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`Joseph W. Cotchett (36324)
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`Steven N. Williams (175489)
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`2|) Elizabeth Tran (280502)
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`COTCHETT, PITRE & McCARTHY, LLP
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`840 Malcolm Road, Suite 200
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`Burlingame, CA 94010
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`4|) Telephone: 650-697-6000
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`Facsimile: 650-697-0577
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`5||jcotchett@cpmlegal.com
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`swilliams@cpmlegal.com
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`etran@cpmlegal.com
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`Interim Lead Counselfor the Putative Indirect Purchaser Class
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`Case 3:14-cv-03264-JD Document 346 Filed 11/14/14 Page 1 of 28
`Case 3:14-cv-03264-JD Document 346 Filed 11/14/14 Page 1 of 28
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`UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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`NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
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`SAN FRANCISCO DIVISION
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`THIS DOCUMENT RELATESTO:
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`ALL INDIRECT PURCHASER ACTIONS
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`Master File No. 14-cv-03264-JD
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`INDIRECT PURCHASER PLAINTIFFS’
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`FIRST CONSOLIDATED COMPLAINT
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`JURY DEMAND
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`***REDACTED — PUBLIC VERSION***
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`IN RE CAPACITORS ANTITRUST
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`13|| LITIGATION
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` LAW OFFICES
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`COTCHETT, PrTRE
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` Case 3:14-cv-03264-JD Document 346 Filed 11/14/14 Page 2 of 28
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`Elna Defendants...
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`Defendants Involved in Film Capacitor Conspiracy............00...0ceeeeeeeeeee
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`@monops
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`Defendant Nissei Electric Co., Ltd. 0.0.0... ceeee cece eect cece
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`Defendant Nitsuko Electronics Corp.........0..000.ccccceceecceeseeeneeeeteeeee
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`Defendant Okaya Electric Industries Co., Ltd...
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`Shinyei Defendant«022.002... eeceeecececeeeeeeecenseeneeeenseenteetees
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`Defendant Soshin Electric Co., Ltd. o..... ooo cece cece eeeeee eee
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`Defendant Taitsu Corp...
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`Defendant Toshin KogyoCCo., Ltd...
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`AGENTS AND CO-CONSPIRATORS.000..occccccececececce cece cee eeeeeeeseeeeeeeeeeeseeeeeeeeeeeeeenseeseeees 25
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`A. Background on Capacitors...
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`INDIRECT PURCHASER PLAINTIFFS’ CONSOLIDATEDCOMPLAINT; JURY DEMAND
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`VI=INTRODUCTION TO CAPACITORSo0o..ocecccecceecccecc eee eeeeeeeeeceeeceeeceeeeenseceeeeeneeeeeseeneees 25
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`LAW OFFICES
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`Nippon Chemi-Con Defendants...
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`Rubycon Defendants...
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`Panasonic Defendants «20... cece eeecceeeceeeccenceeneeceneeeeseeenaeeneee 19
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`Defendants Involved in Electrolytic Capacitor Conspiracy....
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`Defendant MatsuoElectric Co., Ltd..
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`NEC TOKIN Defendant...000. oo... eee cece c cece cece cnteeetecteneteneees
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`Nichicon Defendants ...0...... 2.00 .ccececeecceceeeeeceeneceeseeeneecneeeteetenetensees
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`Case 3:14-cv-03264-JD Document 346 Filed 11/14/14 Page 2 of 28
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`TABLE OF CONTENTS
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`aHO
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`JURISDICTION AND VENUE.0.00... .occcceccceeccccc cee eeece cece ceeeeceeeceaeeeeeeseeeseneceneeseneseeseesneeeeeee 8
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`A.
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`Plamntifts 2... eee eee eee cece ccc ceccceceeeeeeeececcescceseesececeesaeeaeseaeceaeceeseeeeseeseseeaeeeseeseeessees
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`1.
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`First-Level Indirect Purchaser Plaintiffs.........0..00..00000eceeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
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`veceeeeeees 10
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`2.
