Miami Seafood Executive Pleads Guilty in Federal Price-Fixing Case

Court documents filed in the U.S. District Court in Miami show that Dennis Dopico, vice president of a company operating a seafood processing facility, conspired with competitors between 2023 and 2025 to coordinate the prices paid to fishermen for stone crab claws and spiny lobster. The scheme aimed to suppress competition and lower the earnings of fishermen, according to a statement from prosecutors.

Investigators revealed that Dopico and his co-conspirators exchanged text messages and calls to align their pricing decisions during harvest seasons. In one instance in September 2023, after receiving a message about lobster pricing, Dopico responded, “don’t show text to anyone. Confidential.” Later, he confirmed he would match a competitor’s rates on stone crab claws.

Prosecutors stated that the conspiracy affected roughly $8 million in commerce. Dopico pleaded guilty to a felony count of restraining trade under the Sherman Act. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine for individuals. Corporations found guilty under the same law face fines up to $100 million, with penalties potentially increasing based on the financial harm caused.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 5, 2026, when a federal judge will weigh the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutory factors in determining the penalty.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is continuing to investigate the case. The Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section is prosecuting, with support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.