A federal grand jury in Denver indicted Koch Foods for participating in an alleged nationwide conspiracy to rig bids and fix prices for poultry. Koch Foods is the fifth largest broiler producer in the U.S. with an average weekly slaughter of approximately 15 million birds. In a statement the Company “steadfastly denied” engaging in any form of price fixing.
The Company will appear before a federal magistrate on August 11th to answer to the charge. In October 2020 the Department of Justice indicted William Kantola a Senior Vice-president for participating in a wide ranging conspiracy involving other broiler integrators that apparently colluded to fix prices.
Tyson Foods and Pilgrim’s Pride have settled with the Department of Justice and with civil plaintiffs in litigation that led ultimately to the criminal charges.