Home Health Executive Convicted for Fixing Wages, Concealing Investigation

LAS VEGAS—A federal jury convicted a Nevada man for participating in a three-year conspiracy to fix the wages for home health care nurses in Las Vegas and for fraudulently failing to disclose the criminal antitrust investigation during the sale of his home health care staffing company.  

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Eduardo “Eddie” Lopez of Las Vegas, Nevada, conspired to artificially cap the wages of home health care nurses in the Las Vegas area between March 2016 and May 2019. The three-year conspiracy affected the wages of hundreds of Las Vegas registered nurses and licensed practical nurses who provide care to patients in their homes. During the pendency of the government’s investigation, Lopez then sold his home healthcare staffing company for more than $10 million while fraudulently concealing the government’s criminal investigation from the buyer.  

“Wage-fixing agreements are nakedly unlawful attempts at unjustly profiting off American workers,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail A. Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Today’s verdict highlights what should be a clear message with antitrust crimes: the agreement is the crime.”

“Hundreds of registered nurses and licensed practical nurses were affected by the defendant’s three-year conspiracy to fix wages,” said U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada.

Lopez was convicted of one count of participating in a wage-fixing conspiracy and five counts of wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 14. A violation of the Sherman Act carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine for individuals. A violation of the wire fraud statute carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Anyone with information in connection with this investigation should contact the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center at (888) 647-3258, or visit justice.gov/atr/report-violations.