WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced Feb. 7 that, along with New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, it has filed a lawsuit against RD Legal LLC, two related entities and Roni Dersovitz, the companies’ founder and owner, for allegedly scamming 9/11 heroes and NFL concussion victims out of money.
“It is unconscionable that RD Legal scammed 9/11 heroes and NFL concussion victims out of millions of dollars,” CFPB Director Richard Cordray said. “We allege this company and its owner lined their pockets with funds intended to cover medical care and other critical expenses for people who are sick and sidelined. Our lawsuit seeks to end this illegal scheme and get money back to those entitled to receive it.”
The defendants allegedly violated the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act’s prohibition on deceptive and abusive acts and practices. The 9/11 heroes and NFL concussion victims, purportedly seeking to cover medical costs, lost income and other critical needs. RD Legal allegedly lured these victims into costly payouts by lying about the structures of the deals and illegally collecting money from them.
“The alleged actions by RD Legal – scamming 9/11 heroes and former NFL players struggling with severe injuries—are simply shameful,” Schneiderman said. “RD Legal used deceptive tactics to charge unlawfully high interest rates for advances on settlement and compensation funds, allowing them to profit off the backs of these unsuspecting individuals.”