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`Consumer Indirect Purchaser Plaintiffs -........0...00..00...eeceeceeeceeseeeeeeeeeeeeeees
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`B.
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`Defendants -..............ccececceeccecccesceeceeeeeeeececeeseceeeeseeeceesceeseceaeceseceeeeseeseeeeeeseeeseeneeessees
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`1.
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`Defendants Involved in BoththElectrolyticatand FilmnCapacitor
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`Conspiracies...
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`Hitachi Defendants...
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`a b c
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`Case 3:14-cv-03264-JD Document 346 Filed 11/14/14 Page 3 of 28
`Case 3:14-cv-03264-JD Document 346 Filed 11/14/14 Page 3 of 28
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`B
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`Copncatior Streit osc5 oft o5- lata oh eike dqscseisadenclsace asc loqesiaks’cedacake qegicusacelataasteaiaisocees 28
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`Cc RRCCINNNNNoso gcne seseooaae aeadt oats vedas ands an eacany 30
`D.
`Aluminum Electrolytic Capacstors 2-022 scczcccnzacccesntnt ca eanaeentacns sccemuanegpegntusenees 32
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`E
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`Wantalor Electsolvine: ANCeUS occas coe o asco gossae 33
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`RENE ERICHBREET aoc tinh at etal ot kn Tate eat a he oa ee ae lal ta ae 36
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`VEL
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`Capacitors Are Traceable Through the Chain ofDistribution.......0.0000000000....- 37
`G.
`«BAGPUAR ALTBGATING 5.5:cccccaanonsyisntasmedidasanieilesetudaoveuitugtoccedaapsntinatgeasarstaumenyetas 38
`A.
`Defendants Conspired to Unlawfully Fix and Artificially Raise the Prices of
`Flecttolytie and Filia Cariacatanec. vcscadssosccdecs even va.ssscevendgapisoahipccucesniacunsvelisowipaee 38
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`B.
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`ESepineatton Tenchiys Tinea05 hie nth i gee a ieee ehaohddctaietoteieite 47
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`1.
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`Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitors i.icscccccvacccscscesssczasecriccessinaccvacenssscesieszes 48
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`Tentahiny PMlectrahythe Capen i 5 sone overseer eee 49
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`BPRISTN CGN ae snc a nda edad ec aden gs ncn Boks dng oc pov ndagese de Peon adage 49
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`C.
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`The Characteristics of the Electrolytic and Film Capacitor Market Render
`Collusion More Planssible, x. .iu:...5.<ccscscesnissssdesasencedsasnvesesnacadacnandverecesendedsdnrvedenainecess 50
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`The Electrolytic and Film Capacitor Industry Has High Barriers to
`Entry. 50
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`The DemandforElectrolytic and Film Capacitors Is Inelastic................... 53
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`Case 3:14-cv-03264-JD Document 346 Filed 11/14/14 Page 4 of 28
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`The Electrolyticarand FilmmCapacitorIndustryI:Is»Highly
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`cecteeetsetieeeseeeeeeees D4
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`Electrolytic and Film CapacitorsAAre Homogenousand
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`Commoditized Products...
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`ceceeseeseeeseeseteeeseeeeees 0
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`Defendants Had Ample Opportunities to Conspite.«0.0.0.0...eee 8
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`Indirect Purchasers of Capacitors Lacked Buying Powet...........................62
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`Falling Demand for Capacitors Over Time.....0.0.0000... cece ceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee O4
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`Demand for Capacitors in the Americas .......0.....0..0.ccceeeeeeeceeeeeee 65
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`Demand for Capacitors Over Time... 2... cee eee ecee cece eenseenteeeee 66
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`Capacitor Manufacturers Had Relationships in Other Price-Fixed Markets..........67
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`DEFENDANTS COLLUDED TO KEEP THE PRICE OF ELECTROLYTIC AND FILM
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`CAPACITORS ELEVATED DURING THE CLASS PERIOD.....000.000.0ccceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee O7
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`Defendants Had a Motive to Conspire...........0cccccceeee cece cee eeeeecneeneeteetenseeseeeeee O8
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`The Price Movements ofElectrolytic and Film Capacitors DuringdltheieRespective
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`Class Periods Are Consistent with Collusion, Not Competition...
