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U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents  seize 29 pounds of fentanyl on I-10
Antitrust

Officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) arrested one woman and seized 29 pounds of fentanyl in a stop on May 15. The incident occurred near Golf Center Parkway on Interstate 10 in California.


Man wanted for sexual assault of a child apprehended by Customs and Border Protection officers in Laredo
Antitrust

Border patrol officers at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge apprehended a U.S. citizen last week after discovering the man was wanted on felony charges of sexual assault of a child. He was handed over to Laredo Police for processing and adjudication of the warrant.


Aldi executive pleads guilty in construction bid-rigging scheme
Antitrust

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A former Aldi executive and a general contractor from Breese, Illinois, have admitted guilt to federal fraud offenses involving rigging the bid system for construction projects of grocery stores throughout southern Illinois and Missouri.


FTC provides annual update on financial acts enforcement activities
Antitrust

The staff of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has provided its annual report to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) on its enforcement and related activities in 2023 concerning the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), Consumer Leasing Act (CLA), and Electronic Fund Transfer Act (EFTA).


Georgia Congressman on ex-federal agent detained in Nigeria: 'our duty is to dedicate every possible resource to ensure his safe and expedient return home'
Antitrust

Congressman Rich McCormick (R-Ga.) has asserted that the US government should "dedicate every possible resource" to ensure the safe return of Tigran Gambaryan, a constituent who has been held by the Nigerian government since February 26. McCormick made this statement during an April 30 House Foreign Affairs Committee roundtable on Americans detained abroad.


FTC report identifies top companies targeted by scam impersonators in 2023
Antitrust

New data from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reveals that Best Buy/Geek Squad, Amazon, and PayPal are the companies most frequently impersonated by scammers. According to a newly released data spotlight, consumers in 2023 submitted approximately 52,000 reports about scammers impersonating Best Buy or its Geek Squad tech support brand. This was followed by around 34,000 reports of scammers impersonating Amazon. PayPal was the third-most impersonated company with about 10,000 consumer reports.


FTC announces virtual open commission meeting scheduled for May 23
Antitrust

Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina M. Khan announced that an open meeting of the Commission will be held virtually on Thursday, May 23, 2024. The meeting will commence at 1 pm ET and will begin with time for members of the public to address the Commission.


FTC and DOJ seek public input on impact of serial acquisitions
Antitrust

The focus of dealmaking and antitrust enforcement often centers on large transactions involving major companies. This is due to the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act, which mandates that antitrust agencies receive notice of significant deals valued at over $119.5 million. However, roll-up schemes, favored by private equity firms and other corporate entities, can be executed through a series of smaller acquisitions that individually fall below the reporting threshold for antitrust agencies.


FTC and DOJ launch inquiry into serial acquisitions' impact on competition
Antitrust

On May 23, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Justice Department’s (DOJ) Antitrust Division jointly launched a public inquiry to identify serial acquisitions and roll-up strategies that have led to harmful consolidation in various sectors of the U.S. economy.


U.S. Border Patrol agents apprehend woman with 93 pounds of fentanyl pills
Antitrust

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) thwarted an attempt to smuggle 93 pounds of fentanyl in the El Centro Sector last week, according to a news release from the agency. The incident occurred in Indio, California.


U.S. Border Patrol apprehends 13 Dominican migrants in Puerto Rico
Antitrust

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently detained 13 undocumented migrants from the Dominican Republic in the Puerto Rican community of Villa Pesquera, Isabela.


Altus terminates proposed acquisition of Situs' commercial real estate valuation business
Antitrust

Altus Group Limited (Altus) has terminated its efforts to acquire Situs Group LLC’s (Situs) commercial real estate valuation and advisory services business, REVS. In response, FTC Deputy Director of the Bureau of Competition, Kyle Mach, issued a statement.


Chair Khan to open 2024 AELP Anti-Monopoly Summit
Antitrust

Chair Khan is set to deliver the opening keynote at the annual Anti-Monopoly Summit. This event, hosted by the American Economic Liberties Project, will be available for viewing via livestream.


FTC finalizes order with Blackbaud over alleged security failures
Antitrust

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has finalized an order against Blackbaud Inc., settling allegations that the company's inadequate security measures led to a data breach. The FTC claims that the lax security allowed a hacker to infiltrate the company's network and access personal data of millions of consumers, including Social Security and bank account numbers.


Natalia Lynch case heard by Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority
Antitrust

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority convened a hearing before Administrative Law Judge Jay L. Himes in the matter of Natalia Lynch, under Docket 9423. The event was held on May 20, 2024, and was open to the public. Interested parties could participate by dialing +1 646 876 9923 with the meeting ID: 99357311099.


Office of Technology seeks insights on pressing tech issues: AI, data privacy, digital capacity
Antitrust

The tradition of posing important or intriguing questions is deeply ingrained in the scientific community. Renowned mathematician Paul Erdős, for instance, is well-known for presenting his queries to students and colleagues, some of which remain unresolved. The Clay Mathematics Institute also maintains a list of seven Millennium Problems, six of which are yet to be solved. Among these is the P = NP problem, a crucial question in computational complexity theory and evidently a favorite of the Office of Technology.


FTC announces agenda for open commission meeting on May 23
Antitrust

Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina M. Khan announced today that an open meeting of the Commission will be held virtually on Thursday, May 23, 2024. The meeting is scheduled to start at 1 pm ET and will begin with a session for members of the public to address the Commission.


Scheduling conference set for Tapestry, Inc. and Capri Holdings Limited case
Antitrust

On May 16, 2024, a scheduling conference will be held before Administrative Law Judge Dania L. Ayoubi in the matter of Tapestry, Inc. and Capri Holdings Limited, under Docket 9429. The conference can be accessed via dial-in number +1 301 715 8592 US with the meeting ID: 97259202104 and passcode: 897694.


Chair Lina M. Khan testifies on FTC's fiscal year 2025 budget request
Antitrust

Chair Lina M. Khan appeared before the Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government for a budget hearing. The session was held to discuss the Fiscal Year 2025 Request for the Federal Trade Commission. The event took place at the Capitol Complex, 2359 RHOB, Washington, DC.


FTC chair discusses FY 2025 budget request before House Subcommittee
Antitrust

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina M. Khan testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government today, discussing the agency's FY 2025 budget request and its ongoing work to promote open, competitive markets while protecting American consumers and businesses from fraud.