Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring announced Monday that Virginia consumers who purchased electronic books (E-books) from Apple will receive a hefty settlement from the company, following a lawsuit brought against them for price-fixing.
Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring announced Monday that Virginia consumers who purchased electronic books (E-books) from Apple will receive a hefty settlement from the company, following a lawsuit brought against them for price-fixing.
Virginia consumers can expect to receive checks or account credits to the tune of $11-$15 million between June 21 to 24 for E-books purchased between April 1, 2010 and May 21, 2012 in addition to the $4 million that has already been paid. The settlement with Apple Inc. is part of a 32-state prosecution resulting in a $400 million payment order after a 2013 investigation into the California-based tech company found that they were inflating E-book prices.
“Virginia consumers will finally be compensated for these anti-competitive, anti-consumer business practices,” said Attorney General Mark R. Herring in a statement. “This has been a long process, but we will always fight for Virginia consumers and for a fair, level playing field of competition in the market.”
The 32 other states, along with Virginia include along with the United States Department of Justice took the case to the U.S. District COurt for the Southern District of New York against Apple, which ruled the electronics company conspired with five other U.S. publishers to raise E-book prices.
It went to the court of appeals in June of last year and then to the U.S. Supreme Court this past March where Apple’s request to review the decision was denied.
E-book purchasers will be compensated $6.93 for a New York Times best seller E-book, and for all other E-books purchased, consumers will receive $1.57.
According to AG Herring’s release, the five publishers involved, which include Penguin Group (USA), Inc., Holtzbrinck Publishers LLC d/b/a Macmillan, Hachette Book Group Inc., HarperCollins Publishers LLC, and Simon & Schuster Inc, settled prior to trial, paying $166 million to consumers nationwide.