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`Pricing Behavior WasInconsistent with Cost. 0.000000. eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee D2
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`Pricing Behavior WasInconsistent with Demand.........0000.000.ee 73
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`Defendants Conspired to Constrain Supply.......000.00..0 cece ceseeeseeeesetetseenseeeseee DD
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`Guilty Pleas in Related Markets o.oo .ccccccccccccceceeccceseceeecceseeeseeeesscenseesecenseenees 75
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`Hitachi75
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`LAW OFFICES
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` Case 3:14-cv-03264-JD Document 346 Filed 11/14/14 Page 4 of 28
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`Panasonic/SANYO .............cecccecccecceseeesececeeeseeseeeeeeseeesceseceaeeeaeeseceeeneeenseeaees 75
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`IX.
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`X.
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`THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS DO NOT BAR PLAINTIFFS’ CLAIMS...............77
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`The Statute ofLimitations Did Not Begintoto Run BecausePlaintiffs Did Not and
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`Fraudulent Concealment Tolled the Statute of Limitations ................0..00..0...........79
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`False Representations Regarding Raw Material Shortages........................80
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`False Representations Regarding Production Delays.........000..... eee 81
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`Defendants’ Conduct Involved Import Trade or Import Commerce......................84
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`Case 3:14-cv-03264-JD Document 346 Filed 11/14/14 Page 5 of 28
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`LAW OFFICES
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`CoTCHETT, PITRE
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`FIRST CLAIM FOR RELIEF
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`(Violations of Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1)
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`(On Behalf of All Plaintiffs Against All Defendants)...0000000 coe e cee ceteeeteceeneeeneeeeeeeeneenee DT
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`SECOND CLAIM FOR RELIEF
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`(Violations ofthe Cartwright Act,Cal. Bus. & Prof. Codele§$16720,etseq.1)
`(On Behalf of All Plaintiffs Against All Defendants)...
`peceeseecnseeesseeeseeeeeee 98
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`THIRD CLAIM FOR RELIEF
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`(Violations of California’s Unfair Competition Law,_Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §§ 17200, ef seq.)
`(On Behalf of All Plaintiffs Against All Defendants)eceeseeesseceseeesactesseessecesseceseeesaecesecesecteserenseeees 100
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`FOURTH CLAIM FOR RELIEF
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`(On Behalf of All Plaintiffs Against All Defendants) .000000..0 oe cece ceeeeeteceencteneeeesecenseenseees 102
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`FIFTH CLAIM FOR RELIEF
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`(On Behalf of All Plaintiffs Against All Defendants) ..000000o00 occ cece ceeeeeneceeneteneeeesecenseenseees 116
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`Defendants’ Conduct Had a Direct, Substantial, and Reasonably Foreseeable
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`Effect on U.S. Domestic and Import Trade or Commerce That Gave Rise to
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`Plaintiffs’ Antitrust Claims ..0...0000...000cccccccecceeececeececceeeceeeeseceeneceeeeseceenseteeeseeeerseees 85
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`The Capacitor Cartel Targeted the United States. 0.0.0.0 eeeecenee eens eens 88
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`XI.
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`CLASS ACTION ALLEGATIONS...00..0.00.0cccccceccceceeccecceseeeceeceeceeeeetentteetsstesetetteteeeeeeeeee DL
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`XT. VIOLATIONS ALLEGED.022.02.00cc ccc ccceeee cee cecceeeeseesceeecoceeeesecescecessteatsacesecaseetseeeseeeesaees 97
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`XIV. REQUEST FOR RELIEF o..000.....ccccecceeccecccceccecceceeceeeeesceecessescesccecceecsecsacscneceaseteseeeseeeees 126
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`JURY DEMAND 0000.oocccccccc cece cccc cece ecee cece eeeeaeeeeeeeeeeseneceneeceeeseeeeceeeceaeseeaeeeeeeeneeseaseeeeeeeeeeenseseeeeeeee 133
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`States, raising prices for purchasers of electrolytic and film capacitors and consumersalike.
