Privacy and consumer protection enforcement actions against other companies.
141
Total Actions
$222.6M
Total Fines
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton opened an investigation into the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) over allegations that the organization deceived donors by using millions of dollars in contributions to fund extremist groups including the Ku Klux Klan, which it publicly claimed to oppose. The SPLC was indicted on federal fraud charges in April 2026 for secretly paying leaders of these groups without disclosing the payments to donors. The Texas OAG issued a Civil Investigative Demand to SPLC to probe deceptive donor solicititation and other potential violations of Texas law.
New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a consumer alert on May 18, 2026, warning residents of potential price gouging by transportation service providers during the Long Island Rail Road strike. The alert reminds businesses that New York’s price gouging laws prohibit unconscionable price increases on essential services like transportation during market disruptions. No specific privacy violations or enforcement actions against individual entities were announced in the alert.
New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a consumer alert on May 18, 2026, warning businesses against engaging in price gouging on transportation services during the Long Island Rail Road strike. The alert reminds businesses that New York’s price gouging laws prohibit unconscionable price increases on essential goods and services during market disruptions, with potential penalties of up to $25,000 per violation. No specific enforcement action against a particular entity was announced, only a general warning for businesses and a call for consumers to report suspected price gouging.
New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and the Division of Consumer Affairs announced a Consent Order with King Distribution LLC and 17 related retail smoke shops, resolving allegations that the companies illegally sold flavored vapor products in violation of New Jersey’s consumer protection laws. The Consent Order imposes a $100,000 civil penalty, requires reimbursement of $22,279 in investigation costs, and prohibits the companies from selling or distributing flavored vapor products in New Jersey. The enforcement action is part of New Jersey’s ongoing efforts to protect youth from flavored vape products, which have been permanently banned in the state since January 2020.
$100K
The press release is a weekly roundup of Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones' activities, including updates on vape legislation, joining a 22-state coalition opposing a USPS firearm mailing proposal, filing emergency appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court regarding redistricting, commencement speeches, and Law Day events. No privacy-related enforcement actions are documented.
On May 11, 2026, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong led a bipartisan coalition of 21 attorneys general in submitting a comment letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urging the agency to abandon draft guidance that would ease approvals for flavored e-cigarette products. The coalition argues the guidance ignores evidence that flavored e-cigarettes disproportionately drive youth addiction and that FDA has failed to enforce existing authorization requirements for e-cigarette products. The letter references past tobacco and e-cigarette enforcement actions, including the 1998 tobacco master settlement agreement and the 2022 $438.5 million settlement with JUUL Labs.
The provided press release is a media release from the Oregon Department of Justice announcing a multistate press conference of attorneys general from Oregon, California, Washington, Nevada, and New York advocating for increased state resources to address antitrust enforcement gaps following reduced federal oversight. No privacy-related enforcement actions, violations, penalties, or remedies are described in the document.
The FTC and State of Illinois, via the Department of Justice, filed a complaint against B.E.S.T. GDR LLC (d/b/a Premium Home Service) and its owner Yosef Bernath for creating thousands of fake home repair business listings with fabricated five-star reviews to deceive consumers. The defendants allegedly routed consumer calls to unqualified representatives, arranged for unlicensed technicians, and violated the FTC Act, Reviews and Testimonials Rule, Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, and Illinois consumer protection laws. No monetary penalty has been imposed yet as the case is in initial filing stages.
A coalition of 24 states led by Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones won a lawsuit against the Trump Administration, invalidating illegal tariffs imposed under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. The U.S. Court of International Trade ruled the tariffs were unauthorized by law, as a trade deficit does not constitute the required 'large and serious balance-of-payment deficits' under the statute. The ruling prevents the administration from enforcing the 10% worldwide tariffs on most products.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong praised final passage of House Bill 5312, which creates new civil enforcement mechanisms for deepfake digital sexual assault. The legislation allows the AG to pursue civil injunctions and penalties against platforms that disseminate illegal synthetic intimate images, including AI-generated child pornography, and establishes a private right of action for victims. The bill builds on prior Connecticut laws criminalizing unauthorized dissemination of intimate images.
