#Ex-Pilgrim’s Pride executives indicted in chicken price-fixing case

A federal grand jury has indicted four former executives at Pilgrim’s Pride, one of the largest US poultry producers, for their roles in an alleged price fixing conspiracy for broiler chicken products.

Koch Foods, an Illinois chicken company, was also indicted separately for allegedly being part of the conspiracy to fix the prices, the Justice Department said Thursday. Koch did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The department said that the four Pilgrim’s Pride executives indicted were Jason McGuire, a former executive vice president of sales, and Timothy Stiller, a former general manager, former sales executives Wesley Tucker and sales executive Justin Gay.

Pilgrim’s Pride said in an email that none of the four work for the company currently but declined to say when Gay left. Lawyers for the four either did not respond to a request for comment or declined comment.

Pilgrim’s Pride itself pleaded guilty in February and was sentenced to pay a $107.9 million fine to settle federal charges it conspired to fix chicken prices and passed on the costs to consumers and other purchasers.