Announcements, information & updates from the Attorney General Alliance Members and Associates
September 2, 2022
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We are excited to announce that registration is
now open for this webinar!
State Attorneys General are turning their cryptocurrency focus from discussions and dialogue to action. The AGA cybersecurity working group is comprised of Attorneys General, investigators, prosecutors and our public partners with specialized knowledge in the field. The working group sets forth the ability to coordinate actions across jurisdictions and in collaboration with the private sector. Together we lay the foundation for national anti-cybercrime efforts with effective deterrent consequences.
As part of this initiative, the Attorney General Alliance and Coinbase's Global Intelligence team are pleased to offer a 90-minute training session on cryptocurrency investigations. The training will include a high-level overview of crypto crime, as well as a primer on blockchain analysis. We will also discuss best practices for working with and requesting records from exchanges like Coinbase.
All attorney general staff and cybersecurity working group members are welcome to register for this webinar.
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As Organized Retail Crime (ORC) continues to plague our communities, the AGA ORC Working Group’s objective is to promote safety, prevention, and awareness as we develop the strategies necessary to help us combat these criminal enterprises. Investigating and prosecuting these crimes takes a combined effort. As such, the Attorney General Alliance is pleased to host the upcoming ORC Working Group Seminar in Nashville, Tennessee on October 23-24, 2022. Attorneys General and key ORC attorney general staff will discuss how to combat organized retail crime rings affecting the state attorney general community and businesses across the country. Presentations will feature law enforcement professionals that will discuss key investigative and prosecutorial methods for AG offices. Following the closed AG/AG Staff-only legal training on Monday, October 24th, the Seminar will conclude with a memorable closing dinner for all ORC Working Group members on the grounds of the Grand Ole’ Opry.
*The training portion of the seminar is only for Attorneys General and their staff on Monday, October 24th*
The registration website is now open for your immediate registration. Click on the “Register Now” button, select “Attorney General and/or Staff” as your registration type then proceed to complete the process.
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October 17-18, 2022
WAGLAC MEETING
San Diego, California
*AG/AGO Staff Only
October 23-24, 2022
ORC WORKING GROUP
Law Enforcement Training
Nashville, Tennessee
November 16-18, 2022
CANNABIS PROJECT
Las Vegas, NV
November 27-December 4, 2022
INTERNATIONAL DELEGATION
Madrid & Barcelona, Spain
December 13-16, 2022
US/MEXICO BINATIONAL SUMMIT
Los Cabos, Mexico
January 11-13, 2023
ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING SUMMIT
Park City, Utah
March 1-3, 2023
ENVIRONMENTAL & ENERGY
Stewardship Summit
Seattle, Washington
March 17-26, 2023
INTERNATIONAL DELEGATION
Poland & Israel
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April 19-21, 2023
AGA Event
TBD
June 19-22, 2023
2023 ANNUAL MEETING
Terranea Resort
Rancho Palos Verdes, California
August 9-11, 2023
AGA Event
TBD
September 20-24, 2023
INTERNATIONAL DELEGATION
TBD
October 4-6, 2023
AGA Event
TBD
November 27-December 1, 2023
INTERNATIONAL DELEGATION
TBD
June 12-15, 2024
2024 ANNUAL MEETING
The Broadmoor
Colorado Springs, Colorado
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If you have any questions regarding events, please contact Ale Stephens, Director of Events at astephens@agalliance.org or 303.304.9206.
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Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser is urging Congress to authorize state attorneys general to enforce state and federal consumer protection laws governing the airline industry. Attorney General Weiser led a bipartisan coalition of 38 attorneys general in sending a letter to Congress underlining U.S. Department of Transportation’s lack of action in response to consumer complaints about the airline industry.
Joining Attorney General Weiser are the attorneys general of Arizona, Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
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Utah Attorney General Sean D. Reyes filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah against the designation of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments.
The lawsuit argues that the size of the two national monuments, covering vast landscapes of a combined 3.2 million acres, violates the Antiquities Act of 1906, which limits U.S. presidents to create monuments "confined to the smallest area compatible with proper care and management of the objects to be protected."
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Human trafficking has been part of the United States since its inception, using slavery as forced labor. Now, as a $150 billion criminal enterprise, its effects have grown to include sex trafficking, drug trafficking, forced labor, and the like, enticing its victims through fraud, coercion, and intimidation.