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield led a 24-state coalition in a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s tariffs imposed under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. The U.S. Court of International Trade granted summary judgment to the states, ruling the tariffs illegal as they did not meet the statutory requirement of “large and serious balance-of-payment deficits.” The court invalidated the 10 percent tariffs on most global products, barring their enforcement.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced a settlement with international trade platform Made-in-China to cease all U.S. sales of unlawful 'research grade' GLP-1 weight loss drugs following an investigation into direct sales to consumers without prescriptions or medical oversight. The settlement prohibits the platform from hosting GLP-1 sales to U.S. customers, requires a monitoring system to remove non-compliant listings, and imposes a $300,000 penalty suspended after an initial $30,000 payment. Additional settlements were announced with Radiance Medspa and Advanced Medical Weight Loss over compounded non-FDA approved GLP-1 drugs.
$300K
This press release announces New York Attorney General Letitia James leading a coalition of 21 state attorneys general, the District of Columbia, and Pennsylvania’s Governor in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court to stay a Fifth Circuit ruling that would reinstate in-person dispensing requirements for mifepristone, a medication used for abortion. The coalition argues the ruling is scientifically unsupported, would restrict telehealth access to reproductive care, and undermines state sovereignty over abortion policy post-Dobbs. This is not a privacy-related enforcement action, as the content addresses reproductive health policy rather than data privacy violations.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong issued a statement on May 1, 2026, following final passage of bipartisan legislation to combat youth social media addiction and regulate artificial intelligence harms. The legislation imposes new requirements on social media companies regarding minor users, including parental consent for addictive algorithms, default privacy settings, and annual reporting obligations. It also establishes rules for AI chat bots and automated employment decision tools, including disclosure requirements and self-harm detection protocols.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong filed a brief on April 29, 2026, urging the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) to reject Eversource’s request for $340 million in interest payments on nearly $1 billion in unvetted storm costs from 2018 to 2023. This press release does not describe a privacy-related enforcement action, as no data privacy violations are alleged, and no final enforcement action has been taken against Eversource. The matter involves utility cost recovery and regulatory advocacy, not privacy compliance.
On April 28, 2026, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong joined a bipartisan coalition of 24 other state attorneys general and New York City in sending letters to major credit card companies and payment processors urging them to block transactions facilitating illegal vaping product sales. The coalition highlighted that most vapor products lack required FDA authorization and many online sellers violate the federal Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking (PACT) Act, including failing to implement youth access safeguards. The coalition requested a meeting to discuss prohibiting noncompliant merchants from using payment networks, building on existing state enforcement actions against illegal vape sellers.
Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones released a 100-day progress report outlining his office's actions, including a pledge to enforce new Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act provisions requiring social media platforms to limit minor users to one hour of daily usage without parental consent, and a data privacy awareness campaign for Virginians. No specific privacy enforcement actions against private entities were detailed in the release.
The FTC settled allegations against Steven and Gina Merritt, high-level participants in the LifeWave MLM company, for making false and unsubstantiated earnings claims to recruit workers despite most LifeWave participants earning little to no money. The stipulated final order prohibits the Merritts from making deceptive earnings representations and requires them to notify their downline participants of the order's prohibitions. No monetary penalty was imposed.
On April 17, 2026, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong joined a coalition of 23 state attorneys general in sending a comment letter to CFPB Acting Director Russell Vought opposing the CFPB’s proposed strategic plan, which would drastically reduce agency staffing, weaken supervision of financial institutions, and curtail enforcement capacity. The coalition argues the plan would abdicate the CFPB’s statutory obligations, leave consumers vulnerable to fraud and scams, and shift enforcement burden to state agencies. The letter urges the CFPB to reverse course and maintain robust consumer protection efforts.
This press release announces the FTC's testimony before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on April 15, 2026, outlining the agency's priorities including consumer privacy protection, competition enforcement, and implementation of the TAKE IT DOWN Act. No specific enforcement action against a private entity is announced in this release.
