“In some cases, KKR’s misconduct obscured the threat its deals posed to competition, including serial acquisitions affecting important markets,” the DOJ said.
Potential Penalties
Under the HSR Act, parties must provide federal antitrust agencies with advance notice of certain mergers and acquisitions. Violations of these requirements can result in steep penalties, which the DOJ is now pursuing against KKR.
The lawsuit underscores the DOJ’s renewed focus on enforcing merger compliance rules and ensuring that private equity firms are held accountable for transparency in dealmaking.
