Price-Fixing Conspiracy Involving Refrigerant Compressors

Panasonic Corp. and Whirlpool Corp. Subsidiary Agree to Plead Guilty for Role in Price-Fixing Conspiracy Involving Refrigerant Compressors
Companies Agree to Pay a Total of $140.9 Million in Criminal Fines

WASHINGTON—Panasonic Corporation and a Whirlpool Corporation subsidiary, Embraco North America Inc., have agreed to plead guilty and to pay a total of $140.9 million in criminal fines for their role in an international conspiracy to fix the prices of refrigerant compressors, which are used in refrigerators and freezers in homes and businesses, the Department of Justice announced today.

According to separate one-count felony charges filed today in U.S. District Court in Detroit, Panasonic, a Japanese corporation, and Embraco, a Delaware-based refrigerant compressor producer and seller, participated in a conspiracy to fix the prices of refrigerant compressors sold in the United States and elsewhere. The department said the conspiracy took place from at least as early as Oct. 14, 2004, until on or about Dec. 31, 2007. According to the plea agreements, which are subject to court approval, both companies have agreed to cooperate with the department’s ongoing refrigerant compressor investigation. Embraco has agreed to pay a $91.8 million criminal fine and Panasonic has agreed to pay a $49.1 million criminal fine.

Refrigerant compressors are placed into devices such as refrigerators and freezers and take in low-pressure refrigerant, compress it and then pump out a high-pressure vapor which condenses and subsequently cools the devices.

http://detroit.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel10/de093010.htm

I added the total fines and divided X 3.

anybody know if "fines" are a deductible expense for businesses?