The FTC announced three separate settlements with companies making false 'Made in USA' claims: TouchTunes (electronic dartboards, $625k consumer redress), Americana Liberty and related parties (flags and flagpoles, $167,743 redress), and Oak Street Bootmakers (footwear, $75k redress). The companies violated the FTC Act, Made in USA Labeling Rule, and for Americana Liberty, the Textile Act and Rules, by making unqualified origin claims for products with significant imported components or wholly imported from China. Each settlement prohibits future misrepresentations of U.S. origin and requires consumer notices.
$868K
The FTC settled allegations against Stormy Wellington, a high-level multilevel marketing (MLM) participant, for using false and unsubstantiated earnings claims to recruit new members for Total Life Changes and Farmasi MLMs. The stipulated final order prohibits Wellington from making deceptive earnings representations, requires written substantiation of all earnings claims, and mandates notification to her downline participants about the order’s prohibitions. No monetary penalty was imposed.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced it submitted a draft Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) regarding online food delivery service fees to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review on April 10, 2026. The ANPRM is classified as a 'significant regulatory action' under Executive Orders 12866 and 14215, requiring review by OIRA before public issuance. This press release does not describe an enforcement action against a private entity, nor any privacy-related violations or penalties.
The FTC settled charges with StubHub Holdings, Inc. for violating the FTC Act and the FTC’s Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees by failing to disclose total ticket prices including all mandatory fees up-front on its website. StubHub will pay $10 million, which will be used to provide refunds to eligible consumers who purchased live event tickets between May 12 and 14, 2025. The stipulated final order also prohibits StubHub from misrepresenting pricing, fees, or material transaction facts, and requires full compliance with the Fees Rule’s disclosure requirements.
$10.0M
New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced a multistate settlement with NCL Bahamas, Ltd. (Norwegian Cruise Line) resolving allegations of deceptive sales practices and unfair cancellation, refund, and future cruise credit policies during the COVID-19 pandemic. The settlement requires NCL to pay $2 million to participating states, implement employee training and management approval processes for sales communications during disasters, and prohibits deceptive sales statements and prioritizing sales over consumer health and safety. NCL has already issued over $3 billion in refunds and future cruise credits to consumers nationwide related to the underlying allegations.
$2.0M
Consumer protection and civil rights lawsuit filed by Oregon AG and 20 other states against the U.S. Department of Agriculture over unlawful funding conditions that coerce states into complying with policies unrelated to nutrition programs. The conditions relate to immigration, DEI, and gender identity, and are alleged to violate the Spending Clause and Administrative Procedure Act. The suit seeks to block these conditions to protect billions in funding for programs like SNAP, WIC, and school lunches that serve vulnerable populations.
On March 20, 2026, FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson directed FTC staff to form a Healthcare Task Force to coordinate healthcare enforcement and advocacy efforts. The task force will focus on targeted enforcement initiatives, agencywide investigation strategies, amicus opportunities, and identifying emerging enforcement priorities. It will also seek partnerships with other federal agencies including HHS and DOJ to advance healthcare competition and consumer protection.
Environmental enforcement action where Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, along with a coalition of states and cities, filed a lawsuit challenging the EPA's unlawful rescission of the 2009 Endangerment Finding on greenhouse gas emissions. The challenge argues that the rescission ignores scientific evidence and legal precedent, threatening public health and environmental protections.
Health enforcement action: Attorney General Rayfield led a coalition of 22 states and D.C. to secure a federal court order blocking the Trump Administration from threatening to cut off Medicare and Medicaid funding to healthcare providers that offer gender-affirming care to youth with gender dysphoria. The court ruled the administration's actions unlawful, protecting access to care and upholding the right to make personal healthcare decisions.
Consumer fraud enforcement action where the FTC settled with Xponential Fitness for violating the Franchise Rule by misrepresenting key information to franchisees, including time to open and costs. The settlement includes a $17 million monetary judgment for redress and prohibits future misrepresentations.
