
protracted litigation of the above claims, and in consideration of the
mutual promises and obligations of this Settlement Agreement, the
Parties agree and covenant as follows:
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1. Hanjin agrees to pay to the United States $6,182,000 (FCA
Settlement Amount) by electronic funds transfer no later than thirteen
(13) business days after the Effective Date of this Agreement pursuant
to written instructions to be provided by the Civil Division of the
United States Department of Justice. Relator claims entitlement under
31 U.S.C. Sec. 3730(d) to Relator's reasonable expenses, attorneys'
fees and costs. The FCA Settlement Amount does not include the
Relator's fees and costs, and Hanjin acknowledges (without waiving any
applicable arguments or defenses) that Relator retains all rights to
seek to recover such expenses, attorneys' fees, and costs from Hanjin
pursuant to 31 U.S.C. Sec. 3730(d).
2. Subject to the exceptions in Paragraph 4 (concerning excluded
claims) below, and conditioned upon Hanjin's full payment of the FCA
Settlement Amount, the United States releases Hanjin together with its
current and former parent corporations; direct and indirect
subsidiaries; brother or sister corporations; divisions; current or
former corporate owners; and the corporate successors and assigns of
any of them from any civil or administrative monetary claim the United
States has for the Covered Conduct under the False Claims Act, 31
U.S.C. Sec. Sec. 3729-3733; the Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act, 31
U.S.C. Sec. Sec. 3801-3812; Contract Disputes Act, 41 U.S.C.
Sec. Sec. 7101-7109; or the common law theories of breach of contract,
payment by mistake, unjust enrichment, and fraud.
3. Except as set forth in Paragraph 1 (concerning Relator's claims
under 31 U.S.C. Sec. 3730(d)), and subject to the exceptions in
Paragraph 4 below, and conditioned upon Hanjin's full payment of the
FCA Settlement Amount, Relator, on behalf of: (a) his respective heirs,
successors, assigns, agents and attorneys; and (b) his companies
([REDACTED], together with their direct and indirect subsidiaries,
brother or sister corporations, divisions, current or former corporate
owners, and the corporate successors and assigns of any of them);
hereby fully and finally releases, waives, and forever discharges
Hanjin, together with its direct and indirect subsidiaries, brother or
sister corporations, divisions, current or former corporate owners, and
the corporate successors and assigns of any of them, from: (i) any
civil monetary claim Relator has on behalf of the United States for the
Covered Conduct under the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. Sec. Sec. 3729-
3733; (ii) any claims or allegations Relator has asserted or could have
asserted against Hanjin arising from the Covered Conduct; and (iii) all
liability, claims, demands, actions or causes of action whatsoever,
whether known or unknown, fixed or contingent, in law or in equity, in
contract or in tort, under any federal, Korean, or state statute or
regulation or otherwise, or in common law, including claims for
attorneys' fees, costs, and expenses of every kind and however
denominated, that Relator would have standing to bring or which Relator
may now have or claim to have against Hanjin and/or its direct and
indirect subsidiaries, brother or sister corporations, divisions,
current or former corporate owners, and the corporate successors and
assigns of any of them.
4. Notwithstanding the releases given in paragraphs 2 and 3 of this
Agreement, or any other term of this Agreement, the following claims of
the United States are specifically reserved and are not released:
a. Any liability arising under Title 26, U.S. Code (Internal
Revenue Code);
b. Any criminal liability, except to the extent detailed in the
Plea Agreement;
c. Except as explicitly stated in this Agreement, any
administrative liability, including the suspension and debarment rights
of any federal agency;
d. Any liability to the United States (or its agencies) for any
conduct other than the Covered Conduct;
e. Any liability based upon obligations created by this Agreement;
f. Any liability of individuals;
g. Any liability for express or implied warranty claims or other
claims for defective or deficient products or services, including
quality of goods and services;
h. Any liability for failure to deliver goods or services due; and
i. Any liability for personal injury or property damage or for
other consequential damages arising from the Covered Conduct.
5. Relator and his heirs, successors, attorneys, agents, and
assigns shall not object to this Agreement but agree and confirm that
this Agreement is fair, adequate, and reasonable under all the
circumstances, pursuant to 31 U.S.C. Sec. 3730(c)(2)(B). In connection
with this Agreement and this Civil FCA Action, Relator, on behalf of
himself and his heirs, successors, attorneys, agents, and assigns,
agrees that neither this Agreement, nor any intervention by the United
States in the Civil FCA Action in order to dismiss the Civil FCA
Action, nor any dismissal of the Civil FCA Action, shall waive or
otherwise affect the ability of the United States to contend that
provisions in the False Claims Act, including 31 U.S.C. Sec.
3730(d)(3), bar Relator from sharing in the proceeds of this Agreement,
except that the United States will not contend that Relator is barred
from sharing in the proceeds of this Agreement pursuant to 31 U.S.C.
Sec. 3730(e)(4). Moreover, the United States and Relator, on behalf of
[[Page 60317]]
himself and his heirs, successors, attorneys, agents, and assigns agree
that they each retain all of their rights pursuant to the False Claims
Act on the issue of the share percentage, if any, that Relator should
receive of any proceeds of the settlement of his claims, and that no
agreements concerning Relator share have been reached to date.
6. Hanjin waives and shall not assert any defenses Hanjin may have
to any criminal prosecution or administrative action relating to the
Covered Conduct that may be based in whole or in part on a contention
that, under the Double Jeopardy Clause in the Fifth Amendment of the
Constitution, or under the Excessive Fines Clause in the Eighth
Amendment of the Constitution, this Agreement bars a remedy sought in
such criminal prosecution or administrative action.
7. Hanjin fully and finally releases the United States, its
agencies, officers, agents, employees, and servants, from any claims
(including attorney's fees, costs, and expenses of every kind and
however denominated) that Hanjin has asserted, could have asserted, or
may assert in the future against the United States, its agencies,
officers, agents, employees, and servants, related to the Covered
Conduct and the United States' investigation and prosecution thereof.
8. Hanjin, together with its direct and indirect subsidiaries,
brother or sister corporations, divisions, current or former corporate
owners, and the corporate successors and assigns of any of them, hereby
fully and finally releases, waives, and forever discharges the Relator,
together with his respective heirs, successors, assigns, agents and
attorneys, and his companies ([REDACTED]) from any claims or
allegations Hanjin has asserted or could have asserted, arising from
the Covered Conduct, and from all liability, claims, demands, actions
or causes of action whatsoever, whether known or unknown, fixed or
contingent, in law or in equity, in contract or in tort, under any
federal, Korean, or state statute or regulation or otherwise, or in
common law, including claims for attorneys' fees, costs, and expenses
of every kind and however denominated, that it would have standing to
bring or which Hanjin may now have or claim to have against Relator and
his heirs, successors, assigns, agents, and attorneys. Relator hereby
represents that neither he nor his companies, [REDACTED], performed
business with Hanjin.
9. a. Unallowable Costs Defined: All costs (as defined in the
Federal Acquisition Regulation, 48 C.F.R. Sec. 31.205-47) incurred by
or on behalf of Hanjin, and its present or former officers, directors,
employees, shareholders, and agents in connection with:
(1) the matters covered by this Agreement, any related plea
agreement, and any related civil antitrust agreement;
(2) the United States' audit(s) and civil and any criminal
investigation(s) of the matters covered by this Agreement;
(3) Hanjin's investigation, defense, and corrective actions
undertaken in response to the United States' audit(s) and civil and any
criminal investigation(s) in connection with the matters covered by
this Agreement (including attorney's fees);
(4) the negotiation and performance of this Agreement, any related
plea agreement, and any related civil antitrust agreement;
(5) the payment Hanjin makes to the United States pursuant to this
Agreement and any payments that Hanjin may make to Relator, including
costs and attorneys' fees,
are unallowable costs for government contracting purposes (hereinafter
referred to as Unallowable Costs).
b. Future Treatment of Unallowable Costs: Unallowable Costs will be
separately determined and accounted for by Hanjin, and Hanjin shall not
charge such Unallowable Costs directly or indirectly to any contract
with the United States.
c. Treatment of Unallowable Costs Previously Submitted for Payment:
Within 90 days of the Effective Date of this Agreement, Hanjin shall
identify and repay by adjustment to future claims for payment or
otherwise any Unallowable Costs included in payments previously sought
by Hanjin or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates from the United
States. Hanjin agrees that the United States, at a minimum, shall be
entitled to recoup from Hanjin any overpayment plus applicable interest
and penalties as a result of the inclusion of such Unallowable Costs on
previously-submitted requests for payment. The United States, including
the Department of Justice and/or the affected agencies, reserves its
rights to audit, examine, or re-examine Hanjin's books and records and
to disagree with any calculations submitted by Hanjin or any of its
subsidiaries or affiliates regarding any Unallowable Costs included in
payments previously sought by Hanjin, or the effect of any such
Unallowable Costs on the amount of such payments.
