Packaged Seafood Price-Fixing Case: $152.2 Million Tuna Payments Are Going Out
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The packaged seafood products price fixing litigation is the long-running federal case over canned and pouched tuna. It is in the news because the consumer money finally moved: payments to approved claimants began September 8, 2026, some checks bounced because of a bank processing issue, and replacement checks with an extra $20 were mailed September 28, 2026. The claim deadline was December 31, 2024. If you did not file by then, there is nothing left to file.
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Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
What the Case Was About
The plaintiffs alleged that the major U.S. packaged tuna producers — StarKist, Bumble Bee and Chicken of the Sea — conspired to raise or fix the prices of canned and pouched tuna between June 2011 and July 2015. The civil cases followed a Justice Department criminal investigation. Bumble Bee pleaded guilty in 2017 and paid a $25 million fine. StarKist was ordered to pay a $100 million criminal fine; prosecutors said it fixed prices from as early as November 2011 through at least December 2013. According to press reports, Chicken of the Sea alerted investigators and received protection from prosecution in exchange for cooperating.
The defendants that settled the civil claims did so without a trial verdict on those claims.
Case Details
All of the civil suits are consolidated as In re Packaged Seafood Products Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 2670, No. 3:15-md-02670 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, now before Judge Dana M. Sabraw. The case runs in separate tracks for different buyers. The consumer track is the End Purchaser (End Payer) class, administered by JND Legal Administration at TunaEndPurchaserSettlement.com. Businesses that bought directly from the tuna companies are in the Direct Purchaser class, at TunaDirectPurchaserCase.com. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the class-certification fight in November 2022.
Status: Consumer Fund Paying Out, Claims Closed
Per press reports, Judge Sabraw signed the distribution order on July 27, 2026. Payments began September 8, 2026. On September 17, 2026, the administrator said some checks could not be cashed because of a bank processing issue; replacement checks with an extra $20 were mailed September 28, 2026.
Who Gets Money
Only people who filed a claim by December 31, 2024 — or who had already filed in the earlier Chicken of the Sea settlement, which counted automatically. Class counsel also accepted 310 late claims that arrived within a 120-day grace period ending April 30, 2025; anything after that was denied.
The consumer class covered people who bought canned or pouched tuna for their own use between June 2011 and July 2015 in one of 30 states, the District of Columbia or Guam listed on the official site. Across all settlements, 980,568 claims were filed.
If you bought tuna in those years but never filed, you are not owed a payment now, and no new claim window exists.
How Much People Are Getting
That is why amounts vary so much. Newsweek reported recipients describing payouts from just over $100 or about $150 up to more than $2,000. Those are social-media reports, not official averages. Payment arrived by the method chosen on the claim form: direct deposit, PayPal, Venmo, a prepaid card or a mailed check. Use the payout calculator to see how pro rata shares work.
How cases like this one end
Our copy of the federal courts’ own case database covers 6,659 antitrust casesclosed in U.S. federal district courts between 2015 and 2025, 37.3% of them filed as class actions:
- 19.7% ended in a settlement recorded by the court. Another 14.4% were dismissed voluntarily, which often follows a private settlement — so the real settlement share sits between 19.7% and 34.1%.
- 11.6% were decided on a motion before any trial.
- 1 in 121 reached a trial (0.8%), after a median of 37 months.
- Median time from filing to the end of the case: 12.3 months.
- Almost none record a money award in this data (32 of 6,659), and the recorded figures are capped, so we do not publish an average.
These are base rates for this type of case (federal antitrust cases) — not a prediction about this lawsuit, and not legal advice. Source: Federal Judicial Center, Integrated Database (civil), analysed by Settlement Insight. Cases heard in state courts are not included.
Packaged Seafood Litigation Timeline
- 1
2011–2015 — The Alleged Conspiracy
Plaintiffs alleged the big three tuna brands fixed packaged tuna prices from June 2011 to July 2015. Bumble Bee pleaded guilty to criminal price fixing in 2017.
- 2
November 2022 — Supreme Court Declines Review
The Supreme Court refuses to hear the defendants' challenge to class certification, leaving the consumer classes in place.
- 3
November 22, 2024 — StarKist and Lion Deals Approved
The court grants final approval. With the earlier Chicken of the Sea deal, the consumer fund reaches $152.2 million.
- 4
December 31, 2024 — Claim Deadline
The consumer claim window closes with 980,568 claims filed. A 120-day grace period for late claims ends April 30, 2025.
- 5
July 27, 2026 — Distribution Ordered
Per press reports, Judge Sabraw authorizes distribution after all defendants paid in full and appeals were exhausted.
- 6
September 2026 — Payments and Replacement Checks
Payments begin September 8, 2026. After a bank processing issue, replacement checks with an extra $20 are mailed September 28, 2026.
Three Things to Watch For
A large, public payout with bounced checks and reissues is easy cover for imposters:
“Reopen your tuna claim” messages
The claim deadline was December 31, 2024 and the late-claim grace period ended April 30, 2025. Any site or text offering to file a new tuna claim now, for a fee or with your bank login, is not part of this case.
Fake help with a bounced check
Replacement checks were mailed automatically — nobody had to ask. A caller who wants your bank details or a “reissue fee” to fix a returned tuna check is not the administrator. Use only the phone number on the official site: 866-615-0977.
Look-alike payment emails
PayPal, Venmo and prepaid-card payments arrive by email, which makes them easy to copy. Do not click links in an unexpected message; log in to your payment account directly or check TunaEndPurchaserSettlement.com.
Packaged Seafood Case — Questions People Actually Ask
Is the tuna settlement payment real?
Yes. Payments to approved claimants in the packaged seafood products price fixing litigation began September 8, 2026, through JND Legal Administration. The official site is TunaEndPurchaserSettlement.com and the phone number is 866-615-0977.
Can I still file a claim?
No. The consumer claim deadline was December 31, 2024, and late claims were accepted only through April 30, 2025. Claims filed in the earlier Chicken of the Sea settlement counted automatically.
Why did my tuna settlement check bounce?
On September 17, 2026, the administrator said some checks could not be cashed because of a bank processing issue. Do not redeposit the old check. Replacement checks with an extra $20 for bank fees were mailed September 28, 2026. If your bank charged more than $20, contact the administrator.
Why is my payment so different from someone else's?
The net fund of about $97.5 million is split pro rata by the amount of tuna each person reported buying, with a $5.00 minimum. A large claim gets a large share; a small claim gets a small one.
Who paid, and how much?
StarKist and Dongwon Industries paid $130 million, the Lion Companies $6 million and Chicken of the Sea $16.2 million, for $152.2 million to consumers. Attorneys' fees of about $48.3 million and costs came out before distribution.
What about businesses that bought tuna directly?
They are a separate class. Its settlements with StarKist, Dongwon and the Lion Companies provide $38.65 million in cash plus tuna and other products valued at $26.1 million. The direct purchaser claim deadline was October 18, 2024. Questions go to 1-866-615-0970.
Did anyone go to court criminally?
Yes. Bumble Bee pleaded guilty in 2017 and paid a $25 million fine. StarKist was ordered to pay a $100 million criminal fine. Chicken of the Sea reported the conduct and cooperated, according to press reports.
I bought tuna in those years but never filed. Is there anything I can do?
Not in this case. The consumer settlements fully resolved the end purchaser claims and the claim period is over. For settlements still accepting claims, see our list of open class action settlements.
Separate from this case: were you injured in the last 2 years?
Class-action payouts are fixed amounts through an administrator. A personal injury claim is a different case — and often worth far more. Free estimate, no obligation.