ASPEN, Colo.—Two companies accused of agreeing not to compete against each other at four federal natural gas lease auctions have agreed to pay a total of $1 million under a revised settlement with federal prosecutors.
Gunnison Energy Corp. and SG Interests had agreed last year to each pay $275,000 under a proposed settlement of antitrust allegations.
The Aspen Daily News reports ( ) that after a federal judge rejected the deal in December, SG Interests agreed to also pay $206,250 and Gunnison Energy agreed to also pay $245,000 to settle claims under the False Claims Act, which prohibits lying to a government agency to obtain a benefit.
Overall, the companies’ payments total about $1 million.
The companies aren’t admitting any guilt.
Court records show the case was closed Monday.
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Information from: Aspen Daily News,