10. Hanjin agrees to cooperate fully and truthfully with the United
States in connection with the Civil FCA Action. Hanjin's ongoing, full,
and truthful cooperation shall include, but not be limited to:
a. upon request by the United States with reasonable notice,
producing at the offices of counsel for the United States in
Washington, D.C. and not at the expense of the United States, complete
and un-redacted copies of all non-privileged documents related to the
Covered Conduct wherever located in Hanjin's possession, custody, or
control, including but not limited to, reports, memoranda of
interviews, and records concerning any investigation of the Covered
Conduct that Hanjin has undertaken, or that has been performed by
another on Hanjin's behalf;
b. upon request by the United States with reasonable notice, making
current Hanjin directors, officers, and employees available for
interviews, consistent with the rights and privileges of such
individuals, by counsel for the United States and/or their
investigative agents, not at the expense of the United States, in the
United States or Hong Kong, unless another place is mutually agreed
upon;
c. upon request by the United States with reasonable notice, (i)
using best efforts to assist in locating former Hanjin directors,
officers, and employees identified by attorneys and/or investigative
agents of the United States, and (ii) using best efforts to make any
such former Hanjin directors, officers, and employees available for
interviews, consistent with the rights and privileges of such
individuals, by counsel for the United States and/or their
investigative agents, not at the expense of the United States, in the
United States or Hong Kong, unless another place is mutually agreed
upon; and
d. upon request by the United States with reasonable notice, making
current Hanjin directors, officers, and employees available, and using
best efforts to make former Hanjin directors, officers, employees
available, to testify, consistent with the rights and privileges of
such individuals, fully, truthfully, and under oath, without falsely
implicating any person or withholding any information, (i) at
depositions in the United States, Hong Kong, or any other mutually
agreed upon place, (ii) at trial in the United States, and (iii) at any
other judicial proceedings wherever located related to the Civil FCA
Action.
11. This Agreement is intended to be for the benefit of the Parties
only.
12. Upon receipt of the payment of the FCA Settlement Amount
described in Paragraph 1 above, the United States and Relator shall
promptly sign and file a Joint Stipulation of Dismissal, with
prejudice, of the claims filed against
[[Page 60318]]
Hanjin in the Civil FCA Action, pursuant to Rule 41(a)(1) ), which
dismissal shall be conditioned on the Court retaining jurisdiction over
Relator's claims to a relator's share and recovery of attorneys' fees
and costs pursuant to 31 U.S.C. Sec. 3730(d).
13. Except with respect to payment (if any) by Hanjin of Relator's
attorneys' fees, expenses, and costs pursuant to 31 U.S.C. Sec.
3730(d), each Party shall bear its own legal and other costs incurred
in connection with this matter. The Parties agree that Relator and
Hanjin will not seek to recover from the United States any costs or
fees related to the preparation and performance of this Agreement.
14. Each party and signatory to this Agreement represents that it
freely and voluntarily enters in to this Agreement without any degree
of duress or compulsion.
15. This Agreement is governed by the laws of the United States.
The exclusive jurisdiction and venue for any dispute relating to this
Agreement is the United States District Court for the Southern District
of Ohio. Hanjin agrees that the United States District Court for the
Southern District of Ohio has jurisdiction over it for purposes of the
Civil FCA Action. For purposes of construing this Agreement, this
Agreement shall be deemed to have been drafted by all Parties to this
Agreement and shall not, therefore, be construed against any Party for
that reason in any subsequent dispute.
16. This Agreement constitutes the complete agreement between the
Parties on the subject matters addressed herein. This Agreement may not
be amended except by written consent of the Parties.
17. The undersigned counsel represent and warrant that they are
fully authorized to execute this Agreement on behalf of the persons and
entities indicated below.
18. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which
constitutes an original and all of which constitute one and the same
Agreement.
19. This Agreement is binding on Hanjin's successors, transferees,
heirs, and assigns.
20. This Agreement is binding on Relator's successors, transferees,
heirs, and assigns.
21. All parties consent to the United States' disclosure of this
Agreement, and information about this Agreement, to the public, as
permitted by order of the Court. This Agreement shall not be released
in un-redacted form until the Court unseals the entire Civil FCA
Action.
22. This Agreement is effective on the date of signature of the
last signatory to the Agreement (Effective Date of this Agreement).
Facsimiles of signatures shall constitute acceptable, binding
signatures for purposes of this Agreement.
The United States of America
Dated:-----------------------------------------------------------------
By:--------------------------------------------------------------------
Andrew A. Steinberg,
Trial Attorney, Commercial Litigation Branch, Civil Division, U.S.
Department of Justice
Dated:-----------------------------------------------------------------
By:--------------------------------------------------------------------
Mark T. D'Alessandro
Civil Chief
Andrew Malek
Assistant United States Attorney, U.S. Attorney's Office for the
Southern District of Ohio
Hanjin Transportation Co., Ltd.--Defendant
Dated:-----------------------------------------------------------------
By:--------------------------------------------------------------------
Authorized Representative of Hanjin Transportation Co., Ltd.
Dated:-----------------------------------------------------------------
By:--------------------------------------------------------------------
William H. Stallings
Counsel for Hanjin Transportation Co., Ltd.
Dated:-----------------------------------------------------------------
By:--------------------------------------------------------------------
Kelly B. Kramer
Counsel for Hanjin Transportation Co., Ltd.
[Redacted]--Relator
Dated:-----------------------------------------------------------------
By:--------------------------------------------------------------------
[Redacted]
Dated:-----------------------------------------------------------------
By:--------------------------------------------------------------------
Eric Havian
Constantine Cannon LLP, Counsel for Relator
United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio Eastern
Division
United States of America, Plaintiff, v. SK Energy Co., Ltd.
Defendant.
Case No. 2:18-cv-01456-ALM-CMV
PROPOSED FINAL JUDGMENT AS TO DEFENDANT SK ENERGY CO., LTD.
WHEREAS Plaintiff, United States of America, filed its Complaint on
November 14, 2018, the United States and Defendant SK Energy Co., Ltd.
(``SK Energy''), by their respective attorneys, have consented to the
entry of this Final Judgment without trial or adjudication of any issue
of fact or law;
WHEREAS, on such date as may be determined by the Court, SK Energy
will plead guilty pursuant to Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(c)(1)(C) (the ``Plea
Agreement'') to an Information to be filed in United States v. SK
Energy Co., Ltd. [to be assigned] (S.D.Ohio) (the ``Criminal Action'')
that will allege a violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.
C. Sec. 1, relating to the same events giving rise to the allegations
described in the Complaint;
WHEREAS, this Final Judgment does not constitute any evidence
against or admission by any party regarding any issue of fact or law;
NOW, THEREFORE, before the taking of any testimony and without
trial or final adjudication of any issue of fact or law herein, and
upon consent of the parties hereto, it is hereby ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND
DECREED:
I. JURISDICTION
This Court has jurisdiction of the subject matter of this action
and each of the parties consenting hereto. The Complaint states a claim
upon which relief may be granted to the United States against SK Energy
under Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 1.
II. APPLICABILITY
This Final Judgment applies to SK Energy, as defined above, and all
other persons in active concert or participation with any of them who
receive actual notice of this Final Judgment by personal service or
otherwise.
III. PAYMENT
SK Energy shall pay to the United States within ten (10) business
days of the entry of this Final Judgment the amount of ninety million,
three hundred eighty-four thousand, eight hundred and seventy-two
dollars ($90,384,872), less the amount paid (excluding any interest)
pursuant to the settlement agreement attached hereto as Attachment 1,
to satisfy all civil antitrust claims alleged against SK Energy by the
United States in the Complaint. Payment of the amount ordered hereby
shall be made by wire transfer of funds or cashier's check. If the
payment is made by wire transfer, SK Energy shall contact Janie Ingalls
of the Antitrust Division's Antitrust Documents Group at (202) 514-2481
for instructions before making the transfer. If the payment is made by
cashier's check, the check shall be made payable to the United States
Department of Justice and delivered to: Janie Ingalls, United States
Department of Justice Antitrust Division, Antitrust Documents Group,
450 5th Street, NW, Suite 1024, Washington, D.C. 20530. In the event of
a default in payment, interest at the rate of eighteen (18) percent per
annum shall accrue thereon from the date of default to the date of
payment.
[[Page 60319]]
IV. COOPERATION
SK Energy shall cooperate fully with the United States regarding
any matter about which SK Energy has knowledge or information relating
to any ongoing civil investigation, litigation, or other proceeding
arising out of any ongoing federal investigation of the subject matter
discussed in the Complaint (hereinafter, any such investigation,
litigation, or proceeding shall be referred to as a ``Civil Federal
Proceeding'').