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`Indirect Purchaser Plaintiffs, on behalf of themselves and all others similarly situated (the
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`1 Elna Co., Ltd., Elna America Inc., Hitachi Chemical Co., Ltd., Hitachi Chemical Co. America,
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`Hitachi AIC Inc., Ltd., Ltd., Matsuo Electric Co., Ltd., NEC Tokin Corp., Nichicon Corp., Nippon
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`Chemi-Con Corp., United Chemi-Con, Inc., Matsuo Electric Co., Ltd., NEC TOKIN Corp., NEC
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`TOKIN America Inc., Nichicon Corp., Nichicon America Corp., Nissei Electric Co., Ltd., Nitsuko
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`Electronics Corp., Okaya Electric Industries Co., Ltd., Panasonic Corp., Panasonic Corp. of North
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`America, Rubycon Corp., Rubycon America Inc., SANYO Electric Co., Ltd., SANYO Electronic
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`Device (U.S.A.) Corp., Shinyei Technology Co., Ltd., Soshin Electric Co., Ltd., Taitsu Corp., and
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`Toshin Kogyo Co., Ltd. (collectively, “defendants”’).
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`? As Plaintiffs are in the early stages of discovery concerning the nature and scope of the
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`electrolytic and film capacitor conspiracies, and as the Court granted the United States Department
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`of Justice’s motion to intervene and stayed discovery until April 15, 2015 per its October 30, 2014
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`Civil Minutes (ECF No. 309), Plaintiffs still have substantial discovery to conduct regarding
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`defendants’ meetings, discussions, and agreements. Plaintiffs must be able to significantly advance
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`the inquiry into and analysis of defendants’ conspiratorial conduct before we can firmly reach
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`conclusions regarding the nature, scope, and effects of the conspiracies. As such, while the
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`Complaint currently alleges separate meetings and discussions regarding electrolytic and film
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`capacitors, further discovery may reveal that there was one overarching conspiracy due to the
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`overlapping defendants and customers or more than two conspiracies.
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`“Classes” as defined below), upon personal knowledgeas to the facts pertaining to them and upon
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`information andbelief as to all other matters, and based on the investigation of counsel, bring this
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`class action for damages, injunctive relief and other relief pursuant to federal antitrust laws and
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`state antitrust, unfair competition, and consumer protection laws. Plaintiffs demanda trial by jury,
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`I.
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`NATURE OF ACTION
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`1.
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`This lawsuit is brought against defendants‘, the leading manufacturers of capacitors
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`sold in the United States, for engaging in two massive and separate conspiracies to unlawfully
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`inflate, fix, raise, maintain or artificially stabilize the prices of electrolytic and film capacitors,
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`respectively.2 Defendants’ conspiracies successfully targeted various industries in the United
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`2.
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`Indirect Purchaser Plaintiffs seek to represent all persons and entities in the United
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`States who purchased (a) one or moreelectrolytic capacitor(s) from a capacitor distributor and/or
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`(b) an electronic product not for resale which included one or moreelectrolytic capacitor(s) as
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`component parts, which a defendant, its current or former subsidiary, or any of its co-conspirators
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`INDIRECT PURCHASER PLAINTIFFS’ CONSOLIDATED COMPLAINT; JURY DEMAND
`[REDACTED — PUBLIC VERSION]
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`LAW OFFICES
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`such as information and telecommunications, audiovisual, and electronic games.
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`sold from January 1, 2003 through such time as the anticompetitive effects of defendants’ conduct
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`ceased (“Electrolytic Class Period”).
