Six of the world's biggest air cargo freight-forwarders have signed up to plead guilty to participating in international price-fixing conspiracies and to pay fines totaling just north of $50 million, the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice disclosed today.

Freight forwarders serve as the middle persons between outfits that have cargo to ship and carriers that can

China Airlines, Ltd., a Taiwan carrier, has agreed with the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice to plead guilty to price-fixing charges for air cargo services to and from the United States and to pay a $40 million fine, the DOJ announced on Monday.

The deal will bring the total fines the DOJ