A U.S. federal judge ruled that Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) violated a 2021 court order aimed at increasing competition in the App Store, potentially putting the tech giant at risk of facing criminal contempt proceedings.
U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers determined that Apple’s 27% fee on external purchases and the warning about third-party payment methods obstructed the court's directive to allow developers to inform users about alternative payment options.
The court order stemmed from Epic Games' antitrust lawsuit, which accused Apple of monopolistic behavior by restricting third-party payment systems and imposing high in-app purchase commissions.
Judge Gonzalez Rogers referred Apple and its Vice President of Finance, Alex Roman, to federal prosecutors for potential criminal contempt, citing misleading testimony during the trial process.
"The court referred this matter to the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California to investigate whether criminal contempt proceedings are appropriate," Judge Rogers said in court documents.
"This is a court order, not a negotiation," she added.
Epic Games welcomed the ruling, with CEO Tim Sweeney announcing plans to restore Fortnite to the App Store.
The court order prohibits Apple from obstructing developer-user communication and charging fees on out-of-app purchases, leaving the decision on criminal charges to federal prosecutors.