News published on Legal Newsline in July 2024

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has submitted an amicus brief to the California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District, in support of the Koi Nation in the case of Koi Nation v. Clearlake. The legal dispute centers on a proposed hotel site that the Koi Nation claims contains significant tribal cultural resources. The tribe asserts that the City of Clearlake did not adequately consult with them or consider the project's impacts on these resources, thereby violating the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and its tribal consultation requirements established by...

(DELAWARE, Ohio) — The former chief executive officer of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium entered a plea of guilty today ahead of his trial date, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced.

Two residents of Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, were extradited to the United States last week and made their initial appearance in Newark federal court yesterday on charges related to their participation in a sprawling “grandparent scam” that defrauded elderly Americans out of millions of dollars.

A federal jury convicted a Louisiana physician yesterday for conspiring to illegally distribute over 1.8 million doses of Schedule II controlled substances, including oxycodone and morphine, and for defrauding health care benefit programs of more than $5.4 million.

LANSING – On Friday, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel filed testimony with the Michigan Public Service Commission, arguing for significant reductions to Upper Peninsula Power Company’s (UPPCO) latest electric rate hike request. UPPCO filed its request with the Commission in March, seeking a 16% rate hike for all customers to raise $16.9 million in added revenue. The company also aims to raise its profit margin on infrastructure investments from 9.9% to 10.7%, potentially making it the highest return on equity in the state and possibly the nation.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced charges against three individuals allegedly involved in 13 vehicle thefts or attempted thefts across California. The incidents, which occurred between July 2023 and March 2024, involved a conspiracy to steal high-performance vehicles from the counties of El Dorado, Kings, Monterey, Riverside, San Benito, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, and Tulare. The Department of Justice's Special Prosecutions Section filed the charges following an investigation and arrests conducted by the Visalia Police Department.

Andrezj Boryga, 67, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today to 24 months in prison and two years of supervised release for willfully transmitting threats to injure other people and for choosing his victims because of their religion.

A New Jersey man was sentenced today to 40 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for committing a series of bias-motivated violent assaults on members of the Orthodox Jewish community in and around Lakewood, New Jersey.

Today, Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, Chair Lina M. Khan of the Federal Trade Commission, Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager of the European Commission, and Chief Executive Sarah Cardell of the U.K. Competition and Markets Authority issued a joint statement on competition in generative AI foundation models and AI products.

The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals decided Mikkelson Land, LLLP v. Continental Resources, Inc. on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, affirming the district court's decision.

Attorney General Alan Wilson has issued a warning regarding a scam where individuals falsely claim to be members of his office’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force or local police to extort money. This fraudulent activity, which has persisted for years, appears to be intensifying and has even involved the misuse of information from an actual investigator in Spartanburg.

Attorney General Drummond has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold parents' fundamental rights in decisions concerning their children's welfare.

Iranian national Saeid Haji Agha Mousaei, 53, made his initial appearance yesterday in Chicago federal court following his extradition from the United Kingdom to face charges for his role in a years-long conspiracy to evade U.S. export restrictions and transship advanced U.S. electronic testing technology to Iran using third-party countries.

On Tuesday, The Buckeye Institute filed an amicus brief in Alabama v. California, urging the U.S. Supreme Court to prevent California and four other states from using the courts to impose their energy policies on independent and sovereign states.

Prysmian Cables and Systems USA LLC (Prysmian), based in Abbeville, South Carolina, has agreed to pay $920,000 to settle allegations of violating the False Claims Act. The company is accused of knowingly falsifying test results and failing to conduct required testing on military cable, known as M13486 cable, used in vehicles manufactured for military use. The alleged misconduct occurred from approximately 2005 to 2021 at a facility in Paragould, Arkansas. Prysmian acquired this facility in 2018.

Attorney General Michelle Henry announced the arrest of a Washington County couple following the closure of a large-scale manufacturing lab producing DMT, Psilocybin mushrooms, and THC products.

A Peruvian national pleaded guilty today for his participation in a transnational mail and wire fraud conspiracy.

LANSING – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and other intervening parties have reached a settlement, approved today by the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC), to reduce Consumers Energy’s latest natural gas rate hike by nearly 75%. Consumers Energy initially requested to increase revenues from their ratepayers by $136 million. The settlement allows for only $35 million in additional revenue, keeping more than $100 million in the pockets of Consumers' ratepayers. Additionally, a bill credit will be applied to Consumers Energy natural gas customers' bills over a...

The Walsh County Courthouse is closing for the remainder of the afternoon on July 23, 2024, due to a water break. If assistance is required from the Clerk's Office, please contact the Grand Forks Clerk's Office at 701-787-2700.

LANSING – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation that Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel describes as a significant step toward curbing auto thefts across the state. House Bill 5182, sponsored by state Representative Denise Mentzer, and House Bill 5183, sponsored by state Representative Alabas Farhat, impose stricter penalties for possessing traditional burglar tools or electronic devices intended to break into motor vehicles with the intent to steal. The new law classifies this offense as a 5-year felony or a 10-year felony if part of a criminal enterprise.