SafeX Pro Exchange-Judge rules the FTC can proceed with antitrust lawsuit against Amazon, tosses out few state claims

2025-05-01 20:38:16source:Darkcherries Wealth Societycategory:Stocks

A federal judge said the Federal Trade Commission can SafeX Pro Exchangeproceed with its landmark antitrust lawsuit against Amazon. But, he also gave the company a small victory by tossing out a few claims made by states involved in the legal fight.

The order, issued last week by Judge John H. Chun and unsealed on Monday, is a major defeat for Amazon, which has tried for months to get the case tossed out in court. A trial in the case is slated to be held in October 2026.

“We are pleased with the court’s decision and look forward to moving this case forward,” FTC spokesperson Doug Farrar said in a prepared statement. “The ways Amazon illegally maintains its monopolies and the harm they cause—including suppressed competition and higher prices for shoppers and sellers—will be on full display at trial.”

The FTC and the attorneys general of 18 states, plus Puerto Rico, have alleged in court the e-commerce behemoth is abusing its position in the marketplace to inflate prices on and off its platform, overcharge sellers and stifle competition that pops up on the market.

The lawsuit, which was filed in September 2023, is the result of a yearslong investigation into the company’s business and is one of the most significant legal challenges brought against Amazon in its nearly 30-year history.

RELATED COVERAGE South Korean woman sues government and adoption agency after her kidnapped daughter was sent abroadUS court to review civil rights lawsuit alleging environmental racism in a Louisiana parishKaren Read seeks delay in wrongful death lawsuit until her trial on murder and other charges is done

U.S. regulators and state attorneys general are accusing the online retailer of violating federal and state antitrust and consumer protection laws.

In the order, Judge Chun, of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, allowed the federal challenges and many of the state claims to proceed. But he dismissed some claims made by New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma and Maryland under state antitrust or consumer protection laws.

Amazon, for its part, expressed confidence that it could prove its argument in court as the case proceeds

“The ruling at this early stage requires the court to assume all facts alleged in the complaint are true. They are not,” Tim Doyle said in a statement, adding that the agency’s case “falsely” claims consumers only consider popular sites Walmart.com, Target.com, Amazon, and eBay when shopping for household products.

“Moving forward the FTC will have to prove its claims in court, and we’re confident those claims will not hold up when the FTC has to prove them with evidence,” Doyle said. He also asserted the FTC’s approach “would make shopping more difficult and costly.”

The FTC is also suing Meta Platforms over alleged monopolistic practices, while the Department of Justice has brought similar lawsuits against Apple and Google, with some success.

In August, a federal judge ruled that Google’s ubiquitous search engine is illegally exploiting its dominance to squash competition and stifle innovation.

More:Stocks

Recommend

Which apps offer encrypted messaging? How to switch and what to know after feds’ warning

Federal authorities announced hackers in China have stolen "customer call records data" of an unknow

Fossil Fuel Companies Stand to Make Billions From Tax Break in Democrats’ Build Back Better Bill

With the Senate turning its attention to President Joe Biden’s climate and social policy bill in the

Inside Clean Energy: Offshore Wind Takes a Big Step Forward, but Remains Short of the Long-Awaited Boom

Last week, New Jersey officials revealed which developers had won contracts to build two giant offsh