Sadly, this is a global operation that touches every city and state and crosses international borders. Human trafficking violates the foundational principles of the United States, which was formed to protect individual freedoms, rights, and liberties. There is no more significant threat to fundamental human rights than the crime of trafficking persons. Our Attorneys General Offices are committed to combating the widespread issue of human trafficking in their states. Below are some websites and recent happenings in the Attorneys General Community.
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Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge announced that a federal district court in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania ruled in favor of Arkansas and forty-one other states, allowing the coalition to proceed with its antitrust lawsuit against Indivior, Inc. and Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for market manipulation of their product Suboxone, a prescription medication commonly used to treat opioid addiction.
The States allege that Indivior, Inc. used illegal means to switch the Suboxone market from tablet medication to film medication while simultaneously attempting to destroy the market for tablets, leading to preservation of the company’s drug monopoly. A trial has not yet been scheduled, but one is expected next year.
Attorney General Rutledge is joined in this victory by the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
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“Thousands of individuals rely on Suboxone to aid them in beating their opioid addiction. Protecting access to lifesaving treatments is crucial to be successful in the war on opioid addiction.”
-- Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge
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North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein released the following statement on International Overdose Awareness Day (August 31). All of North Carolina’s local governments have received their first payments from the $26 billion national opioid agreement with the nation’s three major drug distributors (Cardinal, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen) and Johnson & Johnson which Attorney General Stein helped negotiate. North Carolina’s share is $750 million. Eighty-five percent of these funds will go directly to North Carolina’s local governments to support treatment, recovery, harm reduction, and prevention strategies to address the opioid epidemic. The balance will go to the state for the same purposes. Attorney General Stein also recently announced agreements in principle with drug manufacturers Allergan and Teva, which would bring another $6.6 billion in funds nationally to fight the opioid crisis.
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“On this International Overdose Awareness Day, I’m thinking about the more than 107,000 Americans we lost to drug overdoses last year. This overdose epidemic has left a trail of grief and devastation in its wake in every community in our state. To the thousands of North Carolinians who have lost a loved one to overdose, you have my deepest sympathy. May their memory be a blessing. Honoring the memory of those we’ve lost means recommitting to our work to make sure that other lives aren’t cut short by this deadly epidemic. Our work to hold accountable the drug companies that created and fueled this crisis has already secured $26 billion — with more resources to come. We’ve insisted that these funds be used to attack the crisis. So we have an opportunity right now to help save lives, and we must seize it.”
--North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein
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Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford and his office, along with other partnered organizations and agencies, met for the first time to discuss the use of the $5.75 million Comprehensive Opioid, on International Overdose Awareness Day for the Stimulant and Substance Abuse Site-Based Program grant announced earlier this year.
The grant funding, by the federal Department of Justice, will be used in seven sites to address the drug problem in Nevada through Mobile Outreach Safety Teams or Forensic Assessment Services Triage Teams. The teams serve as a jail and hospital diversion program and provide assessment and case management for high-risk individuals and those with mental health and other disorders.
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“This grant is extremely important to send the necessary aid to our state’s rural and fronter counties. The opioid epidemic does not stop at county lines, and Nevadans must stand together to combat this problem and lift up those who have been impacted by it. This money will do real things for real people.”
-- Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford
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As communities around the state continue to reel from drug overdoses, Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is encouraging residents to remember those who have been lost from drug overdose and acknowledge the grief felt by their families and friends. Fentanyl overdose deaths in Montana have skyrocketed since 2018, and opioid overdose emergency responses have increased 57 percent since last year.
To fight the problem in Montana, Attorney General Knudsen has increased the number of Montana Department of Justice narcotic and major case agents, added a statewide drug intelligence officer who assists local law enforcement and public health agencies, and spearheaded a grant program that helped deploy two dozen drug detecting K9s around the state.
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“We are in the midst of an overdose crisis – in Montana and around the country. The illicit drugs coming across the nation’s southern border are destroying Montana families and communities – parents are losing their children and children are without parents. One pill can kill. Parents have to be talking to their kids about the dangers of drugs and keep an eye out for any unknown substances they might get their hands on.”
--Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen
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Hawai‘i Attorney General Holly T. Shikada announced that the Court in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania ruled that forty-two States, led by Wisconsin, can proceed with their litigation against the makers of Suboxone.
