Executive Summary
Laws and Precedent
A Miami-based seafood wholesaler’s vice president, Dennis Dopico, pleaded guilty on September 16 to a felony charge of conspiring with competitors to fix prices for stone crab claws and spiny lobster in Florida, according to the Department of Justice. The illegal scheme, which operated between 2023 and 2025, deprived fishermen of competitive prices for their harvests and is estimated to involve approximately $8 million in commerce.
Details of the Conspiracy
Court documents reveal that Dopico, in his role as vice president for a seafood processing center, actively conspired with other companies and their employees. Their aim was to suppress competition by artificially setting the prices paid to fishermen for stone crab claws and spiny lobsters.
The conspiracy involved exchanging text messages and phone calls to coordinate and agree on prices. As the harvest seasons progressed, they would jointly adjust these fixed prices.
Illustrative Communications
One example cited occurred on September 28, 2023, when Dopico communicated with a co-conspirator about spiny lobster prices. He instructed, “don’t show text to anyone. Confidential,” to which the co-conspirator replied, “I give you my word. We’re working together now not against each other.”
Later, on October 13, 2023, the same co-conspirator texted Dopico with new stone crab claw prices. Dopico responded, “let me know what you do. I am matching your prices. It’s the one we like the most.”
Impact and Official Response
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida emphasized the broad negative impact of such schemes. “Price fixing cheats fishermen, squeezes restaurants, and makes families pay more at the table,” Quiñones stated, vowing to protect fair competition.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Omeed Assefi of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division highlighted the injustice to workers. “Criminal conspiracies to deprive hardworking Americans the right to earn a fair wage are untenable in a free society,” Assefi said, noting that the conspiracy unfairly took money from fishermen for years.
Assistant Director Doug Ault of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, added that these schemes not only disrupt fair competition but also threaten American businesses and the sustainability of valuable fisheries.
Legal Consequences and Sentencing
Dopico pleaded guilty to one felony count of restraining trade by conspiring to fix prices, a violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act. This offense carries a maximum penalty for individuals of 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine.
Corporations involved in such conspiracies face a maximum fine of $100 million. The fine can be increased to twice the gain from the crime or twice the loss suffered by victims, if either amount exceeds the statutory maximum.
Dopico’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 5, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine the final sentence, considering U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Ongoing Investigation and Prosecution
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is leading the investigation into this case. The Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section is prosecuting the case, with support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
