Cargolux managers behind bars

(CS) Two Cargolux managers will have to spend 13 months in prison and pay a 20,000 US-dollar fine because of illegal price fixing.

Former director general Ulrich Ogiermann and Sales-Manager Robert Van de Weg pleaded guilty in front of a Florida judge in an antitrust case. The sentence was reached in a plea agreement. Both men were charged in 2010 by the US Department of Justice.

In May 2009 Cargolux agreed to pay a 119 million US-dollar fine in similar antitrust law violation proceedings. A total of 22 airlines and 21 executives have been charged in the Department of Justice's investigation of the air cargo sector. So far more than 1.8 billion dollars of fines have been imposed.

A Cargolux press statement reads that the charges concern actions taken on behalf of the company and do not reflect any personal gain made by Ogiermann and Van de Weg

Because of the court proceedings former CEO Ogiermann was replaced by Frank Reimen in November 2010. Since then he acts as special advisor. Van de Weg remained in his post of Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing.

The statement by Cargolux does not include any information about how the roles of Ogiermann and Van de Weg will be affected by today's announcement.