Penalty Amount
$22,865,008
Consumers Affected
1,659
Consumer fraud enforcement action where the FTC is distributing $23 million in refunds to investors defrauded by the Sanctuary Belize and Kanantik real estate schemes. The defendants deceived consumers about luxury amenities and resale potential, resulting in losses of over $100 million. This is the second round of refunds following a court judgment.
The FTC is sending $22,865,008.34 in refunds to 1,659 consumers, with average checks of $16,462 for Sanctuary Belize investors and $6,346.39 for Kanantik investors.
In-house legal teams should review all vendor, customer, and investment-related agreements—particularly those involving real estate development, overseas property sales, or investment opportunities. Focus on clauses governing representations and warranties about property features, resale value, and luxury amenities; marketing and advertising commitments; and any guarantees related to investment returns or property appreciation. Given the allegations of deceptive marketing about amenities and resale potential, contracts should be audited for accuracy in descriptive language, and consider adding explicit disclaimers or verification requirements for promotional claims, especially for projects still in development or located offshore.
Entity
Sanctuary Belize
Industry
Real EstateOfficial Press Release
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2026/02/ftc-sending-nearly-23-million-consumers-who-invested-deceptive-sanctuary-belize-kanantik-real-estate
1377 1 opinion of fourth circuit
https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/1377-1_-_opinion_of_fourth_circuit.pdf
1446 order implementing next phase of redress plan
https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/1446_order_implementing_next_phase_of_redress_plan.pdf
Federal Trade Commission Enforcement Page
https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement
"Sanctuary Belize"
"sending a total of $22,865,008.34 to consumers"
"deceived consumers who invested in Sanctuary Belize by promising they were investing in a luxury development and resort. The defendants, however, failed to deliver on the promised amenities"
$750K
The FTC finalized an order against Vanilla Chip LLC (doing business as TruHeight) and its principals for deceptively advertising height-enhancing supplements for children and teens without scientific evidence. The company also used fake reviews and incentivized 5-star ratings. The order requires a $750,000 payment and prohibits false health claims and deceptive review practices.
$2.3M
The FTC alleged that RentGrow, a tenant screening company, violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) by failing to use reasonable procedures to ensure the accuracy of its reports, including by reporting duplicate records and failing to disclose data sources. RentGrow agreed to pay a $2.25 million penalty and is prohibited from further FCRA violations and from misrepresenting dispute outcomes.
The FTC and New York Attorney General took action against Handy Technologies for deceptive earnings claims and failure to disclose fees and fines that led to millions of dollars being withheld from workers' wages. The FTC is sending over $2.7 million in refunds to 62,893 affected consumers.
$35.0M
The FTC alleged that Hopper, a travel booking app, charged consumers hidden and pre-selected fees (Tip and VIP Support) without their consent, misrepresented the benefits of VIP Support and Price Freeze services, and failed to clearly disclose total prices. Hopper agreed to pay $35 million for consumer redress and is prohibited from misrepresenting fees under a proposed order.
$1.5M
The FTC finalized a settlement with Publishing.com LLC and its principals for misleading consumers about potential earnings from self-publishing products. The company will pay $1.5 million and is prohibited from making unsubstantiated earnings claims, failing to disclose refund terms, and misrepresenting endorsements and reviews.
The FTC is seeking public comment on a proposed policy statement addressing concerns that AI companies may be manipulating AI system outputs contrary to consumer expectations for objectivity and accuracy. The statement explains that such conduct could be considered deceptive under Section 5 of the FTC Act. The public comment period runs until July 31, 2026.