FTC and 17 state AGs sue Amazon for illegal monopoly charges company suppresses competition

FTC Chair Lina Khan, joined by 17 state attorneys general, files a sweeping antitrust lawsuit against Amazon, alleging the company illegally maintains monopoly power in online retail through a web of interlocking anticompetitive tactics. The complaint alleges Amazon forces third-party sellers to use Amazon fulfillment services by threatening to demote their listings, suppresses rival online stores by penalizing sellers who offer lower prices elsewhere ("anti-discounting" enforcement), and exploits its dominance to charge inflated fees. The case marks the most notable antitrust action against Amazon in decades, alongside cases against Google, Apple, and Meta.