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    "headline": "US Prosecutors Sue Amazon Over Alleged Secret Ad Price Manipulation",
    "dek": "A bipartisan coalition of 21 US states and the FTC sued Amazon for secretly manipulating ad auction prices since 2018.",
    "prose": "A bipartisan coalition of 21 US states and the Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit against Amazon on September 1, 2026, alleging the company secretly manipulated its advertising pricing system. [^1]\n\nThe lawsuit claims Amazon illegally extracted more than $20 billion from over 1.2 million advertising customers, including small and medium-sized businesses, through hidden surcharges. [^2]\n\nThe lawsuit alleges that Amazon secretly and systematically manipulated its ad pricing scheme to overcharge advertisers. [^3]\n\nNew York Attorney General Letitia James stated in a press release that the increase in ad prices likely caused an increase in product prices for consumers. [^4]\n\nThe coalition alleges Amazon violated federal and state consumer protection laws, including the Federal Trade Commission Act which prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices. [^5]\n\nThe coalition of prosecutors accuses Amazon of extracting over $20 billion from more than 1.2 million customers, including small and medium-sized businesses. [^6]\n\nThe complaint states that based on internal documents, Amazon likely illegally extracted over $20 billion from its advertising customers who were unaware of the situation. [^7]",
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      "statement": "A bipartisan coalition of 21 US states and the Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit against Amazon on September 1, 2026, alleging the company secretly manipulated its advertising pricing system.",
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