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DOJCharges3rdHeirFinderInAntitrust
ConspiracyProbe
ByDanielSiegal
Law360,LosAngeles(August17,2016,11:02PMET)AUtahcompanythattracksdownlostandunknown
heirsanditscoownerhavebeenindictedinUtahfederalcourtonchargesofconspiringtoallocatecustomersin
theindustry,followingchargesagainsttwoofitsconspirators,theU.S.DepartmentofJusticeannounced
Wednesday.
TheDOJsaidSaltLakeCitybasedheirlocatorKemp&AssociatesInc.anditscoownerandvicepresident,
DanielJ.Mannix,werebeingchargedwithonecountofviolatingSection1oftheShermanActforscheming
withacompetitortosuppresscompetitionbyagreeingtosplitupcustomersfrom1999through2014.Mannixs
primarycoconspirator,RobertBlakeJr.,waschargedhimselfinJanuaryandpledguiltytothechargesin
March.
ActingAssistantAttorneyGeneralRenataHesseoftheJusticeDepartmentsAntitrustDivisionsaidina
statementthattheindictment,filedWednesday,wasasignthatthedepartmentsongoingprobeintotheheir
locationindustrywasrootingoutanticompetitivebehavior.
Foroveradecade,thedefendantsschemedtolinetheirpocketsattheexpenseofbeneficiaries,shesaid.
Thesechargesunderscorethedivisionscommitmenttoholdheirlocationservicesexecutivesandtheir
companiesaccountableforcheatingheirswhoserelativesdiedwithoutawill.
Inexchangeforacontingencyfee,companieslikeMannixsidentifypeoplewhomightbeentitledtoan
inheritancefromtheestateofarelativewhodiedwithoutawill,accordingtotheDOJstatement.Thecompany
compilesevidenceandworksonheirs'claimstoinheritanceinprobatecourtinexchangeforafeewhenthe
inheritanceissecured,accordingtotheindictment.
Becausethecompaniescanidentifypotentialheirsfromcourtrecords,multiplecompaniesoftencontact
potentialheirsthus,MannixandBlakeconspirednottocompeteforcustomersinordertokeepcustomers
fromshoppingaroundandgettingbetterrates,accordingtotheindictment.
BlakepledguiltyinMarchandcouldspenduptotwoyearsinjailforonecountofviolatingtheShermanAct
byagreeingwithathenunnamedcompetitornottoofferrecentlylocatedheirsalowerpriceforhiscompanys
services.Inexchange,thepartythatagreedtotaketheheironasitsclientpaidtheothercompanyaportionof
thehigherfeechargedtothecustomer,Blakeadmittedincourt.
Blakewaivedhisrighttoagrandjuryindictmentandinsteadwillbesentencedonthebasisofthatgovernment

providedinformation.Prosecutorssaytheyonlyplanonaskingforatwoyearsentence,althoughShermanAct
violationscarryapotentialpunishmentofupto10yearsinprison.
ProsecutorsfromtheDOJsantitrustdivisionhadalreadynabbedoneotherconfessioninthenationwide
scheme.InDecember,CaliforniabasedBrandenburger&DavisanditsCEO,BradleyN.Davis,pledguiltyin
Illinoistoparticipatingintheconspiracytoeliminatecompetitionintheindustry.
Davisandthecompanyagreedtopayan$890,000fineaspartofthepleaagreement,andDaviswillbegivena
jailsentenceatsomeunknownfuturedate.He,too,iscooperatingintheindustrywideinvestigation,according
totheJusticeDepartment.
ThegovernmentisbeingrepresentedbyU.S.AttorneyJohnHuber,AssistantU.S.AttorneysJacobStrainand
RenataHesse,andFrankVondrak,BrentSnyder,KalinaTulley,RobertM.Jacobs,RubenMartinezJr.,Molly
KelleyandMarvinPriceJr.oftheU.S.DepartmentofJustice.
CounselinformationforthedefendantswasnotimmediatelyavailableonWednesday.
ThecaseisU.S.A.v.Kemp&Associatesetal.,casenumber2:16cr00403,intheU.S.DistrictCourtforthe
DistrictofUtah.
AdditionalreportingbyKurtOrzeckandJessicaCorso.EditingbyPhilipShea.

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