FTC Plans Amazon Lawsuit Alleging Manipulation of Retail-Platform Ad Prices

The Federal Trade Commission plans to file a lawsuit against Amazon, according to The Wall Street Journal, alleging that the company secretly raised the minimum prices businesses had to pay to advertise products on its retail platform. The complaint is expected to allege that Amazon reaped tens of billions of dollars over seven years.

More than 20 state attorneys general from both parties are expected to join the case, which is planned for filing in federal court in Seattle. It would be the FTC’s third major case against Amazon, while a separate lawsuit alleging illegal monopolization is scheduled to go to trial next year.

Amazon previously agreed to pay $2.5 billion to settle a lawsuit alleging that it misled people into signing up for Prime and made cancellations difficult.