Offence typesFY2018–FY2025
Antitrust
Primary offence type · Commission code 2 · 0% of federal cases
The datafile contains cases reported to the Commission with sentencing documents. Sentence length statistics use the Commission's capped variable (sentences of 470 months or longer, including life, are recorded as 470 months) and exclude sentences of probation or a fine only. Figures are aggregates of past cases and are not a prediction for any case.
§ 1Length of prison terms, all districts
Interquartile range 1–12 months; mean 9. 0 cases at the 470-month cap (life or longer).
§ 2Summary
Across 8 fiscal years (FY2018–FY2025), 142 sentenced cases had antitrust as their primary offence type (0% of the national caseload); FY2025 accounts for 18.
The national median prison term for antitrust offences was 6 months, against 24 months for all cases; 45% of cases carried a prison term and the middle half of terms fell between 1 and 12 months.
15% of sentences were within the guideline range, 69% below it on a government motion, 16% below it for other reasons and 0% above it.
The districts with the most antitrust offences were the Northern District of California (53), the Southern District of Mississippi (9) and the Southern District of New York (8).
FY2025 had fewer cases than FY2018 (18 against 53).
§ 3Position relative to the guideline range
Within guideline range 15%Above range 0%Below range, government sponsored 69%Below range, other 16%Not determinable 0
| Measure | Antitrust | All offence types |
|---|---|---|
| Median prison months | 6 | 24 |
| Mean prison months | 9 | 51 |
| Cases with a prison term | 45% | 92% |
| Within guideline range | 15% | 47% |
| Above range | 0% | 3% |
| Below range, government sponsored | 69% | 29% |
| Below range, other | 16% | 21% |
| Median final offence level | 13 | 17 |
| Criminal history category I | — | 46% |
§ 4Districts compared
Every district with at least one case, most cases first. Districts with at least 30 cases in 2021–2025 link to a district × offence page; others link to the district's overview. Rows under 10 cases show the count only.
| District | Cases | Prison | Median months | Within range | Below, gov. | Below, other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern District of California N.D. Cal. | 53 | 30% | 10 | — | 85% | — |
| Southern District of Mississippi S.D. Miss. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Southern District of New York S.D.N.Y. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Southern District of Texas S.D. Tex. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Eastern District of Michigan E.D. Mich. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Northern District of Illinois N.D. Ill. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Eastern District of Tennessee E.D. Tenn. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Eastern District of California E.D. Cal. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Southern District of Florida S.D. Fla. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Minnesota D. Minn. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Middle District of Florida M.D. Fla. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Southern District of Georgia S.D. Ga. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Eastern District of Pennsylvania E.D. Pa. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of New Jersey D.N.J. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Eastern District of Texas E.D. Tex. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Western District of Kentucky W.D. Ky. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Idaho D. Idaho | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Northern District of Georgia N.D. Ga. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Columbia D.D.C. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Eastern District of North Carolina E.D.N.C. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Central District of California C.D. Cal. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Guam D. Guam | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Montana D. Mont. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Utah D. Utah | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
§ 5Circuits compared
| Circuit | Cases | Prison | Median months | Within range | Below, gov. | Below, other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia Circuit | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| First Circuit | 0 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Second Circuit | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Third Circuit | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Fourth Circuit | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Fifth Circuit | 19 | — | 4 | — | 84% | 0% |
| Sixth Circuit | 16 | — | — | — | 69% | — |
| Seventh Circuit | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Eighth Circuit | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Ninth Circuit | 64 | 34% | 9 | — | 75% | — |
| Tenth Circuit | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Eleventh Circuit | 16 | — | — | — | — | — |
§ 6Trend by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Cases | Prison | Median months | Within range | Below, gov. | Below, other | Above |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 53 | 32% | 8 | — | 81% | — | 0% |
| FY2019 | 20 | — | 4 | — | 80% | — | 0% |
| FY2020 | 11 | — | — | — | — | — | 0% |
| FY2021 | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | |||||
| FY2022 | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | |||||
| FY2023 | 18 | — | — | — | 56% | — | 0% |
| FY2024 | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | |||||
| FY2025 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | 0% |
§ 7Criminal history
Share of cases at each final criminal history category; grey figure: all federal cases.
§ 8Guideline sections involved
| Primary guideline | Subject | Cases | Share of this offence type |
|---|---|---|---|
| §2R1.1 | Bid-rigging, price-fixing or market-allocation agreements | 139 | — |
| §2X1.1 | Attempt, solicitation or conspiracy (not covered by a specific guideline) | <10 | — |
§ 9Questions and answers
What is the average federal sentence for antitrust offences?
The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was 6 months and the mean was 9 months (life sentences counted as 470 months, the Commission's convention). Medians are used on this site because a few very long terms pull the mean upward.
How much does the sentence for antitrust offences vary by district?
Too few districts with enough cases to compare.
How often are antitrust offences sentenced outside the guideline range?
85% of sentences were outside the range: 69% below it on a government motion, 16% below it for other reasons and 0% above it.
Which guidelines apply to antitrust offences?
The most common primary guidelines are §2R1.1 and §2X1.1. The Commission assigns the offence type mainly from the primary guideline the court applied.
Where do these figures come from?
The US Sentencing Commission's individual offender datafiles, FY2018–FY2025, using the Commission's OFFGUIDE offence type, SENTRNGE range status and SENTTCAP capped prison months. Counts under 10 are hidden.
§ 10Provenance
Source: United States Sentencing Commission, Individual Offender Datafiles, fiscal years 2018–2025 (US government works), aggregated by this site; the FY2025 file is dated 29 Apr 2026. Offence type is the Commission's OFFGUIDE code 2. Counts below 10 are hidden or pooled. Errors in this site's processing are corrected at the next build; see corrections. Methodology.