Last year, DOJ's trust busters broke up several cartels, including some operating in the air cargo and marine hose industry. The division logged a record 31,391 days of jail time against defendants. Since 2000, 150 defendants were ordered to jail. In at least one case, the main players pleaded guilty and accepted terms of 14 months imprisonment. A co-defendant who went to court and pleaded not guilty was convicted and sentenced to 27 months. (But there's always the hope of an acquittal -- another co-defendant's trial ended with a hung jury.)
The financial penalties are also high. Last year, the fines for cartel behavior were $630 million, and the trend is likely to continue, with DOJ acknowledging about 135 grand jury investigations underway, including more than 50 on the international front. - Cecile Kohrs Lindell
