Justice Dept. to take on exploitation of supply chain issues

By MICHAEL BALSAMO
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is launching a new initiative aimed at identifying companies that exploit supply chain disruptions in the U.S. to make increased profits in violation of federal antitrust laws. The program is being unveiled Thursday by the Justice Department’s antitrust division and the FBI. The program comes amid ongoing supply chain struggles and labor shortages in the U.S. that have plagued retailers since the coronavirus pandemic began. The Justice Department says it worries companies may “seek to exploit supply chain disruptions for their own illicit gain.” Prosecutors point to agreements between individuals and businesses to fix prices or wages or to rig bids.