News from August 2016
Maryland home builder to pay more than $520,000 after allegations of violating state Consumer Protection Act
BALTIMORE (Legal Newsline) — Bryan Edwards Adkins and his company Atlantic Bay Homes will pay $524,185.35 after allegations of violating Maryland’s Consumer Protection Act, Attorney General Brian E. Frosh has announced.
New York contractor ordered to pay more than $41,000 after alleged home improvement fraud
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) — New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman has announced that Daniel McInerny, doing business as D Mac Design & Development LLC, must pay $41,412.16 in restitution after allegations of home improvement fraud. He will also have to pay $15,000 in penalties and $2,000 in costs.
Florida Attorney General obtains court order temporarily shutting down alleged tech support scam
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Legal Newsline) — Florida Attorney General Pam
Bondi has announced a court order that temporarily shuts down an alleged tech
support scam that has deceived consumers out of more than $25 million.
Three Mount Sinai Health System hospitals to pay total of $2.95 million after alleged False Claims Act violations
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) — Three hospitals in the Mount Sinai Health System will pay a total of $2.95 million after allegations of violating the federal and New York False Claims Acts, New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman has announced.
Arizona AG files to intervene in a case involving alleged 'serial litigator'
PHOENIX (Legal Newsline) — Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich has announced a motion to intervene on behalf of the state in Maricopa County Superior Court to protect small businesses from an alleged serial litigator.
AGs urge CFPB to withdraw arbitration rule
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Legal Newsline) — Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge recently urged the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to withdraw its arbitration rule that attempts to limit companies from including mandatory arbitration clauses in consumer financial agreements.
EPA settles with Central Missouri AGRIService after alleged Clean Water Act violations
LENEXA, Kan. (Legal Newsline) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s EPA Region 7 has reached a proposed settlement with Central Missouri AGRIService LLC after allegations of violating the Clean Water Act (CWA). The company will pay $166,914 in civil penalties.
First National Bank of Omaha to pay more than $30 million after allegations of deceiving consumers
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — First National Bank of Omaha
must pay $27.75 million in relief to approximately 257,000 consumers allegedly harmed by illegal credit card practices, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
(CFPB) has announced. The bank must also pay $4.5 million in penalties to the
CFPB.
Securities class actions on the rise
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - Attorney Tom Gorman, of Dorsey & Whitney, says he's seen a “record number” of cases involving public companies and individuals involved in regulatory actions.
Courts raising bar for data breach class actions
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) -- Reports of data breaches have become commonplace, prompting U.S. courts to raise the bar on associated class action lawsuits.
Ninth Circuit: Individual arbitration waiver agreements are unenforceable
The federal appeals court vacated a California federal court’s order compelling individual arbitration in a class action filed against audit firm Ernst & Young by its employees.
New Jersey consumer accuses Shinola of false advertising
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) — A New Jersey woman is suing a watch company, alleging false advertising over where the watches were made.
Filing TCPA lawsuits: 'It's what I do,' professional plaintiff with 35 cell phones says
The plaintiff bought at least 35 different pre-paid cell phones in order to manufacture lawsuits over supposedly unwanted calls from companies. A Pennsylvania federal judge ruled the woman didn’t suffer any injuries and therefore lacked standing.
Justice Department targets loan providers that allegedly discriminated against Hispanic homeowners
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) — The Justice Department has announced a lawsuit against a multitude of mortgage loan modification service providers, alleging violations of the federal Fair Housing Act and Equal Credit Opportunity Act.
Justice Department accuses Georgia of discriminating against students with disabilities
ATLANTA (Legal Newsline) — The Justice Department has announced a lawsuit against the state of Georgia, alleging disability discrimination in the way the state treats students with disabilities in the Georgia Network for Education and therapeutic Support (GNETS) Program.
Consumer accuses natural food manufacturer of misleading business practices
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) — A Nassau County woman is suing a nutritional food manufacturer, alleging deceptive and misleading business practices and unjust enrichment.
SEC announces penalties for 13 investment advisory firms that allegedly spread false claims
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced penalties for 13 investment advisory firms that allegedly violated securities laws. These companies purportedly spread the false claims made by F-Squared Investments about its flagship product, AlphaSector.
U.S. DOL argues new fiduciary rule will have ‘enormous’ benefits for investors
The Department of Labor, in a lawsuit brought by a group of trade associations in June, contends its conflicts of interest rule, despite the cost, better serves investors and aligns with other federal retirement laws. The department is asking a Texas federal court to rule in its favor.
FTC announces permanent ban for New York debt collector
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced that Kelly S. Brace and his four companies have been banned from the debt collection business after a settlement with the agency and the attorney general of New York.
New York consumer accuses food company of false advertising
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) — A New York consumer is suing a food company, alleging negligent misrepresentation and unfair competition.