EU charges KKR with misleading regulators over Telecom Italia network deal

By Bart H. Meijer and Foo Yun Chee

Oct 19 (Reuters) - KKR KKR.N was hit with EU antitrust charges on Monday, alleging it misled regulators during their review of its €22 billion acquisition of Telecom Italia's TLIT.MI fixed-line network two years ago, exposing the US buyout group to a potentially hefty fine.

The decision by the European Commission, the EU competition enforcer, followed a year-long investigation. It approved the deal in 2024, but opened an investigation a year later following complaints by other operators.

The rivals argued that prices for them to access TIM's fixed broadband network had been unilaterally increased after the deal, even though KKR had convinced the Commission that it would not have the power to deteriorate conditions for wholesale access.

The EU antitrust watchdog said it sent a charge sheet, known as a statement of objections, to KKR for providing incorrect or misleading information about whether it would keep its existing long-term access agreements under the same terms unless mutually agreed otherwise with the third-party operators.

The Commission had cleared the Telecom Italia deal due in part to the long-term agreements between FiberCop, which is Telecom Italia's last-mile grid unit, and telecoms companies Fastweb and Iliad.

Companies found guilty of misleading regulators during reviews of their deals risk fines of up to 1% of their aggregate annual worldwide turnover.

The Commission has in recent years handed out hefty fines for such violations.

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