3 Firms to Pay $160 Million in Memory Chip Antitrust Case

Samsung Electronics Co., Hynix Semiconductor Inc. and Infineon Technologies agreed to pay $160 million to resolve claims that they conspired to drive up the price of computer memory chips.

Samsung agreed to pay $67 million; Hynix, $73 million; and Infineon, $20 million, a lawyer for the plaintiffs said after a hearing Wednesday in federal court in San Francisco.

“I think the settlements are very good,” said Guido Saveri, an attorney for businesses that bought computer memory.

The settlements resolve private antitrust lawsuits brought over sales of dynamic random access memory, or DRAM, chips in the U.S. from 1999 to 2002. Spokesmen for the three companies did not immediately comment.

Samsung, Hynix and Infineon all pleaded guilty in a separate U.S. criminal probe of a global conspiracy to fix prices of memory chips. In the government’s case, Samsung agreed to pay a $300-million fine, Hynix $185 million and Infineon $160 million. In March, four Hynix executives agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges in the case.

The civil antitrust suits were filed by small businesses, including technology consulting companies and computer makers, that bought memory chips, Saveri said.

The suits were consolidated into a single case in San Francisco.

Claims are pending against Micron Technology Inc., Elpida Memory Inc. and other chip makers, Saveri said.