How are antitrust violations investigated?
In Washington, antitrust violations are investigated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC enforces antitrust laws, including the Sherman Antitrust Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act. In addition, the Department of Justice also enforces antitrust laws. When investigating antitrust violations, the FTC and the Department of Justice will collect evidence by examining documents, interviewing witnesses, and reviewing company meetings. They may conduct raids of offices and homes to gather evidence. In addition, they can also investigate certain types of behaviors such as exclusive dealing, price discrimination, and price fixing. The FTC and the Department of Justice also work with state attorneys general to investigate antitrust violations that occur within the state. The investigation will be conducted in the same manner, but the state attorneys general may have local resources that can be used for investigations. If the FTC or the Department of Justice finds evidence of antitrust violations, they will take legal action against the violator. This could include fines, criminal prosecution, and injunctions which prevent the violator from engaging in future violations. In some cases, the FTC and the Department of Justice may also require violators to divest or sell certain assets as a resolution.
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