In a sweeping ruling, the Federal District Court denied defendant Indivior Inc.’s Motion for Summary Judgment, holding that there were facts and favorable law for the plaintiffs to proceed. Noting that the volume of facts required “enormous judicial resources” to wade through, in an 86-page opinion, the Court denied all defendant’s motions for summary judgment, and held in the States’ favor. The States allege that Indivior Inc. used illegal means to switch the Suboxone market from tablets to film while attempting to destroy the market for tablets, in order to preserve its drug monopoly. A trial has not yet been scheduled but is expected next year.
Attorney General Shikada is joined in this litigation by the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
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“The court appropriately rejected two extensive summary judgment motions filed by the defendant Indivior PLC, providing a very comprehensive analysis of the issues raised by Indivior and evidence presented by the plaintiffs. The opinion paves the way for the multi-state group to proceed to trial to further present evidence showing that Indivior’s conduct harmed consumers.”
-- Hawai‘i Attorney General Holly T. Shikada
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New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella announces a settlement with Janssen Pharmaceuticals/Johnson & Johnson to settle the state's opioid claims against the company. The company has agreed to pay $40.5 million, of which $31.5 million will be used for opioid abatement purposes.
The State decided not to join an earlier national settlement with Johnson & Johnson because the opioid crisis in New Hampshire was particularly severe and also because New Hampshire had already devoted significant litigation resources at the time the national settlement was announced. The terms of the national settlement were significantly less favorable to New Hampshire as compared to the settlement the Attorney General is announcing, which will result in millions of additional abatement funds coming to the state. Those funds will be paid in full in one payment, rather than over 9 years under the national settlement.
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"New Hampshire has been devastated by the opioid crisis, and we continue to deal with the impacts of that crisis today. Today's settlement continues our efforts to hold opioid companies accountable for their role in creating this epidemic, and this settlement represents another successful push to get more resources for New Hampshire to align with the disproportionate impact that this crisis has had on our State. I thank Deputy Attorney General James Boffetti for leading our efforts in this case, and all those who assisted the State in this effort."
--New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella
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District of Columbia Attorney General Karl A. Racine, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, and New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin co-led a group of 20 Attorneys General in filing a friend of the court brief supporting the federal government’s efforts to regulate “ghost guns”: unserialized, untraceable weapons that are often made at home and purchased without background checks.
The new federal rule to regulate ghost guns—issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives—will require that buyers pass background checks before purchasing weapons parts kits, and that law enforcement officers can trace self-made guns that are later used in a crime. It will also limit gun trafficker’s ability to bring these dangerous weapons into communities.
District of Columbia Attorney General Karl A. Racine is joined by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wisconsin.
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HOMEOWNER AND RENTER PROTECTION |
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New York Attorney General Letitia James announced she has secured $4 million from a group of 29 New York City landlords after uncovering an illegal kickback scheme by the management companies they employed to deregulate hundreds of rent-stabilized apartments in New York City. The Office of the Attorney General reached a settlement with 29 LLCs affiliated with Sentinel Real Estate Corporation for wrongdoing committed by employees at the now-defunct property management firms the owners used: Newcastle Realty Services, LLC and Highcastle Management, LLC. Newcastle and Highcastle inflated and falsely stated renovation costs for rent-stabilized apartments to deregulate them and their employees accepted more than $1 million in kickbacks from contractors in exchange for hiring them on renovation jobs. The owners failed to provide sufficient oversight of Newcastle’s and Highcastle’s practices.
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Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita recommends that Hoosiers proceed with caution when using cryptocurrency in any transaction involving the sale or lease of real estate.
Attorney General Rokita’s Homeowner Protection Unit has recently dealt with two specific scams involving cryptocurrency and real estate. In one scam, a fraudster copies a description of a local property that was recently listed for rent on a legitimate website to create a false real estate listing. In another scam, the fraudster targets would-be real estate investors while posing as a legitimate Indiana-based business.
Some consumers have lost thousands of dollars in these scams. Complicating efforts to catch perpetrators of these scams is the fact that it is easy to transfer cryptocurrency to a crypto wallet that is not easily linked with an individual identity.
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New York Attorney General Letitia James and Governor Kathy Hochul took action to stop illegal and discriminatory housing practices at three Long Island real estate brokerages that were discriminating against Black, Hispanic, and other homebuyers of color.
