Cartels in the news

Two recent cases:
1) Canned tuna: Starkist pleaded guilty in October to price fixing and paid a $100m fine.  Bumblebee pleaded guilty in 2017 and paid a $25m fine.  Presumably the third major producer Chicken-of-the-Sea will meet the same fate soon.  The price fixing took place between 2011 and 2013.
2) Generic drugs: today's WP reports that the Justice Department is investigating 16 generic-drug companies for price-fixing 300 different drugs.  One of the investigators says this is "most likely the largest cartel in the history of the United States."

Many economists complain about antitrust laws and their enforcement, but none of us have any kind words to say about cartels.  Perhaps the fines and the shame will deter future violators of section one of the Sherman Act.