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`3.
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`Indirect Purchaser Plaintiffs also seek to represent all persons and entities in the
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`United States who purchased (a) one or more film capacitor(s) from a capacitor distributor and/or
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`(b) an electronic product not for resale which included one or more film capacitor(s) as component
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`parts, which a defendant, its current or former subsidiary of, or any of its co-conspirators sold from
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`January 1, 2007 through such time as the anticompetitive effects of defendants’ conduct ceased
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`(“Film Class Period”).
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`4.
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`Indirect Purchaser Plaintiffs purchased electrolytic and film capacitors as a stand-
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`alone product or as a component part of an electronic product. When purchased as a stand-alone
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`product, electrolytic and film capacitors are directly traceable to the specific manufacturer. When
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`purchased as part of an electronic product, electrolytic and film capacitors are discrete and
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`identifiable component parts that pass through the chain of distribution in substantially the same
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`form from defendants to consumers. A capacitor is traceable to an entity owned and/or controlled
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`by a defendant becauseit bears the defendant’s markings (e.g., name, logo, series).
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`Case 3:14-cv-03264-JD Document 346 Filed 11/14/14 Page 7 of 28
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` Case 3:14-cv-03264-JD Document 346 Filed 11/14/14 Page 7 of 28
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`5.
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`Capacitors are one of the most common electronic components in the world today.
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`They store electric charge between one or more pairs of conductors separated by an insulator.
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`Almost all electronic products—from cellphones to personal computers to home appliances—
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`contain them, often hundreds of them. The three basic types of capacitors are ceramic, electrolytic,
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`and film, the latter two of which are the subject of Indirect Purchaser Plaintiffs’ Consolidated
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`Complaint (“Complaint”). Electrolytic and film capacitors are widely used in a range of industries,
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`6.
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`An “electrolytic capacitor” uses an electrolyte (an ionic conducting liquid) as one of
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`its plates to achieve a relatively larger capacitance per unit volume. As used in this Complaint,
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`electrolytic capacitors include the following: circular polymer aluminum electrolytic capacitors,
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`rectangular polymer aluminum capacitors, rectangular polymer tantalum capacitors, non-polymer
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`aluminum electrolytic capacitors, and non-polymer electrolytic double-layer capacitors (““ELDC’”).
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`INDIRECT PURCHASER PLAINTIFFS’ CONSOLIDATED COMPLAINT; JURY DEMAND
`[REDACTED — PUBLIC VERSION]
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`Case 3:14-cv-03264-JD Document 346 Filed 11/14/14 Page 8 of 28
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`Manufacturers of polymer electrolytic capacitors compete on shape (i.e., rectangular capacitor
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`manufacturers compete with each other). Electrolytic capacitors can vary significantly by voltage
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`and capacitance.
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`im.
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`Applications of circular polymer aluminum electrolytic capacitors include personal
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`computers (PCs), digital audiovisuals (AV), games, and industrial appliances. Applications of
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`rectangular polymer aluminum electrolytic capacitors include notebook PCs, tablets, digital AVs,
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`amusement, servers, and communications. Applications of rectangular polymer tantalum capacitors
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`include notebook PCs, games, cellular phones, smart phones, and digital still cameras. Applications
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`of non-polymer
`aluminum electrolytic
`capacitors
`include digital AV,
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`communications, various powersupply circuits, and inverter circuits. ELDC are best suited for the
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`powerbackup needsofhigh reliability systems.
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`Figure 1: The SANYO defendants manufacture electrolytic capacitors, including circular
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`aluminum polymercapacitors (brand name: OS-CON) andrectangular tantalum polymer
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`capacitors (brand name: POS-CAP).
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`OSCON|POSCAP
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`& McCartHy, LLP
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` Case 3:14-cv-03264-JD Document 346 Filed 11/14/14 Page 8 of 28
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`¢ 2@
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`8.