In some documented cases, agents were recorded showing preferential treatment to white homebuyers, disparaging neighborhoods of color, and directing homebuyers of color to homes in neighborhoods where residents predominantly belonged to communities of color. As part of these agreements, the brokerage firms are required to spend more than $115,000 to remedy their discriminatory practices and undergo regular fair housing trainings.
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New York Attorney General Letitia James, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and the Federal Trade Commission sued Roomster — an online platform that claims to help individuals find apartments and roommates — and its executives for defrauding millions of users nationwide. The lawsuit alleges that Roomster, a Manhattan-based company, failed to verify apartments submitted to its website, posted non-existent apartment listings, and scammed consumers out of tens of millions of dollars. Roomster, which is used predominantly by low-income renters and students, also bought and uploaded tens of thousands of fake positive reviews on app stores to boost traffic to its platform. Attorney General James and the FTC are co-leading a coalition of six attorneys general to stop Roomster’s deceptive practices and secure restitution for impacted individuals nationwide.
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A coalition of 22 State Attorneys General, led by Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch, filed an amicus brief in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in support of the religious liberty of Navy SEALs seeking exemptions from the continuing pursuit of vaccination. The Administration asks that the military be given extraordinary deference in their decision to direct compliance with the vaccine mandate, even overriding fundamental freedoms. This case had previously reached the U.S. Supreme Court. On an emergency motion, the Administration asked the Court to partially stay an injunction against the vaccine mandate covering the Seals and the Court stayed the injunction only to the extent that it affected assignment, deployment, and operational decisions. The case now continues in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
The Attorneys General of Mississippi, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming filed the amicus brief.
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ATTORNEY GENERAL ROKITA SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDS LAW IN FEDERAL APPEALS COURT |
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Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita has won the dismissal of a lawsuit challenging an Indiana law requiring physicians, hospitals and abortion clinics to report complications to the Indiana Department of Health. As noted in the attached documents, the parties stipulate and agree that this case, which concerns only the constitutionality of the Complications Statute, should now be dismissed. Previously, Indiana also won a final judgment on another aspect of the same lawsuit — a challenge to the state’s requirement for annual inspections of clinics.
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ATTORNEY GENERAL HIGHLIGHT |
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South Dakota Attorney General’s Office's DCI Forensic Examiner Hollie Strand has earned the Freedom Fighter Award for her work combatting human trafficking by the advocacy group Freedom’s Journey. Strand has worked in law enforcement for more than 24 years and her career includes a stint as Chief of Police in Martin, S.D. A Rapid City native, she serves today as part of the Division of Criminal Investigations Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. She is based in the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office and handles cases for the Rapid City Police Department, the sheriff’s office as well as the DCI.
Freedom’s Journey’s mission is to support survivors of all forms of human trafficking navigate the journey from slavery to freedom through relationships and collaboration, and to combat human trafficking through education, awareness, and legislation. Founded in 2018 by Tess Franzen, the organization grew out of her work spearheading the 2014 formation of South Dakota's West River Human Trafficking Task Force.
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“Hollie’s dedication, persistence and attention to detail helps build cases that lead to the successful prosecutions that help make our communities safer. She is well deserving of this recognition.”
--South Dakota Attorney General Mark Vargo
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AGA Sponsors Named to PEOPLE Magazines 100 Companies That Care 2022
PEOPLE Magazine, Partnering with Great Place to Work, identified the top US companies that demonstrate outstanding respect, care, and concern for their employees, communities, and the environment. The AGA Sponsors listed below were recognized on the list for their ongoing commitment to creating positive and substantive change in people’s lives. PEOPLEs annual Companies That Care list is based on over 1 million employee-survey responses and data from companies that are already certified as Great Places to Work, as well as an assessment of each company’s benefits and community support. Join us in congratulating these companies.
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1. Target Corporation
14. Capital One Financial Corporation
15. American Express
34. Comcast NBC Universal
50. HP Inc.
62. Horizon Therapeutics
66. Orrick
70. KPMG LLP
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Missed our live programs? No problem! Follow the button below to visit our Virtual Seminar Library for access to all recordings.
Do you have a webinar topic suggestion? We want to hear from you! Please email ideas to Patricia Salazar at PSalazar@AGAlliance.org.
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CWAG Executive Committee
AG Alliance Co-Chairs
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Attorney General Alliance 5050 | Laguna Blvd., Ste. 112-323 | Elk Grove, CA 95758
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