Source: https://www.justice.gov/atr/case-document/plea-agreement-12
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 15:23:06+00:00

Document:
U.S. v. Arteva Specialties, S.a.r.l.
2.	The defendant waives the rights set out in Paragraph 1(b)-(g) above, including all jurisdictional defenses to the prosecution of this case, and agrees voluntarily to consent to the jurisdiction of the United States to prosecute this case against it in the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. The defendant also waives the right to appeal the imposition of sentence against it, so long as the sentence imposed is consistent with the recommendation in Paragraph 8 of this Plea Agreement. Further, pursuant to Fed. R. Crim. P. 7(b), the defendant will waive indictment and plead guilty at arraignment to a one-count Information to be filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. The Information will charge the defendant with participating in a conspiracy to suppress and eliminate competition by fixing the price of, and allocating customers for, polyester staple sold in North America, beginning at least as early as September, 1999 and continuing until at least January, 2001, in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1.
For purposes of this Plea Agreement, the "relevant period" is that period beginning at least as early as September, 1999 and continuing until at least January, 2001. During the relevant period, the defendant was an entity organized and existing under the laws of Luxembourg. The defendant has its principal place of business in Charlotte, North Carolina. During the relevant period, the defendant was a producer of polyester staple and was engaged in the sale of polyester staple in North America. Polyester staple is a man-made, petroleum-based fiber that is manufactured in varying thicknesses and cut into short lengths. It is sold to textile manufacturers who incorporate it into fabrics for sheets, shirts, and other wearing apparel. Other forms of polyester staple have applications in items such as sleeping bags, pillows, and comforters.
During the relevant period, the defendant, through its officers, directors, managers, or employees, participated in a conspiracy with other persons and entities engaged in the manufacture and sale of polyester staple, the primary purpose of which was to fix, increase, and maintain prices, coordinate price increases, and allocate customers for first-quality polyester staple sold in North America. In furtherance of the conspiracy, the defendant, through its officers, directors, managers, or employees, engaged in bilateral discussions and attended bilateral meetings with representatives of other polyester staple producing firms. During these discussions and meetings, agreements were reached as to the first-quality polyester staple customers to which the conspirators would sell and the prices at which they would sell first-quality polyester staple in North America.
During the relevant period, first-quality polyester staple sold by one or more of the conspirator firms, and equipment and supplies necessary to the production and distribution of first-quality polyester staple, as well as payments for first-quality polyester staple, traveled in interstate and foreign commerce. The business activities of the defendant and its co-conspirators in connection with the production and sale of first-quality polyester staple affected by this conspiracy were within the flow of, and substantially affected, interstate and foreign trade and commerce.
Acts in furtherance of this conspiracy were carried out within the Western District of North Carolina, Charlotte Division. The conspiratorial meetings and discussions described above took place in the United States, and at least one of these meetings which was attended by a representative of the defendant occurred in this District.
7.	Sentencing for the offense to be charged will be conducted pursuant to the U.S.S.G. Manual in effect on the day of sentencing. Pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 1B1.8, the United States agrees that self-incriminating information that the defendant has provided, or will provide, to the United States pursuant to this Plea Agreement will not be used to increase the volume of affected commerce attributable to the defendant or in determining the defendant's applicable sentencing guidelines range, except to the extent provided in U.S.S.G. § 1B1.8(b).
8.	Pursuant to Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(e)(1)(C) and 18 U.S.C. § 3571(d), the United States and the defendant agree that the appropriate disposition of this case is, and agree to recommend jointly that the Court impose, a sentence requiring the defendant to pay to the United States a criminal fine of $28.5 million, payable in full before the fifteenth (15th) day after the date of judgment, with no term of probation ("the recommended sentence").
The defendant understands that the Court will order it to pay a $400 special assessment, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3013(a)(2)(B) and U.S.S.G. § 8E1.1, in addition to any fine imposed.
The United States and the defendant jointly submit that this Plea Agreement, together with the record that will be created by the United States and the defendant at the plea and sentencing hearings, and the further disclosure described in Paragraph 10, will provide sufficient information concerning the defendant, the crime charged in this case, and the defendant's role in the crime to enable the meaningful exercise of sentencing authority by the Court under 18 U.S.C. § 3553. The United States and defendant agree to request jointly that the Court accept the defendant's guilty plea and impose sentence on an expedited schedule as early as the date of arraignment, based upon the record provided by the defendant and the United States, under the provisions of Fed. R. Crim. P. 32(b)(1)and U.S.S.G. § 6A1.1. The Court's denial of the request to impose sentence on an expedited schedule will not void this Plea Agreement.
9.	The United States and the defendant agree that the applicable sentencing guidelines fine range exceeds the fine contained in the recommended sentence set out in Paragraph 8 above. Subject to the full and continuing cooperation of the defendant, as described in Paragraph 13 of this Plea Agreement, and prior to sentencing in this case, the United States agrees that it will make a motion, pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 8C4.1, for a downward departure from the guidelines fine range and will request that the Court impose the recommended sentence set out in Paragraph 8 of this Plea Agreement because of the defendant's substantial assistance in the government's investigation and prosecutions of violations of federal criminal law in the polyester staple industry.
10.	Subject to the ongoing, full, and truthful cooperation of the defendant described in Paragraph 13 of this Plea Agreement, and before sentencing in the case, the United States will fully advise the Court of the fact, manner, and extent of the defendant's cooperation and its commitment to prospective cooperation with the United States' investigation and prosecutions, all material facts relating to the defendant's involvement in the charged offense, and all other relevant conduct.