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`A “film capacitor” uses insulating plastic film and one of two conductive matenials,
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`propylene or polyester. As used in this Complaint, film capacitors include the following four
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`generations: (1) film and aluminum foil capacitors, (2) film and other metal capacitors, (3) layered
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`capacitors, and (4) surface-mount capacitors (i.e., capacitors without leaves). Each generation
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`contains different types of general purpose capacitors and specific purpose capacitors.
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`9.
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`Applications of film capacitors include appliances, lighting, power supply, digital
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`AV, communications, games, direct current (DC) link for inverters, snubber for inverters, in battery
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`filters, and in electric compressors.
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`INDIRECT PURCHASER PLAINTIFFS’ CONSOLIDATED COMPLAINT; JURY DEMAND
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`Figure 2: The Panasonic defendants manufacturefilm capacitors.
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`CoTCHETT, PITRE
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`Case 3:14-cv-03264-JD Document 346 Filed 11/14/14 Page 10 of 28
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`11.
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`Defendants manufacture, market, and sell electrolytic and film capacitors throughout
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`and into the United States. Defendants and other co-conspirators (as yet unknown) agreed,
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`combined, and conspired to inflate, fix, raise, maintain or artificially stabilize prices of electrolytic
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`and film capacitors. The combination and conspiracy engaged in by defendants and other co-
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`conspirators was in violation of the Sherman Act (15 U.S.C. § 1) and variousstate antitrust,
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`consumerprotection, and unfair competition laws.
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`12.
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`As a direct result of the anticompetitive and unlawful conduct alleged herein,
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`Plaintiffs and the Classes paid artificially inflated prices for electrolytic and film capacitors during
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`the respective Class Periods and have thereby suffered antitrust injury to their businessor property.
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`Il.
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`GOVERNMENTINVESTIGATIONS
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`13.
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`Competition authorities
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`coordinating their investigations into the electrolytic and film capacitor cartels since March 2014 or
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`earlier. The coordinated investigation between the United States Department of Justice (“DOJ”)
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`and the China National Development and Reform Commission (“China NDRC”) could be a first
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`INDIRECT PURCHASERPLAINTIFFS’ CONSOLIDATED COMPLAINT; JURY DEMAND
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`Case 3:14-cv-03264-JD Document 346 Filed 11/14/14 Page 11 of 28
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`to ensure supra-competitive prices for their products.
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`14.
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`Several competition authorities in Asia have already conducted dawn raids on
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`capacitor manufacturers. The China NDRC raided NEC TOKIN and non-defendant Taiyo Yuden?
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`in March 2014. The South Korea Fair Trade Commission raided a Panasonic sales office in South
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`Korea in early May 2014. And the Japan Fair Trade Commission (“JFTC”) raided nine companies
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`suspected of forming a cartel extending overseas from Japan. These companies were Elna Co.,
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`Ltd., Hitachi Chemical Co., Ltd., Matsuo Electric Co., Ltd., NEC TOKIN Corp., Nichicon Corp.,
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`Nippon Chemi-Con Corp., Panasonic Corp., Rubycon Corp., and SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. on
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`June 24, 2014. These companiescollectively control either a large share of the Japanese market for
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`electrolytic capacitors or the Japanese market for film capacitors. The JFTC alleges that these
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`companies formed cartels in Japan, China, and United States, and their sales executives and other
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`officials coordinated the amount and timingofprice increases in the last several years. The JFTC
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`stated that the conspiracies intensified after the 2008 economic crisis and again after the 2011 Great
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`East Japan Earthquake when defendants aggressively controlled supply and coordinated price hikes
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`15.
