Pam Bondi: LCD Price-Fixing Settlement Surpasses $1.1 Billion

A multistate settlement involving price-fixing with makers of LCD panels has doubled as additional electronic goods manufacturers have reached agreements.Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Thursday that an additional $543.5 million in settlements has been added to the $538.5 million announced in December.

The states had alleged the companies conspired to prevent competition and increase prices for TFT-LCD panels, the most common form of LCD panels used in popular electronic devices.

Price-fixing of this kind directly harms consumers, Floridas governmental agencies, and our economy, Bondi stated in a release. This settlement puts a stop to this illegal behavior and allows for consumers to be compensated.

Florida helped lead the negotiating and was joined in the settlement by California, New York, Michigan, Missouri, Arkansas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

The defendants involved in Thursdays settlement include the following: AU Optronics Corp.; AU Optronics Corporation America; LG Display Co. Ltd.; LG Display America Inc.; Toshiba Corp.; Japan Display Central Inc.(formerly known as Toshiba Mobile Display Co. Ltd.); Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co.; Toshiba America Information Systems Inc.; and Toshiba America Electronic Components Inc.

The settlement reached in December involved: Chimei Innolux Corp., Chunghwa Picture Tubes Ltd., Epson Imaging Devices Corp., HannStar Display Corp., Hitachi Displays Ltd., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., and Sharp Corp.

A website -- www.LCDclass.com -- has been set up for consumers to file a claim or seek additional information about the litigation. Consumers may also call 1-855-225-1886 or write to LCD Class, P.O. Box 8025, Faribault, MN 55021-9425 to obtain information.