Every year the FTC brings hundreds of cases against individuals and companies for violating consumer protection and competition laws that the agency enforces. These cases can involve fraud, scams, identity theft, false advertising, privacy violations, anti-competitive behavior and more. The Legal Library has detailed information about cases we have brought in federal court or through our internal administrative process, called an adjudicative proceeding.
Staples, Inc. and Office Depot, Inc.
Staff authorized to file a motion for a preliminary injunction to block the proposed acquisition of Office Depot, 1nc. on grounds that the $4 billion acquisition would allow the combined firm to control prices for the sale of office supplies in numerous metropolitan areas in the United States. On June 30, 1997, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia granted the Commission's motion for the injunction. Staples abandoned its acquisition plans in July 1997.
CIBA-Geigy Limited, Sandoz Ltd., and Novartis AG., et al., In the Matter of
Final consent order settles antitrust concerns in three markets affected by the proposed acquisition of Sandoz Ltd.: research and development in gene therapy products that are being targeted for life-threatening conditions such as hemophilia and cancer; corn herbicides; and flea control products. In the gene therapy market, the order requires the licensing of certain intellectual properties to Rhone-Poulenc Rorer and other firms to permit continued competition in research, development and commercialization for a broad range future medical treatments. In addition, in one of the largest divestitures eve1 required under a consent order, Sandoz agreed to divest its U.S. and Canadian corn herbicide business to BASF Aktiengesellschaft within 10 days. The consent order also requires the divestiture of Sandoz's flea control business to Central Garden and Pet Supply of Lafayette, California within 30 days.
Separate Statement of Chairman Robert Pitofsky, and Commissioners Janet D. Steiger, Roscoe B. Starek, III, and Christine A. Varney in Ciba-Geigy, Ltd
Statement of Commissioner Mary L. Azcuenaga, Concurring in Part and Dissenting in Part, in Ciba-Geigy Limited
AutoDesk, Inc. and SoftDesk, Inc.
Douglass, Jeanette L
Career Information Services, Inc.; CIS Associates, Inc.; et al.
International Association of Conference Interpreters, a/k/a Association Internationale des Interprtes de Confrence, and United States Region of the International Association of Conference Interpreters, In the Matter of
Progressive Mortgage Corporation and Sanford Cramer
International Association of Conference Interpreters, a/k/a Association Internationale des Interprtes de Conference, and United States Region of the International Association of Conference Interpreters, In the Matter of
Taft, William Ernest; Gold Crown Express, Inc.; and Worldwide Vacation Services, Inc.
Your Travels and Tours, Inc.; Abul Khayer; and Umme Salma Momtaz Alam
Boeing Company, The, In the Matter of
Consent order permits Boeing's acquisition of Rockwell International Corporation's Aerospace and Defense business subject to a divestiture and other conditions. There are two teams competing to develop high-altitude endurance unmanned air vehicles for the Department of Defense's Advance Research Projects Agency -- Boeing/Lockheed (developing Tier III Minus, a stealthy, high-altitude endurance unmanned air vehicle) and Rockwell/Teledyne (developing Tier II Plus, a non-stealthy, high-altitude endurance unmanned air vehicle). As a result of the acquisition, Boeing would become a member of both teams and could increase the price of the components it supplies or reduce its investment in technology and quality. The consent order allows Teledyne, if it chooses, to replace Rockwell as its wing supplier without incurring any significant costs or risks to the project. Terms of the consent order require Boeing to deliver the assets necessary to produce the Tier 11Plus wings to businesses designated by Teledyne. The order also establishes a "firewall" between Boeing's Tier III Minus business and the Rockwell North American Aircraft Division that provides Tier II Plus wings.
Saint-Gobain/Norton Industrial Ceramics Corporation, In the Matter of
Consent order preserves competition in the production and sale of certain refractory products and hot surface igniters. The order permits the acquisition of The Carborundum Company but requires divestiture of Carborundum's Monofrax fused cast refractories business in New York, its hot surface igniter business in Puerto Rico, and its silicon carbide refractories business in New Jersey to Commission approved acquirers.
J.C. Penney Company, Inc., and Thrift Drug, Inc., In the Matter of
Separate final consent orders settle charges that the acquisitions of Eckerd Corporation and 190 Rite Aid stores in North and South Carolina would give J.C. Penney a dominant position in four metropolitan areas and increase its ability to raise prices for the sale of pharmacy services to third party payers. The orders require the divestitures of 34 Thrifty drug stores and 127 Rite Aid drug stores.