FTC asks to delay Amazon trial due to 'severe resource shortfalls'

Jody Godoy

Wed, Mar 12, 2025, 9:43 AM 1 min read

By Jody Godoy

(Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Trade Commission asked a national tribunal successful Seattle to hold a September proceedings successful its lawsuit alleging Amazon misled consumers implicit its Prime subscription service, citing "severe assets shortfalls successful presumption of some wealth and personnel," connected Wednesday.

Jonathan Cohen, an lawyer for the FTC, told U.S. District Judge John Chun during a proceeding that the bureau is facing a "dire assets situation" amid outgo cutting measures enacted nether President Donald Trump's administration.

"We person mislaid employees successful the agency, successful our part and connected our lawsuit team," Cohen said.

Some employees connected the lawsuit took a resignation connection sent retired successful January, and others resigned for different reasons, oregon are scheduled to beryllium connected permission during the trial, and their positions cannot beryllium filled owed to a hiring freeze, Cohen said.

Cohen besides cited caller spending restrictions limiting FTC attorneys to purchasing transcripts of tribunal proceedings and depositions connected the slowest transportation schedule, which carries the cheapest complaint but tin instrumentality weeks to arrive.

The justice asked the FTC to enactment successful penning its petition to hold the proceedings to aboriginal successful the fall.

(Reporting by Jody Godoy successful New York; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)