Based Seafood Wholesale Company, Pleads Guilty, Fixing Conspiracy Tuesday — Executive of Miami-Based Seafood Wholesale Company Pleads Guilty to Price-Fixing Conspiracy | United States Justice Department.
The maximum punishment for corporations is a $100 million criminal fine. As the defendant admits, his price fixing alleged conspiracy unfairly took money out of the pockets of hardworking fishermen for years,” said Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Omeed Assefi of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. announcement Executive of Miami-Based Seafood Wholesale Company Pleads Guilty to Price-Fixing alleged conspiracy Tuesday, September 16, 2025 Share Facebook X LinkedIn Email For Immediate Release Office of Public Affairs The vice president of a Miami-based seafood wholesaler entered a guilty plea today to conspiring with competitors
to fix prices for the purchase of stone crab claws and spiny lobster in Florida.court filings state filed in the U.S. We remain committed to working with our federal partners to hold accountable those who exploit our natural resources for unlawful profit.”Dopico and his co-conspirators exchanged text messages and calls in which they coordinated and agreed on the prices they would pay fishermen and would adjust the prices together as the respective harvest seasons progressed. Between 2023 and 2025, Dopico conspired with competing companies and their employees to suppress and eliminate competition
by fixing the prices paid to fishermen for stone crab claws and spiny lobsters. “Price-fixing schemes not only disrupt fair competition but also threaten American businesses and the sustainability of our valuable fisheries. “We will protect honest competition from the boat to the dinner table.”“This case highlights the serious consequences of undermining the integrity of our nation’s natural resource markets,” said Assistant Director Doug Ault, U.S. The fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime if either amount is greater than