The US Competition Authority, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and 17 states filed a lawsuit against Amazon on Tuesday, accusing it of unfair strategies. in order to “illegally maintain their monopoly” over online commerceaccording to the press release of the federal agency.

“Our complaint highlights how Amazon used a variety of punitive and coercive tactics to unlawfully maintain its monopoly,” said Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairwoman Lina Khan. The FTC has several investigations and complaints pending against Amazon for a variety of issues, from data privacy to its business practices.

Attorneys from 17 states joined the FTC in the lawsuit, saying that Amazon uses “a set of intertwined anti-competitive and unfair strategies” to maintain its monopoly.

The states that signed the FTC action are Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Wisconsin.

“The lawsuit details allegations that Amazon is now exploiting its monopoly power to enrich itself while simultaneously raising prices and degrading service for the tens of millions of American families who shop on its platform and the hundreds of thousands of businesses that depend on it.” Amazon buy. reach them,” said FTC Chairwoman Lina M. Khan.

“Today’s lawsuit seeks to hold Amazon accountable for these monopolistic practices and restore the lost promise of free and fair competition.” As expected, Amazon has denied the FTC’s allegations, which could pose an existential threat to the company’s market dominance.