The United States agrees that any cooperation provided in
connection with the Plea Agreement and/or pursuant to the settlement
agreement attached hereto as Attachment 1 will be considered
cooperation for purposes of this Final Judgment, and the United States
will use its reasonable best efforts, where appropriate, to coordinate
any requests for cooperation in connection with the Civil Federal
Proceeding with requests for cooperation in connection with the Plea
Agreement and the settlement agreement attached hereto as Attachment 1,
so as to avoid unnecessary duplication and expense.
SK Energy's cooperation shall include, but not be limited to, the
following:
(a) Upon request, completely and truthfully disclosing and
producing, to the offices of the United States and at no expense to the
United States, copies of all non-privileged information, documents,
materials, and records in its possession (and for any foreign-language
information, documents, materials, or records, copies must be produced
with an English translation), regardless of their geographic location,
about which the United States may inquire in connection with any Civil
Federal Proceeding, including but not limited to all information about
activities of SK Energy and present and former officers, directors,
employees, and agents of SK Energy;
(b) Making available in the United States, at no expense to the
United States, its present officers, directors, employees, and agents
to provide information and/or testimony as requested by the United
States in connection with any Civil Federal Proceeding, including the
provision of testimony in trial and other judicial proceedings, as well
as interviews with law enforcement authorities, consistent with the
rights and privileges of those individuals;
(c) Using its best efforts to make available in the United States,
at no expense to the United States, its former officers, directors,
employees, and agents to provide information and/or testimony as
requested by the United States in connection with any Civil Federal
Proceeding, including the provision of testimony in trial and other
judicial proceedings, as well as interviews with law enforcement
authorities, consistent with the rights and privileges of those
individuals;
(d) Providing testimony or information necessary to identify or
establish the original location, authenticity, or other basis for
admission into evidence of documents or physical evidence produced by
SK Energy in any Civil Federal Proceeding as requested by the United
States; and
(e) Completely and truthfully responding to all other inquiries of
the United States in connection with any Civil Federal Proceeding.
However, notwithstanding any provision of this Final Judgment, SK
Energy is not required to: (1) request of its current or former
officers, directors, employees, or agents that they forgo seeking the
advice of an attorney nor that they act contrary to that advice; (2)
take any action against its officers, directors, employees, or agents
for following their attorney's advice; or (3) waive any claim of
privilege or work product protection.
The obligations of SK Energy to cooperate fully with the United
States as described in this Section shall cease upon the conclusion of
all Civil Federal Proceedings (which may include Civil Federal
Proceedings related to the conduct of third parties), including
exhaustion of all appeals or expiration of time for all appeals of any
Court ruling in each such Civil Federal Proceeding, at which point the
United States will provide written notice to SK Energy that its
obligations under this Section have expired.
V. ANTITRUST COMPLIANCE PROGRAM
A. Within thirty (30) days after entry of this Final Judgment, SK
Energy shall appoint an Antitrust Compliance Officer and identify to
the United States his or her name, business address, telephone number,
and email address. Within forty-five (45) days of a vacancy in the
Antitrust Compliance Officer position, SK Energy shall appoint a
replacement, and shall identify to the United States the Antitrust
Compliance Officer's name, business address, telephone number, and
email address. SK Energy's initial or replacement appointment of an
Antitrust Compliance Officer is subject to the approval of the United
States, in its sole discretion.
B. The Antitrust Compliance Officer shall institute an antitrust
compliance program for the company's employees and directors with
responsibility for bidding for any contract with the United States. The
antitrust compliance program shall provide at least two hours of
training annually on the antitrust laws of the United States, such
training to be delivered by an attorney with relevant experience in the
field of United States antitrust law.
C. Each Antitrust Compliance Officer shall obtain, within six
months after entry of this Final Judgment, and on an annual basis
thereafter, on or before each anniversary of the entry of this Final
Judgment, from each person subject to Paragraph V.B of this Final
Judgment, and thereafter maintaining, a certification that each such
person has received the required two hours of annual antitrust
training.
D. Each Antitrust Compliance Officer shall communicate annually to
all employees that they may disclose to the Antitrust Compliance
Officer, without reprisal, information concerning any potential
violation of the United States antitrust laws.
E. Each Antitrust Compliance Offer shall provide to the United
States within six months after entry of this Final Judgment, and on an
annual basis thereafter, on or before each anniversary of the entry of
this Final Judgment, a written statement as to the fact and manner of
SK Energy's compliance with Section V of this Final Judgment.
VI. RETENTION OF JURISDICTION
This Court retains jurisdiction to enable any of the parties to
this Final Judgment to apply to this Court at any time for further
orders and directions as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out
or construe this Final Judgment, to modify or terminate any of its
provisions, to enforce compliance, and to punish violations of its
provisions.
VII. ENFORCEMENT OF FINAL JUDGMENT
A. The United States retains and reserves all rights to enforce the
provisions of this Final Judgment, including the right to seek an order
of contempt from the Court. SK Energy agrees that in any civil contempt
action, any motion to show cause, or any similar action brought by the
United States regarding an alleged violation of this Final Judgment,
the United States may establish a violation of the decree and the
appropriateness of any remedy therefor by a preponderance of the
evidence, and SK Energy waives any argument that a different standard
of proof should apply.
B. The Final Judgment should be interpreted to give full effect to
the
[[Page 60320]]
procompetitive purposes of the antitrust laws and to restore all
competition the United States alleged was harmed by the challenged
conduct. SK Energy agrees that they may be held in contempt of, and
that the Court may enforce, any provision of this Final Judgment that,
as interpreted by the Court in light of these procompetitive principles
and applying ordinary tools of interpretation, is stated specifically
and in reasonable detail, whether or not it is clear and unambiguous on
its face. In any such interpretation, the terms of this Final Judgment
should not be construed against either party as the drafter.
C. In any enforcement proceeding in which the Court finds that SK
Energy has violated this Final Judgment, the United States may apply to
the Court for a one-time extension of this Final Judgment, together
with such other relief as may be appropriate. In connection with any
successful effort by the United States to enforce this Final Judgment
against SK Energy, whether litigated or resolved prior to litigation,
SK Energy agrees to reimburse the United States for the fees and
expenses of its attorneys, as well as any other costs including
experts' fees, incurred in connection with that enforcement effort,
including in the investigation of the potential violation.
VIII. EXPIRATION OF FINAL JUDGMENT
Unless this Court grants an extension, this Final Judgment shall
expire seven (7) years from the date of its entry, except that after
five (5) years from the date of its entry, this Final Judgment may be
terminated upon notice by the United States to the Court and SK Energy
that the continuation of the Final Judgment no longer is necessary or
in the public interest.
IX. PUBLIC INTEREST DETERMINATION
Entry of this Final Judgment is in the public interest. The parties
have complied with the requirements of the Antitrust Procedures and
Penalties Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 16, including making copies available to
the public of this Final Judgment, the Competitive Impact Statement,
and any comments thereon and the United States' responses to comments.
Based upon the record before the Court, which includes the Competitive
Impact Statement and any comments and response to comments filed with
the Court, entry of this Final Judgment is in the public interest.
Dated:-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
United States District Judge
ATTACHMENT 1
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT
This Settlement Agreement (Agreement) is entered into among the
United States of America, acting through the Civil Division of the
United States Department of Justice and the United States Attorney's
Office for the Southern District of Ohio, on behalf of the Defense
Logistics Agency (DLA) and the Army and Air Force Exchange Service
(AAFES) (collectively the ``United States''), SK Energy Co., Ltd. (SK
Energy), and Relator [REDACTED] (hereafter collectively referred to as
``the Parties''), through their authorized representatives.
RECITALS
A. SK Energy is a South Korea-based energy company that produces
various petroleum products that it sells to South Korean and
international customers, including the United States Department of
Defense (DoD).
B. On February 28, 2018, Relator, a resident and citizen of South
Korea, filed a qui tam action in the United States District Court for
the Southern District of Ohio captioned United States ex rel.
[REDACTED] v. GS Caltex, et al., Civil Action No. [REDACTED], pursuant
to the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. Sec.
3730(b) (the Civil FCA Action). Relator contends that SK Energy
conspired with other South Korean entities to rig bids on DoD contracts
to supply fuel to U.S. military bases throughout South Korea beginning
in 2005 and continuing until 2016, including DLA Post, Camps, and
Stations (PC&S) contracts executed in 2006, 2009, and 2013, and AAFES
contracts executed in 2008.