If the Court does not accept the recommended sentence, the	United States and the defendant agree that this Plea Agreement, except for Paragraph 11(b) below, shall be rendered void.
If the Court does not accept the recommended sentence, the	defendant will be free to withdraw its guilty plea (Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(e)(4)). If the defendant withdraws its plea of guilty, this Plea Agreement, the guilty plea, and any statement made in the course of any proceedings under Fed. R. Crim. P. 11 regarding the guilty plea or this Plea Agreement or made in the course of plea discussions with an attorney for the government shall not be admissible against the defendant in any criminal or civil proceeding, except as otherwise provided in Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(e)(6). In addition, the defendant agrees that, if it withdraws its guilty plea pursuant to this subparagraph of the Plea Agreement, the statute of limitations period for any offense referred to in Paragraph 15 of this Plea Agreement will be tolled for the period between the date of the signing of the Plea Agreement and the date the defendant withdrew its guilty plea or for a period of sixty (60) days after the date of the signing of the Plea Agreement, whichever period is greater.
12. In light of the availability of civil causes of actions, which potentially provide for a recovery of a multiple of actual damages, the United States agrees that it will not seek a restitution order for the offense charged in the Information.
using its best efforts to secure the ongoing, full, and truthful cooperation, as defined in Paragraph 14 of this Plea Agreement, of the current directors, officers, managers, and employees of the defendant as may be requested by the United States, including making these persons available, at the defendant's expense, for interviews and the provision of testimony in grand jury, trial, and other judicial proceedings in connection with any Federal Proceeding.
15.	Upon the Court's acceptance of the guilty plea called for by this Plea Agreement and the imposition of the recommended sentence, and subject to the cooperation requirements of Paragraph 13 of this Plea Agreement, the United States agrees that it will not bring further criminal charges against the defendant for any act or offense committed before the date of this Plea Agreement that was undertaken in furtherance of an antitrust conspiracy involving the sale of polyester staple in North America. The nonprosecution terms of this paragraph do not apply to civil matters of any kind, to any violation of the federal tax or securities laws, or to any crime of violence.
Documents provided under Paragraphs 13(a) and 14(a) shall be deemed responsive to outstanding grand jury subpoenas issued to the defendant.
18.	The defendant's decision to enter into this Plea Agreement and to tender a plea of guilty is freely and voluntarily made and is not the result of force, threats, assurances, promises, or representations other than the representations contained in this Plea Agreement. The United States has made no promises or representations to the defendant as to whether the Court will accept or reject the recommendations contained within this Plea Agreement.
19.	The defendant agrees that, should the United States determine in good faith, during the period that any Federal Proceeding is pending, that the defendant has failed to provide full and truthful cooperation, as described in Paragraph 13 of this Plea Agreement, or has otherwise violated any provision of this Plea Agreement, the United States will notify counsel for the defendant in writing by personal or overnight delivery or facsimile transmission and may also notify counsel by telephone of its intention to void any of its obligations under this Plea Agreement (except its obligations under this paragraph), and the defendant shall be subject to prosecution for any federal crime of which the United States has knowledge including, but not limited to, the substantive offenses relating to the investigation resulting in this Plea Agreement. The defendant agrees that, in the event that the United States is released from its obligations under this Plea Agreement and brings criminal charges against the defendant for any offense referred to in Paragraph 15 of this Plea Agreement, the statute of limitations period for such offense will be tolled for the period between the date of the signing of this Plea Agreement and six (6) months after the date the United States gave notice of its intent to void its obligations under this Plea Agreement. The defendant may seek Court review of any determination made by the United States under this paragraph to void any of its obligations under the Plea Agreement.
20.	The defendant understands and agrees that in any further prosecution of it resulting from the release of the United States from its obligations under this Plea Agreement, because of the defendant's violation of the Plea Agreement, any documents, statements, information, testimony, or evidence provided by it or current or former directors, officers, managers, or employees of it to attorneys or agents of the United States, federal grand juries, or courts, and any leads derived therefrom, may be used against it in any such further prosecution. In addition, the defendant unconditionally waives its right to challenge the use of such evidence in any further prosecution based upon the protections of Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(e)(6) and Fed. R. Evid. 410.
21.	This Plea Agreement, together with the representations contained in the letter dated October 17, 2002 and signed by James R. Loftis, III, counsel for the defendant, attached as Exhibit A filed in conjunction with this Plea Agreement, constitutes the entire agreement between the United States and the defendant concerning the disposition of the criminal charge in this case. This Plea Agreement cannot be modified except in writing, signed by the United States and the defendant.
22.	The undersigned is authorized to enter this Plea Agreement on behalf of the defendant as evidenced by the Resolution of the Board of Directors of the defendant attached to, and incorporated by reference in, this Plea Agreement.
23.	The undersigned attorneys for the United States have been authorized by the Attorney General of the United States to enter this Plea Agreement on behalf of the United States.
24.	A facsimile signature shall be deemed an original signature for the purpose of executing this Plea Agreement. Multiple signature pages are authorized for the purpose of executing this Plea Agreement.

References: v. 
 § 1
 § 1
 § 1
 § 3571
 § 3013
 § 8
 § 3553
 § 6
 § 8