NYK employee sentenced in roll-on/roll-off shipping conspiracy

Third executive sentenced as part of Department of Justice probe into price fixing in ro-ro shipping    An NYK employee pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 15 months in a U.S. prison for his involvement in a conspiracy to fix prices, allocate customers and rig bids of international ocean shipping services for roll-on/roll-off cargo, such as cars and trucks, to and from the United States and elsewhere, according to the Department of Justice.
   He is the third executive to be sentenced. Earlier this year two “K” Line executives were also given jail sentences after pleading guilty.
   According to the one-count felony charge filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland in Baltimore on Jan. 16, 2015, Susumu Tanaka, who was a manager, deputy general manager and general manager in NYK’s car carrier division, conspired to allocate customers and routes, rig bids and fix prices for the sale of international ocean shipments of roll-on/roll-off cargo to and from the United States and elsewhere, including the Port of Baltimore. Tanaka participated in the conspiracy from at least as early as April 2004 until at least September 2012.
   Today’s sentence is the third against an individual in the DOJ’s ocean shipping investigation, and the first against an individual from NYK. Three corporations have agreed to plead guilty and to pay criminal fines totaling more than $136 million, including NYK, “K” Line and CSAV.