http://www.9news.com/money/article.aspx?storyid=84214

If you bought diamonds or diamond products between January 1994 and March 2006, you may be eligible to receive a cash payment.

The payments are being offered by one of the largest diamond suppliers in the world as part of $295 million class action settlement.

The settlement stems from a series of suits that alleged the De Beers diamond company charged anti-competitive prices, monopolized the rough diamond market and disseminated false and misleading advertising.

Those who believe they have a claim must file by May 19 to participate in the settlement.

You may qualify even if you didn't buy from De Beers.

For more information on your legal rights and how to file a claim for a payment, call 1-800-760-5431 or go to www.diamondsclassaction.com.

Interesting.

I wonder what we'd get. $5 each?

The important thing is that the lawyers will be getting about $100 million.

Figures... out of the 12 year eligibility window, I missed it by 2 months! Oh well

Dumb lawsuit. De Beers has always controlled the price of Diamonds - that's what they do. Diamonds aren't as rare a commodity in South Africa as De Beers would make you think. They practically have Warehouses full of the damn things and only release a certain amount onto the market - to control the price. If every diamond mined was instantly made available on the market - rather than sitting in a warehouse somewhere for 50 years, Diamonds would be practically worthless.

Just because they've always done it, it doesn't make it right.

The only gripe I have about the lawsuit - why did it take so long??

If what we've all heard is true about how DeBeers has manipulated the African diamond trade to instigate civil wars and poverty - they're one of the truely evil corporations on the planet.

Of course, don't try telling a woman this. They're too busy trying to save neglected kittens with their giant diamond wedding rings.