PENNSYLVANIA TRUCK COMPANY CHARGED IN
GEORGIA AUCTION BID RIGGING CONSPIRACY

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A Pennsylvania truck company was charged today with illegal bidding practices involving the purchase of used trucks sold at government auctions in Georgia.

According to the Department of Justice's Antitrust Division, the truck company conspired to refrain from bidding against other dealers at city and county auctions in Georgia from as early as June 1986 through at least November 1989.

The Department filed a one-count felony charge today against Auto Wholesalers Truck & Equipment Sales Inc. of Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, charging that the company and co-conspirators refrained from bidding against each other for the purchase of used trucks sold at auctions in Georgia on behalf of the governments of: Columbus on November 22, 1986; Atlanta on December 13, 1986, June 25, 1988 and June 24, 1989; and DeKalb County on October 14, 1989.

Assistant Attorney General Anne K. Bingaman, in charge of the Antitrust Division, said the criminal charges arose in connection with a grand jury investigation in Atlanta into collusive practices by used truck dealers at public auctions. Bingaman said the investigation, being conducted by the Division's Atlanta Field Office with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of investigation, is continuing. This is the third criminal case filed in Atlanta as a result of this investigation.

The maximum penalty for a corporation convicted of a violation of the Sherman Act occurring prior to November 16, 1990 is a fine the greatest of $1 million, twice the gross pecuniary gain the corporation derived from the crime or twice the gross pecuniary loss caused to the victims of the crime.

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