Bain Capital, according to a New York Times story published Wednesday, has been accused by shareholders in a Boston court of conspiring with other private-equity firms to keep a lid on prices of companies they planned to purchase.

The Times says that, when Bain led the $32.1 billion buyout of HCA in 2006 — its biggest-ever transaction — “competitors agreed to ‘stand down’ and not bid as part of an understanding to divvy up companies targeted.” Reporters Eric Lichblau and Peter Lattman cited “internal company e-mails" as their source.