C. On such date as may be determined by the Court, SK Energy will
plead guilty pursuant to Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(c)(1)(C) (the ``Plea
Agreement'') to an Information to be filed in United States v. SK
Energy Co., Ltd., Criminal Action No. [to be assigned] (S.D. Ohio) (the
``Criminal Action'') that will allege that SK Energy participated in a
combination and conspiracy beginning at least in or around March 2005
and continuing until at least in or around October 2016, to suppress
and eliminate competition on certain contracts solicited by the DoD to
supply fuel to numerous U.S. Army, Navy, Marine, and Air Force
installations in Korea, including PC&S contracts and the 2008 AAFES
contract, in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 1.
D. SK Energy will execute a Stipulation with the Antitrust Division
of the United States Department of Justice in which SK Energy will
consent to the entry of a Final Judgment to be filed in United States
v. SK Energy Co., Ltd., Civil Action No. [to be assigned] (S.D. Ohio)
(the Civil Antitrust Action) that will settle any and all civil
antitrust claims of the United States against SK Energy arising from
any act or offense committed before the date of the Stipulation that
was undertaken in furtherance of an attempted or completed antitrust
conspiracy involving PC&S and/or AAFES fuel supply contracts with the
U.S. military in South Korea during the period 2005 through 2016.
E. The United States contends that it has certain civil claims
against SK Energy arising from the conduct described in the Plea
Agreement in the Criminal Action and in the Stipulation in the Civil
Antitrust Action, as well as the conduct, actions, and claims alleged
by Relator in the Civil FCA Action. The conduct referenced in this
Paragraph is referred to below as the Covered Conduct.
F. With the exception of any admissions that are made by SK Energy
in connection with the Plea Agreement in the Criminal Action, this
Settlement Agreement is neither an admission of liability by SK Energy
nor a concession by the United States that its claims are not well
founded.
G. Relator claims entitlement under 31 U.S.C. Sec. 3730(d) to a
share of the proceeds of this Settlement Agreement and to Relator's
reasonable expenses, attorneys' fees and costs.
To avoid the delay, uncertainty, inconvenience, and expense of
protracted litigation of the above claims, and in consideration of the
mutual promises and obligations of this Settlement Agreement, the
Parties agree and covenant as follows:
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1.a. SK Energy agrees to pay to the United States $71,866,000 (FCA
Settlement Amount), of which $47,910,887 is restitution, by electronic
funds transfer no later than thirteen (13) business days after the
Effective Date of this Agreement pursuant to written instructions to be
provided by the Civil Division of the Department of Justice. Relator
claims entitlement under 31 U.S.C. Sec. 3730(d) to Relator's
reasonable expenses, attorneys' fees and costs. The FCA Settlement
Amount does not include the Relator's fees and costs, and SK Energy
acknowledges that Relator retains all rights to recover such expenses,
attorneys' fees, and costs from SK Energy pursuant to 31 U.S.C. Sec.
3730(d).
1.b. If SK Energy's Plea Agreement in the Criminal Action is not
accepted by
[[Page 60321]]
the Court or the Court does not enter a Final Judgment in the Civil
Antitrust Action, this Agreement shall be null and void at the option
of either the United States or SK Energy. If either the United States
or SK Energy exercises this option, which option shall be exercised by
notifying all Parties, through counsel, in writing within five (5)
business days of the Court's decision, the Parties will not object and
this Agreement will be rescinded and the FCA Settlement Amount shall be
returned to SK Energy. If this Agreement is rescinded, SK Energy will
not plead, argue or otherwise raise any defenses under the theories of
statute of limitations, laches, estoppel or similar theories, to any
civil or administrative claims, actions or proceedings arising from the
Covered Conduct that are brought by the United States within ninety
(90) calendar days of rescission, except to the extent such defenses
were available on the day on which Relator's qui tam complaint in the
Civil FCA Action was filed.
2. Subject to the exceptions in Paragraph 4 (concerning excluded
claims) below, and conditioned upon SK Energy's full payment of the FCA
Settlement Amount, the United States releases SK Energy together with
its current and former parent corporations; direct and indirect
subsidiaries; brother or sister corporations; divisions; current or
former corporate owners; and the corporate successors and assigns of
any of them (the ``SK Energy Released Parties'') from any civil or
administrative monetary claim the United States has for the Covered
Conduct under the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. Sec. Sec. 3729-3733; the
Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act, 31 U.S.C. Sec. Sec. 3801-3812;
Contract Disputes Act, 41 U.S.C. Sec. Sec. 7101-7109; or the common
law theories of breach of contract, payment by mistake, unjust
enrichment, and fraud.
3. Except as set forth in Paragraph 1 (concerning Relator's claims
under 31 U.S.C. Sec. 3730(d)), and conditioned upon SK Energy's full
payment of the FCA Settlement Amount, Relator, for himself and for his
heirs, successors, attorneys, agents, and assigns, releases the SK
Energy Released Parties from (a) any civil monetary claim the Relator
has or may have for the claims set forth in the Civil FCA Action, the
Civil Antitrust Action, the Criminal Action, and the Covered Conduct
under the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. Sec. Sec. 3729-3733, up until
the date of this Agreement; and (b) all liability, claims, demands,
actions, or causes of action whatsoever, whether known or unknown,
fixed or contingent, in law or in equity, in contract or in tort, under
any federal, state, or Korean statute, law, regulation or doctrine,
that Relator, his heirs, successors, attorneys, agents, and assigns
otherwise has brought or would have standing to bring as of the date of
this Agreement, including any liability to Relator arising from or
relating to the claims Relator asserted or could have asserted in the
Civil FCA Action, up until the date of this Agreement. Relator further
represents he does not know of any conduct by the SK Energy Released
Parties or any current or former owners, officers, directors, trustees,
shareholders, employees, executives, agents, or affiliates of the SK
Energy Released Parties that would constitute a violation of the False
Claims Act other than the claims set forth in the Civil FCA Action and
the Covered Conduct, and Relator acknowledges and agrees that his
representations are a material inducement to SK Energy's willingness to
enter into this Agreement.
4. Notwithstanding the releases given in paragraphs 2 and 3 of this
Agreement, or any other term of this Agreement, the following claims of
the United States are specifically reserved and are not released:
a. Any liability arising under Title 26, U.S. Code (Internal
Revenue Code);
b. Any criminal liability, except to the extent detailed in the
Plea Agreement;
c. Except as explicitly stated in this Agreement, any
administrative liability, including the suspension and debarment rights
of any federal agency;
d. Any liability to the United States (or its agencies) for any
conduct other than the Covered Conduct;
e. Any liability based upon obligations created by this Agreement;
f. Any liability of individuals;
g. Any liability for express or implied warranty claims or other
claims for defective or deficient products or services, including
quality of goods and services;
h. Any liability for failure to deliver goods or services due; and
i. Any liability for personal injury or property damage or for
other consequential damages arising from the Covered Conduct.
5. Relator and his heirs, successors, attorneys, agents, and
assigns shall not object to this Agreement but agree and confirm that
this Agreement is fair, adequate, and reasonable under all the
circumstances, pursuant to 31 U.S.C. Sec. 3730(c)(2)(B). The
determination of Relator's share, if any, of the FCA Settlement Amount
pursuant to 31 U.S.C. Sec. 3730(d) is a matter that shall be handled
separately by and between the Relator and the United States, without
any direct involvement or input from SK Energy. In connection with this
Agreement and this Civil FCA Action, Relator, on behalf of himself and
his heirs, successors, attorneys, agents, and assigns agrees that
neither this Agreement, nor any intervention by the United States in
the Civil FCA Action in order to dismiss the Civil FCA Action, nor any
dismissal of the Civil FCA Action, shall waive or otherwise affect the
ability of the United States to contend that provisions in the False
Claims Act, including 31 U.S.C. Sec. 3730(d)(3), bar Relator from
sharing in the proceeds of this Agreement, except that the United
States will not contend that Relator is barred from sharing in the
proceeds of this Agreement pursuant to 31 U.S.C. Sec. 3730(e)(4).
Moreover, the United States and Relator, on behalf of himself and his
heirs, successors, attorneys, agents, and assigns agree that they each
retain all of their rights pursuant to the False Claims Act on the
issue of the share percentage, if any, that Relator should receive of
any proceeds of the settlement of his claims, and that no agreements
concerning Relator share have been reached to date.
6. SK Energy waives and shall not assert any defenses SK Energy may
have to any criminal prosecution or administrative action relating to
the Covered Conduct that may be based in whole or in part on a
contention that, under the Double Jeopardy Clause in the Fifth
Amendment of the Constitution, or under the Excessive Fines Clause in
the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, this Agreement bars a remedy
sought in such criminal prosecution or administrative action.
7. SK Energy fully and finally releases the United States, its
agencies, officers, agents, employees, and servants, from any claims
(including attorney's fees, costs, and expenses of every kind and
however denominated) that SK Energy has asserted, could have asserted,
or may assert in the future against the United States, its agencies,
officers, agents, employees, and servants, related to the Covered
Conduct and the United States' investigation and prosecution thereof.
