Samsung spent $ 90 million settling the DRAM scandal

The world's largest memory chip maker Samsung Electronics yesterday (February 6) agreed to spend $ 90 million to settle DRAM-related scandals.

$ 80 million in the money will be used to compensate customers who have purchased the products of the sued companies. The remaining $ 10 million is used to compensate for losses in government and local agencies.

Samsung's decision will also need to be approved by the federal court of San Francisco, New York, California and Illinois.

Samsung spokesman Chris Goodhart confirmed the decision will help his firm "shake off the burden of DRAM" that has been sticking around all the time. " Samsung is committed to fully complying with business regulations ".

In July 2006, Samsung and a host of other companies were dragged to court for secretly settling prices for DRAM memory chips. This is one of the most important parts in computer systems and electronic devices. Therefore, in the past time, DRAM prices have not come down but there are signs of increasing.

The lawsuit is the "achievement" of an investigation by the US Department of Justice since 2002 that memory chip makers have "gone out" together to settle the amount of DRAM marketed to help them press. price the product at the most profitable level.

The result of the investigation is a $ 730 million fine for related companies in lawsuits like Samsung, Elpida Memory, Infineon Technologies AG and Hynix Semiconductor.

In December 2006, Samsung Semiconductor Young Hwan Park branch president took a 10-month prison sentence for being directly involved in fixing the price of DRAM in the global market. Park is the fifth consecutive leader of Samsung to receive a prison sentence for being involved in the scandal.

The case will continue to be investigated in other companies such as Infineon, Elpida, Hynix, Micron Technology, Mosel-Vitelic, Nanya Technology and NEC Electronics America.