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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →In a 10 May 2006 report, EE Times said Samsung, Infineon and Hynix had agreed to civil settlements totaling a reported $160 million in a lawsuit alleging DRAM price fixing. The report described Samsung and Infineon’s settlements as preliminarily approved, while Hynix’s approval was still pending. It does not establish whether the settlements later received final approval.
What the DRAM lawsuit alleged
The civil class action, Internet Integration Inc. v. Micron Technology Inc. et al., alleged that major memory manufacturers fixed prices for dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) during 1999–2003. Consulting groups and other purchasers claimed they were injured by the alleged conduct. These were allegations in the civil case; the settlement figures reported in 2006 should not be read as a new court finding or as admissions beyond the stated settlement terms.
How much did the companies reportedly settle for?
EE Times reported the following civil settlement terms on 10 May 2006:
| Company | Reported civil settlement | Status in the 10 May 2006 report |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung | $67 million | Preliminary approval had been granted by U.S. District Court Judge Phyllis J. Hamilton. |
| Infineon | $20.75 million | Preliminary approval had been granted by Judge Hamilton. |
| Hynix | Expected $73 million | A motion for preliminary approval was scheduled for 17 May; approval was not yet reported as granted. |
| Combined total | Reported $160 million | The article reported the combined civil settlement total; Hynix’s settlement was still awaiting a preliminary-approval motion. |
The amounts are the civil settlement terms as reported at that time, not amounts that can be assumed to reflect later court orders or payment history. The 2006 article scheduled a final settlement hearing for Samsung and Infineon for 6 September, but does not document the later final orders. EE Times’ 10 May 2006 report is the cited account of the terms and procedural status.
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How the civil settlements differed from the DOJ criminal cases
The class action sought relief for purchasers; separate U.S. Department of Justice cases involved criminal enforcement. According to the same EE Times report, Samsung, Hynix and Infineon had pleaded guilty in related DOJ cases and received corporate criminal fines. The report gives these figures:
| Company | Reported DOJ corporate fine | Reported timing |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung | $300 million | November 2005 |
| Hynix | $185 million | April 2005 |
| Infineon | $160 million | 2004 |
These criminal fines are separate from the civil settlement amounts above: the proceedings had different claimants and legal purposes. The 2006 report also said executives received fines and jail sentences of up to eight months. It described Micron as cooperating with the DOJ investigation and, at that time, not having been fined by the government. Those descriptions refer to the historical report, not a current status update.
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Was the DRAM civil settlement finally approved?
The available account establishes preliminary approval for Samsung and Infineon and a scheduled preliminary-approval motion for Hynix. It also lists a scheduled final hearing for Samsung and Infineon. It does not document what happened at those later proceedings, so the final approval history for the settlements cannot be confirmed from this report alone.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which other companies were mentioned?
Plaintiffs’ attorney Guido Saveri said: “Micron is outstanding. Elpida is outstanding. Nanya is outstanding. Winbond is outstanding. Mosel is outstanding. NEC is outstanding.” The quote appears in the 2006 account; it does not by itself establish that each named company was a defendant or settled in the civil case.
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