A joint venture by Hitachi Ltd (6501.T) and LG Electronics Inc (066570.KS) has been charged with violating U.S. antitrust laws in the sale of optical disk drives, according to court papers filed on Friday.

Hitachi-LG Data Storage Inc was accused of bid-rigging and price-fixing as well as wire fraud in a 15-count criminal information filed in federal court in California. Such filings are typically done ahead of guilty pleas.

LG electronics Court California Manufacturing