$17.0M
Ibelis Gonzalez, a 46-year-old Jersey City resident, was indicted on charges including second-degree theft by deception, second-degree impersonation/theft of identity, and third-degree false government documents. She is alleged to have used fake identification to obtain debit cards in six victims' names, stealing approximately $86,840 from their bank accounts between May and June 2024. The case is being prosecuted by the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice, with potential maximum fines of $150,000 for second-degree charges and $15,000 for third-degree charges.
Consumer protection enforcement action where Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield led a coalition of 24 states in filing a motion for a preliminary injunction to stop the Trump Administration's imposition of tariffs on imported goods. The states argue the tariffs are unlawful under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, as they cause financial harm to consumers and state governments by increasing prices and procurement costs.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education to block the expansion of IPEDS data collection requiring colleges to submit race-linked student data. The lawsuit argues the demand is arbitrary, capricious, and burdensome, and could enable costly partisan investigations. A multistate coalition co-led the challenge.
Privacy enforcement action where Oregon AG and a coalition of 16 other states sue the Trump Administration to stop the Department of Education's new IPEDS data reporting requirements, arguing they jeopardize student privacy, lack proper definitions, and risk data errors and identification.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, joined by 17 other attorneys general, filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education to block new IPEDS data reporting requirements that demand student information disaggregated by race and sex. The coalition argues the rushed implementation is unlawful, invades student privacy, and risks unreliable data and baseless investigations. They seek an injunction to halt the data collection and protect student privacy.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, joined by 16 other attorneys general, filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education to stop new data collection requirements under IPEDS that threaten student privacy by requesting sensitive personal information including income, test scores, and GPA.
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell co-led a coalition of 17 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the Trump Administration to stop new data reporting requirements for colleges and universities through IPEDS. The requirements demand detailed student data disaggregated by race and sex, retroactive for seven years, which the coalition argues jeopardizes student privacy and could lead to baseless investigations.
The FTC is seeking public comment on an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) to amend the Negative Option Rule, which governs prenotification negative option marketing plans. The rulemaking aims to address deceptive or unfair practices including misleading disclosures, unauthorized billing, and difficult cancellation processes, following over 100,000 consumer complaints about negative option practices in the past five years. Comments will be accepted for 30 days after the ANPRM is published in the Federal Register.
A former employee of the New Jersey Department of Children and Families was indicted for allegedly leaking confidential child protection case information in exchange for bribes. The defendant, Susaida Nazario, misused her access to provide case details to an unauthorized individual, compromising sensitive children's data.
PURA preliminarily approved the sale of Aquarion Water Company to a new nonprofit Aquarion Water Authority, expected to double water rates. Attorney General Tong opposes the decision, citing loss of public oversight and high costs to consumers. The conversion removes PURA regulation, placing rate approvals under a board with no history of rejecting hikes.
Consumer protection lawsuit led by Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, on behalf of a coalition of 24 states and two governors, challenging the Trump Administration's imposition of worldwide tariffs under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. The suit alleges the administration is acting without legal authority, violating the Administrative Procedure Act and constitutional separation of powers, and causing immediate financial harm to American consumers and businesses through increased prices.
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell secured a preliminary injunction from the U.S. District Court blocking the Trump Administration's USDA from cutting off SNAP funding to states that refuse to turn over personal data of SNAP applicants and recipients. The court found USDA's proposed data protocol unlawful because it allowed sharing data with entities unrelated to federal benefits administration.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services opposing a proposed rule that would eliminate model card requirements for AI tools in healthcare, warning that such rollbacks could lead to biased and unsafe healthcare decisions by reducing transparency.
Attorney General Raoul secured a court order preventing the U.S. Department of Agriculture from collecting SNAP applicants' and recipients' personal data without an agreed-upon protocol that restricts sharing with unrelated entities like the Department of Homeland Security. The court found that the USDA's proposed protocol would violate federal law by allowing data use for immigration enforcement, contrary to the intended purpose of SNAP.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta secured a second preliminary injunction from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California blocking the Trump Administration's demand that states turn over personal data of SNAP applicants and recipients. The court found the USDA's proposed data protocol would allow sharing of state data with entities unrelated to federal benefits administration, violating federal law.