8. Conditioned upon Relator's agreement herein, the SK Energy
Released Parties fully and finally release Relator his heirs,
successors, assigns, agents and attorneys (the ``Relator Released
Parties''), from (a) any civil monetary claim SK Energy has or may have
now or in the future against the Relator Released Parties related to
the claims set forth in the Civil FCA Action, the Civil Antitrust
Action, the Criminal Action, and the Covered Conduct under the False
Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. Sec. Sec. 3729-3733, and the Relator's
investigation and prosecution thereof, including
[[Page 60322]]
attorney's fees, costs, and expenses of every kind and however
denominated, up until the date of this Agreement; and (b) all
liability, claims, demands, actions, or causes of action whatsoever,
whether known or unknown, fixed or contingent, in law or in equity, in
contract or in tort, under any federal, state, or Korean statute, law,
regulation or doctrine, that the SK Energy Released Parties otherwise
have brought or would have standing to bring as of the date of this
Agreement, including any liability to SK Energy arising from or
relating to claims the SK Energy Released Parties asserted or could
have asserted related to the Civil FCA Action, up until the date of
this Agreement. The SK Energy Released Parties further acknowledge and
agree that these representations are a material inducement to Relator's
willingness to enter into this Agreement.
9.a. Unallowable Costs Defined: All costs (as defined in the
Federal Acquisition Regulation, 48 C.F.R. Sec. 31.205-47) incurred by
or on behalf of SK Energy, and its present or former officers,
directors, employees, shareholders, and agents in connection with:
(1) the matters covered by this Agreement, any related plea
agreement, and any related civil antitrust agreement;
(2) the United States' audit(s) and civil and any criminal
investigation(s) of the matters covered by this Agreement;
(3) SK Energy's investigation, defense, and corrective actions
undertaken in response to the United States' audit(s) and civil and any
criminal investigation(s) in connection with the matters covered by
this Agreement (including attorney's fees);
(4) the negotiation and performance of this Agreement, any related
plea agreement, and any related civil antitrust agreement;
(5) the payment SK Energy makes to the United States pursuant to
this Agreement and any payments that SK Energy may make to Relator,
including costs and attorneys' fees,
are unallowable costs for government contracting purposes (hereinafter
referred to as Unallowable Costs).
b. Future Treatment of Unallowable Costs: Unallowable Costs will be
separately determined and accounted for by SK Energy, and SK Energy
shall not charge such Unallowable Costs directly or indirectly to any
contract with the United States.
c. Treatment of Unallowable Costs Previously Submitted for Payment:
Within 90 days of the Effective Date of this Agreement, SK Energy shall
identify and repay by adjustment to future claims for payment or
otherwise any Unallowable Costs included in payments previously sought
by SK Energy or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates from the United
States. SK Energy agrees that the United States, at a minimum, shall be
entitled to recoup from SK Energy any overpayment plus applicable
interest and penalties as a result of the inclusion of such Unallowable
Costs on previously-submitted requests for payment. The United States,
including the Department of Justice and/or the affected agencies,
reserves its rights to audit, examine, or re-examine SK Energy's books
and records and to disagree with any calculations submitted by SK
Energy or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates regarding any
Unallowable Costs included in payments previously sought by SK Energy,
or the effect of any such Unallowable Costs on the amount of such
payments.
10. SK Energy agrees to cooperate fully and truthfully with the
United States in connection with the Civil FCA Action. The Civil
Division of the United States Department of Justice will use reasonable
best efforts, where appropriate, to coordinate any requests for
cooperation in connection with the Civil FCA Action with requests for
cooperation in connection with the Plea Agreement in the Criminal
Action and the Civil Antitrust Action, so as to avoid unnecessary
duplication and expense. SK Energy's ongoing, full, and truthful
cooperation shall include, but not be limited to:
a. upon request by the United States with reasonable notice,
producing at the offices of counsel for the United States in
Washington, D.C. and not at the expense of the United States, complete
and un-redacted copies of all non-privileged documents related to the
Covered Conduct wherever located in SK Energy's possession, custody, or
control, including but not limited to, reports, memoranda of
interviews, and records concerning any investigation of the Covered
Conduct that SK Energy has undertaken, or that has been performed by
another on SK Energy's behalf;
b. upon request by the United States with reasonable notice, making
current SK Energy directors, officers, and employees available for
interviews, consistent with the rights and privileges of such
individuals, by counsel for the United States and/or their
investigative agents, not at the expense of the United States, in the
United States or Hong Kong, unless another place is mutually agreed
upon;
c. upon request by the United States with reasonable notice, (i)
using best efforts to assist in locating former SK Energy directors,
officers, and employees identified by attorneys and/or investigative
agents of the United States, and (ii) using best efforts to make any
such former SK Energy directors, officers, and employees available for
interviews, consistent with the rights and privileges of such
individuals, by counsel for the United States and/or their
investigative agents, not at the expense of the United States, in the
United States or Hong Kong, unless another place is mutually agreed
upon; and
d. upon request by the United States with reasonable notice, making
current SK Energy directors, officers, and employees available, and
using best efforts to make former SK Energy directors, officers,
employees available, to testify, consistent with the rights and
privileges of such individuals, fully, truthfully, and under oath,
without falsely implicating any person or withholding any information,
(i) at depositions in the United States, Hong Kong, or any other
mutually agreed upon place, (ii) at trial in the United States, and
(iii) at any other judicial proceedings wherever located related to the
Civil FCA Action.
11. This Agreement is intended to be for the benefit of the Parties
only.
12. Upon receipt of the payment of the FCA Settlement Amount
described in Paragraph 1 above, the Court's acceptance of SK Energy's
Plea Agreement in the Criminal Action, and the Court's entry of a Final
Judgment in the Civil Antitrust Action, the United States and Relator
shall promptly sign and file a Joint Stipulation of Dismissal, with
prejudice, of the claims filed against SK Energy in the Civil FCA
Action, pursuant to Rule 41(a)(1), which dismissal shall be conditioned
on the Court retaining jurisdiction over Relator's claims to a
relator's share and recovery of attorneys' fees and costs pursuant to
31 U.S.C. Sec. 3730(d).
13. Except with respect to the recovery of Relator's attorneys'
fees, expenses, and costs pursuant to 31 U.S.C. Sec. 3730(d), each
Party shall bear its own legal and other costs incurred in connection
with this matter. The Parties agree that Relator and SK Energy will not
seek to recover from the United States any costs or fees related to the
preparation and performance of this Agreement.
14. Each party and signatory to this Agreement represents that it
freely and voluntarily enters in to this Agreement without any degree
of duress or compulsion.
15. This Agreement is governed by the laws of the United States.
The exclusive
[[Page 60323]]
jurisdiction and venue for any dispute relating to this Agreement is
the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. SK
Energy agrees that the United States District Court for the Southern
District of Ohio has jurisdiction over it for purposes of this case.
For purposes of construing this Agreement, this Agreement shall be
deemed to have been drafted by all Parties to this Agreement and shall
not, therefore, be construed against any Party for that reason in any
subsequent dispute.
16. This Agreement constitutes the complete agreement between the
Parties on the subject matter addressed herein. This Agreement may not
be amended except by written consent of the Parties.
17. The undersigned counsel represent and warrant that they are
fully authorized to execute this Agreement on behalf of the persons and
entities indicated below.
18. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which
constitutes an original and all of which constitute one and the same
Agreement.
19. This Agreement is binding on SK Energy's successors,
transferees, heirs, and assigns.
20. This Agreement is binding on Relator's successors, transferees,
heirs, and assigns.
21. All parties consent to the United States' disclosure of this
Agreement, and information about this Agreement, to the public, as
permitted by order of the Court. This Agreement shall not be released
in un-redacted form until the Court unseals the entire Civil FCA
Action.
22. This Agreement is effective on the date of signature of the
last signatory to the Agreement (Effective Date of this Agreement).
Facsimiles of signatures shall constitute acceptable, binding
signatures for purposes of this Agreement.
The United States of America
Dated:-----------------------------------------------------------------
By:--------------------------------------------------------------------
Andrew A. Steinberg,
Trial Attorney, Commercial Litigation Branch, Civil Division, U.S.
Department of Justice
Dated:-----------------------------------------------------------------
By:--------------------------------------------------------------------
Mark T. D'Alessandro,
Civil Chief
Andrew Malek,
Assistant United States Attorney, U.S. Attorney's Office for the
Southern District of Ohio
SK Energy Co., Ltd.--Defendant
Dated:-----------------------------------------------------------------
By:--------------------------------------------------------------------
Myunghun Lee,
Authorized Representative of SK Energy, Co., Ltd.
Dated:-----------------------------------------------------------------
By:--------------------------------------------------------------------
Phillip H. Warren,
Counsel for SK Energy Co., Ltd.
