News from July 2024
Court orders Midwest Car Search to halt deceptive practices
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced today that the court overseeing the consumer-protection lawsuit against Fridley used-car dealer Midwest Car Search and its owner, Scott Spiczka, has ordered the defendants to modify their business practices in accordance with the Attorney General’s demands. The court's order requires the defendants to cease deceptive business practices and comply with Minnesota law.
Attorney General warns against price gouging following Kern County fire emergency
California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a consumer alert following Governor Newsom’s declaration of a state of emergency in Kern County due to the Borel Fire. The fire, which began in the Sequoia National Forest last week, is part of the SQF Lightning Complex and has burned nearly 90,000 acres.
Idaho diesel parts companies sentenced for tampering with emissions control systems
Diesel performance parts retailers GDP Tuning LLC and Custom Auto of Rexburg LLC, operating as Gorilla Performance, along with owner Barry Pierce, were sentenced today in federal court in Pocatello, Idaho. Senior U.S. District Court Judge B. Lynn Winmill for the District of Idaho sentenced Pierce to four months in prison. GDP Tuning and Gorilla Performance received five years of probation. All defendants were ordered to jointly pay a $1 million fine. The companies and Pierce had previously pleaded guilty.
Connecticut Supreme Court dismisses majority of school vaccine requirement challenge
Attorney General William Tong issued a statement today regarding the Connecticut Supreme Court's decision in Spillane v. Lamont, which partially dismissed a state court challenge to Connecticut’s school vaccine requirements.
Texas dentist sentenced to five years in prison for multimillion-dollar Medicaid fraud
An investigation by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit has secured a 60-month federal prison sentence for Rene Fernandez Gaviola, a Houston dentist involved in a $6.9 million fraud scheme. Gaviola will also serve three years of supervised release and has been ordered to pay $4,908,957 in restitution to Medicaid, along with a personal money judgment of $2,996,092.
Supreme Judicial Court seeks applicants for Pro Bono Legal Services Committee
The Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court have announced an invitation for applications to join the Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services. The Committee anticipates multiple openings for appointment, with membership terms typically lasting three years and the possibility of reappointment for a second term.
State grand jury issues charges related to criminal activity in SC prisons
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced charges today resulting from multiple investigations into criminal activities within the state's prison system. The investigations were conducted through a partnership between the State Grand Jury Division of the Attorney General’s Office, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), the South Carolina Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General, and local law enforcement agencies.
AG Henry supports new Title IX rule preventing school discrimination based on sexual orientation
Attorney General Michelle Henry is continuing efforts to protect all students from sex discrimination by joining with fifteen state Attorneys General to ensure new regulations under Title IX go into effect as intended next month.
Illinois man convicted in odometer tampering conspiracy
After a week-long trial, a federal jury convicted an Illinois man last Friday of conspiracy to commit securities fraud for agreeing with his brother and another man to alter the odometer readings on hundreds of used cars and sell those cars to unsuspecting consumers.
Providence man receives double life sentence for murder outside gentleman's club
Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced today that a Providence man has been sentenced in Providence County Superior Court to serve two consecutive life sentences at the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI) for the 2022 murder of Angelo Gomez.
Attorney General secures over $450K from home bought with alleged Medicaid fraud funds
July 30, 2024 (DENVER) – Today, on the 59th anniversary of Medicaid, Attorney General Phil Weiser announced he has secured the proceeds from the sale of an Aurora home purchased by a woman wanted in an alleged Medicaid fraud scheme. The proceeds of the sale were returned to the state by Arapahoe County after an investigation found the suspect purchased the home with money she acquired through the alleged fraud.
Attorney General James launches website privacy guides for New York consumers
New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the launch of two privacy guides on the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) website: a Business Guide to Website Privacy Controls and a Consumer Guide to Tracking on the Web. The Business Guide aims to help businesses protect visitors by identifying common mistakes in deploying tracking technologies, processes for preventing issues, and ensuring compliance with New York law. The Consumer Guide offers tips for New Yorkers to protect their privacy while browsing the web. These guides were issued following a review that found...
Owner of Michigan-based learning center pleads guilty to Medicaid fraud
Kaila Oman, 37, of Galesburg, was arraigned yesterday in the 54B District Court in East Lansing before Judge Lisa Babcock on two counts of Medicaid Fraud – False Claim, a felony punishable by up to four years’ imprisonment and/or $50,000, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Oman pled guilty as charged the same day.
Oklahoma AG criticizes charter school board's defiance of court directive
OKLAHOMA CITY (July 30, 2024) – Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued a statement today following the Oklahoma Charter School Board's decision to defy the Oklahoma Supreme Court directive. The directive ordered the termination of an unlawful contract aimed at establishing what would be the nation’s first state-sponsored, taxpayer-funded religious public school.
Missouri AG sues Biden administration over alleged non-compliance with immigrant flight records
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has filed a lawsuit against the Biden Administration’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for allegedly failing to fulfill a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. The request sought documents and communications related to the transportation of illegal immigrants into Missouri.
Former Penn State students plead guilty in fatal fraternity hazing case
Attorney General Henry Announces Guilty Pleas in Penn State Hazing Incident
Attorney General Nessel challenges DTE Electric's proposed 10% rate hike
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel filed testimony last Friday in DTE Electric’s rate hike case, aiming to limit the proposed increase. DTE Electric had requested an annual revenue increase of $456.4 million from the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) in March, which would result in a 10% rate hike for residential customers. This request follows a recent approval by the MPSC of a $368 million annual rate increase.
Authorities target human traffickers at Comic-Con
SAN DIEGO – As part of a joint investigation through the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force (SDHTTF), California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the results of a human trafficking sting aimed at recovering victims of sex trafficking and targeting sex buyers using the San Diego Comic-Con Convention to seek out potential victims. From July 25 to 27, 2024, the California Department of Justice’s (DOJ) SDHTTF conducted an anti-human trafficking operation coinciding with the Comic-Con Convention that resulted in 14 arrests and 10 victims recovered and offered services....
Texas secures $1.4 billion settlement with Meta over biometric data capture
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has secured a $1.4 billion settlement with Meta (formerly known as Facebook) to halt the company’s practice of capturing and using the personal biometric data of millions of Texans without the required authorization.
Canadian man pleads guilty in multimillion-dollar wire fraud scheme targeting US bank accounts
A Canadian man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Las Vegas to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering in connection with a scheme to steal millions of dollars from thousands of victims in the United States.