Consumer protection case involving theft of charitable funds. Former Alberta Main Street president Devon T. Horace pleaded no contest to theft and falsifying business records, paid $85,080.95 in restitution, and was sentenced to probation and community service.
Health enforcement case: Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, along with a coalition of states, filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration's overhaul of the childhood immunization schedule. The complaint alleges that HHS Secretary RFK Jr. and CDC officials bypassed federal law, ignored scientific evidence, and endangered children by demoting key vaccines from the recommended schedule. The states seek to declare the actions unlawful and enjoin the new policy.
Environmental and consumer protection enforcement action. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield led a coalition of 16 states in filing an amicus brief supporting a lawsuit against the IRS. The challenge contests a new IRS rule that removes a key pathway (5% investment test) for wind and solar projects to qualify for federal clean energy tax credits. The states argue the rule is unlawful, arbitrary, will increase energy costs for families and businesses, and undermine state clean energy goals and investments.
Civil rights enforcement action where Oregon Attorney General submitted evidence supporting a lawsuit against federal agents for excessive use of force and First Amendment violations during protests at the Portland ICE building. The AG urges the court to issue a preliminary injunction to stop unlawful crowd-control measures.
New Jersey Acting Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and the Division of Consumer Affairs issued general guidance warning sellers against engaging in price gouging during a declared state of emergency ahead of a major winter storm. The guidance cites New Jersey’s price gouging law, which prohibits price increases exceeding 10% of pre-emergency prices for necessary goods and services during the emergency and 30 days after its termination. Violations carry civil penalties up to $10,000 for first offenses and $20,000 for subsequent offenses, with each individual sale counted as a separate violation.
Consumer protection case involving charity fraud. A former Orangetheory Fitness instructor pleaded guilty to stealing charitable donations collected during workout classes between 2021 and 2024. He diverted over $24,000 intended for charities to his personal Venmo account to fund his cocaine habit. The Oregon DOJ and Multnomah County DA's Office pursued criminal charges and civil claims to secure restitution and prevent future charitable sector involvement.
New Jersey, serving as co-lead of a 22-state coalition, filed a motion for summary judgment on January 22, 2026, seeking an expedited order to stop the Trump Administration from defunding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) before March 2026. The states argue that defunding the CFPB would undermine federal and state consumer protection efforts, including states’ reliance on CFPB consumer complaint data and mortgage lending data for enforcement actions. This motion builds on a December 2025 lawsuit filed by the same coalition challenging the administration’s threats to withhold CFPB funding.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, alongside attorneys general from New York, Colorado, Illinois, and Minnesota, filed a motion for preliminary injunction to continue blocking the Trump Administration's unlawful freeze of $10 billion in federal funding for child care and family assistance programs and to prevent broad data requests for personally identifiable information of millions of residents. The funding freeze targets five Democratic-led states without evidence of fraud, and the data requests are part of the challenged unlawful actions. A temporary restraining order was previously granted blocking these measures.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta joined a multistate coalition in filing an amicus brief opposing the U.S. Department of Justice's subpoena for patient records from University of Pittsburgh Medical Center related to gender-affirming care. The brief argues that the subpoena violates patient privacy, infringes on states' rights to regulate medicine, and exceeds DOJ's statutory authority.
Civil rights and health enforcement action where Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, joined by 11 other states, sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) over a policy that conditions federal health, education, and research funding on states' agreement to discriminate
Consumer fraud investigation where the FTC is seeking information from 20 universities about whether sports agents are complying with the Sports Agent Responsibility and Trust Act (SPARTA), which requires disclosures to student athletes and notification to schools. The inquiry aims to ensure student athletes are protected from deceptive practices by agents.
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell filed a motion to enforce a preliminary injunction against the Trump Administration's demands for personal data of SNAP recipients. The court previously blocked such demands, but the administration renewed its request, threatening to withhold funding. The AG seeks to ensure compliance with federal privacy laws and protect SNAP recipients' sensitive information.