[Redacted]--Relator
Dated:-----------------------------------------------------------------
By:--------------------------------------------------------------------
[Redacted]
Dated:-----------------------------------------------------------------
By:--------------------------------------------------------------------
Eric Havian,
Counsel for Relator
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO EASTERN
DIVISION
United States of America, Plaintiff, v. GS Caltex Corporation,
Hanjin Transportation Co., Ltd., and SK Energy Co., Ltd. Defendants.
Case No. 2:18-cv-01456-ALM-CMV
COMPETITIVE IMPACT STATEMENT
Plaintiff United States of America, pursuant to Section 2(b) of the
Antitrust Procedures and Penalties Act (``APPA'' or ``Tunney Act''), 15
U.S.C. Sec. 16(b)-(h), files this Competitive Impact Statement
relating to the proposed Final Judgments submitted for entry in this
civil antitrust proceeding.
I. NATURE AND PURPOSE OF THE PROCEEDING
On November 14, 2018, the United States filed a civil antitrust
complaint against Defendants GS Caltex Corporation (``GS Caltex''),
Hanjin Transportation Co., Ltd. (``Hanjin''), and SK Energy Co., Ltd.
(``SK Energy'') alleging that Defendants violated Section 1 of the
Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 1. From at least March 2005 and continuing
until at least October 2016 (``the Relevant Period''), Defendants and
their co-conspirators conspired to fix prices and rig bids for the
supply of fuel to the U.S. military for its operations in South Korea.
As a result of this illegal conduct, Defendants and their co-
conspirators overcharged American taxpayers by well over $100 million.
Defendants have agreed to plead guilty to an information charging a
criminal violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act for this unlawful
conduct; in this parallel civil action, the United States seeks
compensation for the injury it incurred as a result of the conspiracy.
At the same time the Complaint was filed, the United States also
filed agreed-upon proposed Final Judgments that would remedy the
violation by having GS Caltex, Hanjin, and SK Energy pay $57,500,000,
$6,182,000, and $90,384,872, respectively, to the United States. These
payments resolve all civil claims of the United States related to the
conduct described in the Complaint. The United States and Defendants
have stipulated that the proposed Final Judgments may be entered after
compliance with the APPA. Entry of the proposed Final Judgments would
terminate this action, except that the Court would retain jurisdiction
to construe, modify, or enforce the provisions of the proposed Final
Judgments and to punish violations thereof.
II. DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENTS GIVING RISE TO THE ALLEGED VIOLATION
A. Defendants
GS Caltex is an oil company headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. GS
Caltex is a joint venture between GS Energy, a South Korean
corporation, and Chevron Corp., a Delaware corporation, which each own
a 50 percent interest in GS Caltex. GS Caltex is engaged in the
refining and supply of gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and other petroleum
products for sale internationally. During the time of the conspiracy,
GS Caltex supplied fuel to U.S. military installations in South Korea.
Hanjin is a global transportation and logistics company based in
Seoul, South Korea. Hanjin is a member of Hanjin Group, a South Korean
conglomerate with U.S. subsidiaries, including Hanjin International
America. Beginning in 2009, Hanjin partnered with oil companies,
including a co-conspirator oil company (``Company A''), to supply fuel
to U.S. military installations in South Korea.
SK Energy is an oil company headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. SK
Energy is engaged in the refining and supply of gasoline, diesel,
kerosene, and other petroleum products for sale internationally. During
the time of the conspiracy, SK Energy supplied fuel to U.S. military
installations in South Korea.
Other persons, not named as defendants in this action, participated
as co-conspirators in the violation alleged in the Complaint and
performed acts and made statements in furtherance thereof. These co-
conspirators included, among others, a logistics firm (``Company B'')
and an oil company (``Company C'') that jointly supplied fuel to the
U.S. military.
B. PC&S and AAFES Contracts
The United States military procures fuel for its installations in
South Korea through competitive solicitation processes. Oil companies,
either independently or with a transportation company, submitted bids
in response to these solicitations.
[[Page 60324]]
The conduct at issue in this action relates to two types of
contracts to supply fuel to the U.S. military in South Korea: Post,
Camps, and Stations (``PC&S'') contracts and Army and Air Force
Exchange Services (``AAFES'') contracts.
PC&S contracts are issued and administered by the Defense Logistics
Agency (``DLA''), a combat support agency of the U.S. Department of
Defense. The fuel procured under PC&S contracts is used to power
military vehicles and heat U.S. military buildings. During the Relevant
Period, DLA issued PC&S solicitations listing the fuel requirements for
installations across South Korea, with each delivery location
identified by a separate line item. Bidders submitted initial bids,
offering a price for each line item on which they chose to bid. After
DLA reviewed the initial bids, bidders were allowed to submit revised
final bids. DLA reviewed the bids and awarded contracts to the bidders
offering the lowest price for each line item. Payments under the PC&S
contracts were wired to the awardees by a finance and accounting agency
of the U.S. Department of Defense from its office in Columbus, Ohio.
AAFES is an agency of the Department of Defense headquartered in
Dallas, Texas. AAFES operates official retail stores (known as
``exchanges'') on U.S. Army and Air Force installations worldwide,
which U.S. military personnel and their families use to purchase
everyday goods and services, including gasoline for use in their
personal vehicles. AAFES procures fuel for these stores via contracts
awarded through a competitive solicitation process.
In 2008, AAFES issued a solicitation that listed the fuel
requirements for installations in South Korea. Bidders submitted bids
offering a price for each line item in the solicitation. Unlike DLA,
AAFES awarded the entire 2008 contract to the bidder offering the
lowest price across all the listed locations.
C. The Alleged Violation
The Complaint alleges that Defendants and their co-conspirators
engaged in a series of meetings, telephone conversations, e-mails, and
other communications to rig bids and fix prices for the supply of fuel
to U.S. military installations in South Korea under several PC&S and
AAFES contracts.
First, the Complaint alleges that GS Caltex, SK Energy, and
Companies B and C conspired to rig bids and fix prices on the contracts
issued in response to DLA solicitations SP0600-05-R-0063 and SP0600-05-
R-0063-0001 (``2006 PC&S contracts''). The term of the 2006 PC&S
contracts covered the supply of fuel from February 2006 through July
2009.
The Complaint alleges that between early 2005 and mid-2006, GS
Caltex, SK Energy, and other conspirators met multiple times and
exchanged phone calls and e-mails to allocate the line items in the
solicitations for the 2006 PC&S contracts. Through such communications,
these conspirators agreed to inflate their bids to produce larger
profit margins. For each line item allocated to a different co-
conspirator, the other conspirators agreed not to bid or to bid high
enough to ensure that they would not win that item. DLA awarded the
2006 PC&S line items according to the allocations made by the
conspiracy.
Second, the Complaint alleges that, as part of their discussions
related to the 2006 PC&S contracts, GS Caltex and other conspirators
agreed not to compete with SK Energy in bidding for the June 2008 AAFES
solicitation (``2008 AAFES contract''). The initial term of the 2008
AAFES contract ran from July 2008 to July 2010; the contract was later
extended through July 2013.
Third, the Complaint alleges that Defendants and other co-
conspirators conspired to rig bids and fix prices for the contracts
issued in response to DLA solicitation SP0600-08-R-0233 (``2009 PC&S
contracts''). Hanjin and Company A joined the conspiracy for the
purpose of bidding on SP0600-08-R-0233. The term of the 2009 PC&S
contracts covered the supply of fuel from October 2009 through August
2013.
The Complaint explains that between late 2008 and mid-2009,
Defendants and other co-conspirators met multiple times and exchanged
phone calls and e-mails to allocate the line items in the solicitation
for the 2009 PC&S contracts. As in 2006, these conspirators agreed to
bid high so as to not win line items allocated to other co-
conspirators. The original conspirators agreed to allocate to Hanjin
and Company A certain line items that had previously been allocated to
the original conspirators.
Finally, the Complaint alleges that Defendants and other co-
conspirators once again conspired to rig bids and fix prices for the
contracts issued in response to DLA solicitation SP0600-12-R-0332
(``2013 PC&S contracts''). The term of the 2013 PC&S contracts covered
the supply of fuel from August 2013 through July 2016.
The Complaint explains that Defendants and other co-conspirators
communicated via phone calls and e-mails to allocate and set the price
for each line item in the solicitation for the 2013 PC&S contracts.
Defendants and other co-conspirators believed that they had an
agreement as to their bidding strategy and pricing for the 2013 PC&S
contracts. As a result of this agreement, they submitted bids with
pricing above what they would have offered absent collusion.