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`The DOJ investigation is originating out of its San Francisco office, which has been
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`investigating cartels in the computer parts industry for the past decade, resulting in hundreds of
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`millions of dollars in criminal fines against manufacturers of memory,
`liquid crystal displays,
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`optical disc drives, and lithium-ion batteries. A capacitor manufacturer had approached the DOJ
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`and China NDRC with news of anticompetitive conduct in the worldwide capacitor industry,
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`launching what the DOJ’s Antitrust Division acknowledged as its latest international cartel
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`investigation. The capacitor manufacturer also applied to the DOJ’s Corporate Leniency Program
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`pursuant to the Antitrust Criminal Penalty Enhancement and Reform Act (“ACPERA”), which
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`limits the civil liability of a leniency applicant to the actual damages attributable to the entity’s
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`conductrather than the usual joint and several and trebled damages faced byantitrust defendants.
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`3 Taiyo Yuden manufactures ceramic capacitors only. Plaintiffs have not namedit as a defendantin
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`this Complaint but reserve the right to do so upon further investigation.
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`intensity discharge ballasts conspiracies.
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`Case 3:14-cv-03264-JD Document 346 Filed 11/14/14 Page 12 of 28
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` Case 3:14-cv-03264-JD Document 346 Filed 11/14/14 Page 12 of 28
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`16.
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`|The DOJ investigation into the capacitor industry stemmed from a “leniency plus”
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`situation in the DOJ investigation into the automotive parts industry. A leniency plus situation
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`arises when a company unable to obtain leniency for one conspiracy can be given a lighter sentence
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`by reporting its involvement in a separate, as yet undiscovered conspiracy. Plaintiffs believe that
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`the leniency applicant is Panasonic Corp, which is a named defendant in three parts cases in Jn re
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`Automotive Parts Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 2311 (E.D. Mich.), including Jn re Switches (Case
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`No. 2:13-cv-01300), In re Steering Angle Sensors (Case No. 2:13-cv-01600), and Jn re High
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`Intensity Discharge Ballasts (Case No. 2:13-cv-01700).
`Plaintiffs believe Panasonic Corp.
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`approached the DOJ and China NDRCaboutthe electrolytic and film capacitor conspiracies after
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`the DOJ charged and penalized it for participating in the switches, steering angle sensors, and high
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`17.
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`Notably, the defendants’ anticompetitive behavior is the subject of a DOJ criminal
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`grand jury investigation. According to the Antitrust Division’s Manual, last revised in 2009, to
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`institute a grand jury investigation, “staff should prepare a memorandum on behalf of the section or
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`field office chief to the Director of Criminal Enforcement detailing the information forming the
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`basis of the request.” Following a review of that memorandum, the request for a grand jury
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`investigation must be approved by the Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division based
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`on the standard that a criminal violation may have occurred. Furthermore, the fact that the DOJ
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`investigation is criminal, as opposed to civil,
`is significant.
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`The Manual’s “Standards for
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`Determining Whether to Proceed by Civil or Criminal Investigation” provides, “In general, current
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`Division policy is to proceed by criminal
`investigation and prosecution in cases involving
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`horizontal, per se unlawful agreements such as price fixing, bid rigging and horizontal customer
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`and territorial allocations.” The existence of a criminal investigation into the electrolytic and film
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`“This has the hallmarks of a major international cartel investigation,” said Philip
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`Giordano, counsel at Kaye Scholer LLP and a 15-year veteran of the DOJ’s Antitrust Division
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`(emphasis added). “The DOJ and its foreign counterparts are conducting parallel investigations.
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`INDIRECT PURCHASER PLAINTIFFS’ CONSOLIDATED COMPLAINT; JURY DEMAND
`[REDACTED — PUBLIC VERSION]
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`7
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`capacitor markets therefore support the existence of the conspiraciesalleged in this Complaint.
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`

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`& McCartuy, LLP
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`LAW OFFICES
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`CoTCHETT, PITRE
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`Case 3:14-cv-03264-JD Document 346 Filed 11/14/14 Page 13 of 28
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` Case 3:14-cv-03264-JD Document 346 Filed 11/14/14 Page 13 of 28
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`Many of the manufacturers under investigation are international conglomerates that sell into
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`global markets” (emphasis added).
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`Tl.
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`JURISDICTION AND VEN

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