Civil rights investigation by the Oregon Attorney General into an incident where federal agents shot two people in Portland, examining whether officers acted outside lawful authority and addressing concerns about a pattern of excessive force.
Attorney General William Tong led a coalition of 15 attorneys general in submitting a comment letter to the EPA opposing the Trump Administration's proposal to roll back PFAS reporting requirements under the Toxic Substances Control Act. The coalition argues that the exemptions would shield most manufacturers from reporting critical information about PFAS chemicals, hindering efforts to protect public health and the environment.
Attorney General William Tong joined a coalition of 21 states and D.C. in suing the Trump administration to prevent the defunding of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The lawsuit argues that the defunding is unlawful and would cripple consumer protection efforts and state enforcement capabilities. The coalition seeks a court order to ensure CFPB continues to receive funding and fulfill its duties.
Consumer protection case where Oregon AG sued the Trump administration to prevent defunding of the CFPB, arguing it would harm consumers and state enforcement efforts. The CFPB provides critical data and complaint handling for financial consumer protection.
Environmental enforcement action: Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield joined a multistate lawsuit against the Trump Administration for unlawfully freezing federal funding approved by Congress for electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The freeze, implemented by the U.S. Department of Transportation, halts critical projects to modernize freight corridors, reduce pollution, and support EV adoption, including a $102 million Pacific Northwest project for medium- and heavy-duty trucks. The lawsuit seeks a court order to release the funds and allow states to proceed with Congressionally authorized projects.
The FTC has taken action against Illusory Systems, Inc. (doing business as Nomad) for failing to implement adequate data security measures, which led to a breach where hackers stole $186 million from consumers. The company is required to return the stolen funds and implement an information security program.
$186.0M
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin and the Division on Civil Rights (DCR) announced the adoption of comprehensive new rules codifying the prohibition against disparate impact discrimination under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD). The rules, published in the New Jersey Register on December 15, 2025, clarify legal standards for disparate impact liability in employment, housing, public accommodations, financial lending, and contracting, including the use of artificial intelligence in employment contexts. The rules do not create new liability but provide clarity on existing LAD protections amid federal rollbacks of disparate impact standards.
Consumer protection case where Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield secured a federal court order blocking the Trump administration from imposing financial penalties on states for SNAP operations, ensuring that lawful permanent residents continue to receive benefits without disruption.
Other enforcement action: Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, joined by 18 other states, sued the Trump Administration over its unlawful $100,000 fee for H-1B visa petitions. The lawsuit alleges that the policy violates the Administrative Procedure Act by exceeding congressional authority and bypassing required rulemaking procedures, harming educational institutions and employers.
This legal enforcement action involves Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, leading a coalition of 20 states, securing a court victory against the Trump Administration's unlawful attempt to terminate the BRIC disaster preparedness program. The court ruled that the termination violates appropriations laws and the Administrative Procedures Act, requiring restoration of billions in funding to protect communities from natural disasters.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta co-led a coalition of 18 attorneys general in submitting a comment letter opposing the Department of Homeland Security's expansion of the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program to include U.S.-born citizens. The coalition argues the expansion violates the Privacy Act of 1974, creates a massive surveillance database, increases data breach risks, and will lead to inaccurate verifications and denial of benefits.
Consumer protection case where Oregon AG Dan Rayfield led a multi-state lawsuit to block USDA guidance that unlawfully restricts SNAP eligibility for legal immigrants, arguing it contradicts federal law and could cause wrongful benefit terminations.
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin joined a bipartisan coalition of 36 state attorneys general in sending a letter to Congress opposing proposed legislation that would ban state laws regulating artificial intelligence. The letter warns that such a ban would leave residents, particularly children and senior citizens, vulnerable to harmful AI practices including scams, misinformation, and privacy violations. The coalition urges Congress to instead collaborate on federal AI safeguards rather than preempting state-level protections.
