State AG Monitor

State AGs in the News

By Bernard Nash , Divonne Smoyer , and Ann-Marie Luciano on Posted in Consumer Protection, For-Profit Colleges, Pharmaceuticals

Consumer Protection

New Jersey Attorney General Announces $7.7 Million Judgment Against Multiple Home Improvement Centers and Owner

  • New Jersey Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa announced that his office has won a $7.7 million judgment against several home improvement centers based on multiple violations of the State Consumer Fraud Act and various contractor and advertising regulations.
  • As part of the judgment, the companies and their owner, Jon Kot, are permanently enjoined from performing home improvement work in New Jersey, and Kot is permanently barred from owning or managing any New Jersey-related business.

West Virginia Attorney General Reaches Deal with Payday Lender

  • West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw announced that his office has reached an agreement with Payday Financial LLC and its owner. The company has agreed to refund $135,000 to 120 West Virginia consumers and to pay $5,000 to the state. The company has also agreed to cease doing business in the state.
  • The Circuit Court held that Payday Financial LLC’s loans were governed by state law and not entitled to tribal immunity despite the company’s location on an Indian Reservation.

Indiana Attorney General Takes Action Against Pharmacy Involved in Meningitis Outbreak

  • Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller’s office filed an emergency petition requesting that the Indiana Board of Pharmacy suspend the license of the New England Compounding Center (NECC).
  • NECC has agreed to an indefinite suspension of its license to do business in Indiana.

For-Profit Colleges

Florida Attorney General Enters into Assurance of Voluntary Compliance with Keiser University, Everglades University, and Keiser Career College

  • Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that her office has entered into an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance (AVC) with the Keiser University, Everglades University, and Keiser Career College after an investigation into the schools’ enrollment and marketing practices.
  • Under the terms of the AVC, the schools have agreed to offer retraining at no cost to students and an expedited arbitration process for students who have alleged claims against Keiser. The agreement also governs Keiser’s marketing practices going forward and requires Keiser to reimburse the state for costs and fees.

Pharmaceuticals

Louisiana Attorney General Reaches $18.6 Million Settlement with Five Pharma Companies

  • Louisiana Attorney General James Caldwell announced that his office has reached an $18.6 million settlement with Bristol Myers Squibb, Mylan, Hoffman-LaRoche, Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals, and Shionogi, Inc., to resolve allegations that the companies misrepresented drug price information to Louisiana’s Medicaid Program.
  • The Louisiana Attorney General’s Office has secured $83.8 million in settlements from drug-price related litigation in the last nine months.