Hanjin and Company A submitted bids for the 2013 PC&S contracts
below the prices set by the other co-conspirators, however. Although
lower than the pricing agreed upon by the conspirators, Hanjin and
Company A still submitted bids above a competitive, non-collusive
price, knowing that they would likely win the contracts because the
other conspirators would bid even higher prices.
III. EXPLANATION OF THE PROPOSED FINAL JUDGMENTS
For violations of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, the United States
may seek damages, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 15a, and equitable relief, 15 U.S.C.
Sec. 4, including equitable monetary remedies. See United States v.
KeySpan Corp., 763 F. Supp. 2d 633, 638-641 (S.D.N.Y. 2011).
This action is also related to a qui tam action currently filed
under seal in the United States District Court for the Southern
District of Ohio, alleging a violation of the False Claims Act, 31
U.S.C. Sec. 3730, based on the same facts alleged in the Complaint.
A. Payment and Cooperation
The proposed Final Judgments require GS Caltex, Hanjin, and SK
Energy respectively to pay $57,500,000, $6,182,000, and $90,384,872 to
the United States within 10 business days of entry of the Final
Judgment. These payments will satisfy all civil claims arising from the
events described in Section II supra that the United States has against
the Defendants under Section 1 of the Sherman Act and under the False
Claims Act. The resolution of the United States' claims under the False
Claims Act is set forth in separate agreements reached between the
Defendants, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of
Ohio, and the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Division. See
Attachment 1 to each of the proposed Final Judgments.
As a result of the unlawful agreements in restraint of trade
between Defendants and their co-conspirators, the United States paid
more for the supply of fuel to U.S. military installations in South
Korea than it would have if the companies had engaged in fair and
honest competition. Defendants' payments under the proposed Final
[[Page 60325]]
Judgments fully compensate the United States for losses it suffered and
deprive Defendants of the illegitimate profits they gained as a result
of the collusive bidding. In addition to the payment of damages, the
proposed Final Judgments also require the Defendants to cooperate with
the United States regarding any ongoing civil investigation, trial, or
other proceeding related to the conduct described in the Complaint. To
assist with these proceedings, Defendants are required to provide all
non-privileged information in their possession, make available their
present employees, and use best efforts to make available their former
employees, for interviews or testimony, as requested by the United
States. This cooperation will help the United States pursue
compensation from co-conspirators not named in this action.
Under Section 4A of the Clayton Act, the United States is entitled
to treble damages for injuries it has suffered as a result of
violations of the Sherman Act. Under the proposed Final Judgments, each
Defendant will pay an amount that exceeds the overcharge but that
reflects the value of the cooperation commitments the Defendants have
made as a condition of settlement and the cost savings realized by
avoiding extended litigation.
The proposed Final Judgments also require each Defendant to appoint
an Antitrust Compliance Officer and to institute an antitrust
compliance program. Under the antitrust compliance program, employees
and directors of Defendants with responsibility for bidding on
contracts with the United States must undergo training and all
employees must be informed that there will no reprisal for disclosing
to the Antitrust Compliance Officer any potential violations of the
United States antitrust laws. The Antitrust Compliance Officer is
required annually to certify that Defendant is in compliance with this
requirement.
B. Enforcement of Final Judgments
The proposed Final Judgments contain provisions designed to promote
compliance and make the enforcement of Division consent decrees as
effective as possible. Paragraph VII(A) provides that the United States
retains and reserves all rights to enforce the provisions of the
proposed Final Judgments, including its rights to seek an order of
contempt from the Court. Defendants have agreed that in any civil
contempt action, any motion to show cause, or any similar action
brought by the United States regarding an alleged violation of the
Final Judgments, the United States may establish the violation and the
appropriateness of any remedy by a preponderance of the evidence and
that the Defendants have waived any argument that a different standard
of proof should apply. This provision aligns the standard for
compliance obligations with the standard of proof that applies to the
underlying offense that the compliance commitments address.
Paragraph VII(B) provides additional clarification regarding the
interpretation of the provisions of the proposed Final Judgments. The
proposed Final Judgments were drafted to restore all competition the
United States alleged was harmed by the Defendants' challenged conduct.
The Defendants agree that they will abide by the proposed Final
Judgments, and that they may be held in contempt of this Court for
failing to comply with any provision of the proposed Final Judgments
that is stated specifically and in reasonable detail, as interpreted in
light of this procompetitive purpose.
Paragraph VII(C) further provides that should the Court find in an
enforcement proceeding that a Defendant has violated the Final
Judgment, the United States may apply to the Court for a one-time
extension of the Final Judgment, together with such other relief as may
be appropriate. In addition, in order to compensate American taxpayers
for any costs associated with the investigation and enforcement of
violations of a proposed Final Judgment, Paragraph VII(C) provides that
in any successful effort by the United States to enforce a Final
Judgment against a Defendant, whether litigated or resolved before
litigation, Defendants agree to reimburse the United States for any
attorneys' fees, experts' fees, or costs incurred in connection with
any enforcement effort, including the investigation of the potential
violation.
Finally, Section VIII of the proposed Final Judgments provide that
each Final Judgment shall expire seven years from the date of its
entry, except that after five years from the date of its entry, a Final
Judgment may be terminated upon notice by the United States to the
Court and the Defendant that the continuation of that Final Judgment is
no longer necessary or in the public interest.
IV. REMEDIES AVAILABLE TO POTENTIAL PRIVATE LITIGANTS
Entry of the proposed Final Judgments will neither impair nor
assist the bringing of any private antitrust damages action. Under the
provisions of Section 5(a) of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 16(a),
the proposed Final Judgments have no prima facie effect in any
subsequent lawsuit that may be brought against Defendants.
V. PROCEDURES AVAILABLE FOR MODIFICATION OF THE PROPOSED FINAL
JUDGMENTS
The United States and Defendants have stipulated that the proposed
Final Judgments may be entered by the Court after compliance with the
provisions of the APPA, provided that the United States has not
withdrawn its consent. The APPA conditions entry upon the Court's
determination that the proposed Final Judgments are in the public
interest.
The APPA provides a period of at least sixty (60) days preceding
the effective date of the proposed Final Judgments within which any
person may submit to the United States written comments regarding a
proposed Final Judgment. Any person who wishes to comment should do so
within sixty (60) days of the date of publication of this Competitive
Impact Statement in the Federal Register, or the last date of
publication in a newspaper of the summary of this Competitive Impact
Statement, whichever is later. All comments received during this period
will be considered by the United States, which remains free to withdraw
its consent to a proposed Final Judgment at any time prior to the
Court's entry of judgment. The comments and the response of the United
States will be filed with the Court. In addition, comments will be
posted on the Antitrust Division's internet website and, in certain
circumstances, published in the Federal Register.
Written comments should be submitted by mail to:
Kathleen S. O'Neill, Chief, Transportation, Energy & Agriculture
Section, Antitrust Division, United States Department of Justice, 450
5th Street NW, Suite 8000, Washington, DC 20530
The proposed Final Judgments provide that the Court retains
jurisdiction over this action, and the parties may apply to the Court
for any necessary or appropriate modification, interpretation, or
enforcement of a Final Judgment.
VI. ALTERNATIVES TO THE PROPOSED FINAL JUDGMENTS
The United States considered, as an alternative to the proposed
Final Judgments, a full trial on the merits against Defendants. The
United States is satisfied, however, that the relief in the proposed
Final Judgments remedies the violation of the Sherman Act alleged in
the Complaint. The proposed Final
[[Page 60326]]
Judgments represent substantial monetary relief while avoiding the
time, expense, and uncertainty of a full trial on the merits. Further,
Defendants' agreements to cooperate with the civil investigation and
any potential litigation will enhance the ability of the United States
to obtain relief from the remaining conspirators.
VII. STANDARD OF REVIEW UNDER THE APPA FOR THE PROPOSED FINAL JUDGMENTS
The Clayton Act, as amended by the APPA, requires that proposed
consent judgments in antitrust cases brought by the United States be
subject to a 60-day comment period, after which the court shall
determine whether entry of the proposed Final Judgment ``is in the
public interest.'' 15 U.S.C. Sec. 16(e)(1). In making that
determination, the court, in accordance with the statute as amended in
2004, is required to consider:
(A) the competitive impact of such judgment, including termination
of alleged violations, provisions for enforcement and modification,
duration of relief sought, anticipated effects of alternative remedies
actually considered, whether its terms are ambiguous, and any other
competitive considerations bearing upon the adequacy of such judgment
that the court deems necessary to a determination of whether the
consent judgment is in the public interest; and
(B) the impact of entry of such judgment upon competition in the
relevant market or markets, upon the public generally and individuals
alleging specific injury from the violations set forth in the complaint
including consideration of the public benefit, if any, to be derived
from a determination of the issues at trial.
15 U.S.C. Sec. 16(e)(1)(A) & (B). In considering these statutory
factors, the court's inquiry is necessarily a limited one as the
government is entitled to ``broad discretion to settle with the
defendant within the reaches of the public interest.'' United States v.
