BOSTON (Legal Newsline) — Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced March 28 that Viridian Energy LLC, a supplier of energy to Massachusetts residents, will pay $5 million after allegations the company deceptively marketed and sold electricity services.
According to allegations, Viridian Energy used door-to-door sales, direct mai, and family-and-friend-based “network marketing” in deceptive ways to lure consumers into contracts that ended up being extremely expensive. Viridian would tell consumers they could save money over time by switching to Viridian, yet most consumers ended up paying more than they had previously.
“This company sent salespeople to go door-to-door and trick residents into paying much more for their electricity,” Healey said in a statement. “Our settlement requires Viridian to pay back millions of dollars they owe customers for their deceptive tactics and false promises. We will continue to go after competitive electricity suppliers who violate our laws.”
Handling the case for Massachusetts are deputy division chief Nathan Forster, assistant attorney general Joseph Dorfler, investigator Kristen Salera, division chief Rebecca Tepper and all of Healey’s Energy & Telecommunications Division, plus Energy and Environment Bureau chief Melissa Hoffer.