Microsoft Corp., 56 F.3d 1448, 1461 (D.C. Cir. 1995); see generally
United States v. SBC Commc'ns, Inc., 489 F. Supp. 2d 1 (D.D.C. 2007)
(assessing public interest standard under the Tunney Act); United
States v. Hillsdale Cmty. Health Ctr., 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 162505, at
*3 (E.D. Mich. 2015) (explaining that the ``Court's review is limited''
in Tunney Act settlements); United States v. InBev N.V./S.A., No. 08-
1965 (JR), 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 84787, at *3 (D.D.C. Aug. 11, 2009)
(noting that the court's review of a consent judgment is limited and
only inquires ``into whether the government's determination that the
proposed remedies will cure the antitrust violations alleged in the
complaint was reasonable, and whether the mechanism to enforce the
final judgment are clear and manageable'').
Under the APPA a court considers, among other things, the
relationship between the remedy secured and the specific allegations in
the government's complaint, whether the decree is sufficiently clear,
whether its enforcement mechanisms are sufficient, and whether the
decree may positively harm third parties. See Microsoft, 56 F.3d at
1458-62; United States v. Medical Mut. of Ohio, 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS
21508, at *2-3 (N.D. Ohio 1998). With respect to the adequacy of the
relief secured by the decree, a court may not ``engage in an
unrestricted evaluation of what relief would best serve the public.''
United States v. BNS, Inc., 858 F.2d 456, 462 (9th Cir. 1988) (quoting
United States v. Bechtel Corp., 648 F.2d 660, 666 (9th Cir. 1981)); see
also Microsoft, 56 F.3d at 1460-62; United States v. Alcoa, Inc., 152
F. Supp. 2d 37, 40 (D.D.C. 2001); InBev, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 84787,
at *3. Instead:
[t]he balancing of competing social and political interests
affected by a proposed antitrust consent decree must be left, in the
first instance, to the discretion of the Attorney General. The court's
role in protecting the public interest is one of insuring that the
government has not breached its duty to the public in consenting to the
decree. The court is required to determine not whether a particular
decree is the one that will best serve society, but whether the
settlement is ``within the reaches of the public interest.'' More
elaborate requirements might undermine the effectiveness of antitrust
enforcement by consent decree.
Bechtel, 648 F.2d at 666 (emphasis added) (citations omitted).\1\
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\1\ See also BNS, 858 F.2d at 464 (holding that the court's
``ultimate authority under the [APPA] is limited to approving or
disapproving the consent decree''); United States v. Gillette Co.,
406 F. Supp. 713, 716 (D. Mass. 1975) (noting that, in this way, the
court is constrained to ``look at the overall picture not
hypercritically, nor with a microscope, but with an artist's
reducing glass'').
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In determining whether a proposed settlement is in the public
interest, a district court ``must accord deference to the government's
predictions about the efficacy of its remedies, and may not require
that the remedies perfectly match the alleged violations.'' SBC
Commc'ns, 489 F. Supp. 2d at 17; see also United States v. U.S. Airways
Group, Inc., 38 F. Supp. 3d 69, 74 (D.D.C. 2014) (noting that a court
should not reject the proposed remedies because it believes others are
preferable and that room must be made for the government to grant
concessions in the negotiation process for settlements); United States
v. Dairy Farmers of Am., Inc., 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 33230, at *3 (E.D.
Ky. 2007) (citing United States v. Microsoft, 231 F. Supp. 2d 144, 152
(D.D.C. 2002)) (noting that a court ``must accord deference to the
government's predictions as to the effect of the proposed remedies'');
United States v. Archer-Daniels-Midland Co., 272 F. Supp. 2d 1, 6
(D.D.C. 2003) (noting that the court should grant ``due respect to the
government's prediction as to the effect of proposed remedies, its
perception of the market structure, and its views of the nature of the
case''). The ultimate question is whether ``the remedies [obtained in
the decree are] so inconsonant with the allegations charged as to fall
outside of the `reaches of the public interest.' '' Microsoft, 56 F.3d
at 1461 (quoting United States v. Western Elec. Co., 900 F.2d 283, 309
(D.C. Cir. 1990)). To meet this standard, the United States ``need only
provide a factual basis for concluding that the settlements are
reasonably adequate remedies for the alleged harms.'' SBC Commc'ns, 489
F. Supp. 2d at 17.
Moreover, the court's role under the APPA is limited to reviewing
the remedy in relationship to the violations that the United States has
alleged in its complaint, and does not authorize the court to
``construct [its] own hypothetical case and then evaluate the decree
against that case.'' Microsoft, 56 F.3d at 1459; see also U.S. Airways,
38 F. Supp. 3d at 75 (noting that the court must simply determine
whether there is a factual foundation for the government's decisions
such that its conclusions regarding the proposed settlements are
reasonable); InBev, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 84787, at *20 (``the `public
interest' is not to be measured by comparing the violations alleged in
the complaint against those the court believes could have, or even
should have, been alleged.''). Because the ``court's authority to
review the decree depends entirely on the government's exercising its
prosecutorial discretion by bringing a case in the first place,'' it
follows that ``the court is only authorized to review the decree
itself,'' and not to ``effectively redraft the complaint'' to inquire
into other matters that the United States did not pursue. Microsoft, 56
F.3d at 1459-60; see also Dairy Farmers, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 33230 at
*3 (citing Microsoft favorably). As the United States District Court
for the District of Columbia confirmed in
[[Page 60327]]
SBC Communications, courts ``cannot look beyond the complaint in making
the public interest determination unless the complaint is drafted so
narrowly as to make a mockery of judicial power.'' SBC Commc'ns, 489 F.
Supp. 2d at 15.
In its 2004 amendments,\2\ Congress made clear its intent to
preserve the practical benefits of utilizing consent decrees in
antitrust enforcement, adding the unambiguous instruction that
``[n]othing in this section shall be construed to require the court to
conduct an evidentiary hearing or to require the court to permit anyone
to intervene.'' 15 U.S.C. Sec. 16(e)(2); see also U.S. Airways, 38 F.
Supp. 3d at 76 (indicating that a court is not required to hold an
evidentiary hearing or to permit intervenors as part of its review
under the Tunney Act). This language explicitly wrote into the statute
what Congress intended when it first enacted the Tunney Act in 1974. As
Senator Tunney explained: ``[t]he court is nowhere compelled to go to
trial or to engage in extended proceedings which might have the effect
of vitiating the benefits of prompt and less costly settlement through
the consent decree process.'' 119 Cong. Rec. 24,598 (1973) (statement
of Sen. Tunney). Rather, the procedure for the public interest
determination is left to the discretion of the court, with the
recognition that the court's ``scope of review remains sharply
proscribed by precedent and the nature of Tunney Act proceedings.'' SBC
Commc'ns, 489 F. Supp. 2d at 11. A court can make its public interest
determination based on the competitive impact statement and response to
public comments alone. U.S. Airways, 38 F. Supp. 3d at 76. See also
United States v. Enova Corp., 107 F. Supp. 2d 10, 17 (D.D.C. 2000)
(noting that the ``Tunney Act expressly allows the court to make its
public interest determination on the basis of the competitive impact
statement and response to comments alone''); S. Rep. No. 93-298 93d
Cong., 1st Sess., at 6 (1973) (``Where the public interest can be
meaningfully evaluated simply on the basis of briefs and oral
arguments, that is the approach that should be utilized.'').
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\2\ The 2004 amendments substituted ``shall'' for ``may'' in
directing relevant factors for a court to consider and amended the
list of factors to focus on competitive considerations and to
address potentially ambiguous judgment terms. Compare 15 U.S.C.
Sec. 16(e) (2004), with 15 U.S.C. Sec. 16(e)(1) (2006); see also
SBC Commc'ns, 489 F. Supp. 2d at 11 (concluding that the 2004
amendments ``effected minimal changes'' to Tunney Act review).
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VIII. DETERMINATIVE DOCUMENTS
There are no determinative materials or documents within the
meaning of the APPA that were considered by the United States in
formulating the proposed Final Judgment.
Dated: November 14, 2018
Respectfully submitted,
Benjamin C. Glassman,
United States Attorney
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Andrew M. Malek (Ohio Bar #0061442)
Assistant United States Attorney, 303 Marconi Boulevard, Suite 200,
Columbus, Ohio 43215, Tel: (614) 469-5715, Fax: (614) 469-2769, E-
mail: [email protected]
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J. Richard Doidge,
Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, 450 5th
Street NW, Suite 8000, Washington, DC 20530, Tel: (202) 514-8944,
Fax: (202) 616-2441, E-mail: [email protected]
[FR Doc. 2018-25461 Filed 11-21-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-11-P