Attorney General William Tong and a bipartisan coalition of 36 attorneys general sent a letter to Congress opposing efforts to ban state AI laws. They argue that state laws are necessary to protect residents from AI harms in the absence of federal protections. The coalition urges Congress to work with them on federal AI protections instead.
Civil rights enforcement action where Oregon Attorney General and three local District Attorneys issued a formal demand letter to federal agencies, citing a pattern of excessive and unlawful force by DHS officers during immigration operations that endangered residents and other law enforcement, and threatening investigations and potential prosecutions if conduct does not change.
Civil rights and housing policy enforcement action where Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, with a coalition of 20 states and two governors, sued HUD for unlawfully changing Continuum of Care grant requirements that would slash permanent housing funding by ~70% and impose barriers like gender recognition restrictions, threatening housing stability for tens of thousands.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta joined a bipartisan coalition of 36 state attorneys general in sending a letter to Congress opposing a proposed provision in the National Defense Authorization Act that would preempt state laws addressing AI risks. The coalition argues that states must retain authority to mitigate AI harms, particularly to children, and that state-level enforcement is critical for protecting residents from emerging threats like deepfakes and harmful AI interactions.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit against the City of El Cajon for unlawfully sharing Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) data with over 100 out-of-state law enforcement agencies, violating state law that restricts such data to California public agencies. The AG is seeking a court order to halt the sharing and compel compliance with state privacy protections.
Governing Magazine recognized Connecticut Attorney General William Tong as a 2025 Public Official of the Year for his bipartisan enforcement leadership, highlighting major settlements including the $6 billion Purdue Pharma opioid case and $440 million JUUL e-cigarette marketing settlement.
The FTC and 19 states settled with Kars-R-Us.com, Inc. and its operators for deceptive charity fundraising claims, where only 0.28% of over $45 million raised was used for breast cancer screenings. Operators face permanent fundraising bans and a $3.88 million monetary judgment.
$3.9M
A coalition of 21 state attorneys general led by New York Attorney General Letitia James obtained a temporary restraining order from the District Court for the Northern District of California blocking the USDA from demanding personally identifiable information of all SNAP recipients, including Social Security numbers, home addresses, and immigration statuses. The lawsuit argued that the USDA’s demand violated federal and state laws prohibiting disclosure of SNAP data except in narrow circumstances, and that the data would be used for immigration enforcement against recipients. The order also prohibits the USDA from withholding SNAP funding from plaintiff states that refuse to comply with the data demand.
New York Attorney General Letitia James and a coalition of 20 other states sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture to stop its demand for personal information of SNAP recipients for immigration enforcement. The District Court issued a temporary restraining order blocking USDA's demand and preventing funding cuts, citing violations of laws protecting SNAP data confidentiality.
Connecticut, California, and Colorado attorneys general, along with the California Privacy Protection Agency, announced a joint investigative sweep targeting businesses that fail to honor Global Privacy Control (GPC) signals, which allow consumers to opt-out of the sale of their personal information. The coalition sent letters to non-compliant businesses demanding immediate compliance with state privacy laws requiring respect for consumer opt-out preferences.
The California Privacy Protection Agency, together with the Attorneys General of California, Colorado, and Connecticut, announced an investigative sweep targeting businesses that fail to honor Global Privacy Control (GPC) signals, which automatically communicate consumers' opt-out requests. The coalition is contacting identified businesses and demanding immediate compliance with state privacy laws. This coordinated effort highlights the states' commitment to enforcing consumers' right to opt-out of the sale of their personal information.
Attorney General William Tong is seeking a preliminary injunction to block the U.S. Department of Agriculture from forcing states to share private data of SNAP participants, including social security numbers and shopping history. USDA is threatening to cut off administrative funding if states do not comply, which AG Tong argues violates federal privacy laws and the Constitution.
Attorney General William Tong, leading a coalition of 22 states, filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture for demanding that states disclose sensitive personal data of SNAP recipients. The demand violates federal privacy laws and the Constitution, and threatens to withhold critical funding. The lawsuit seeks to block USDA from conditioning SNAP administrative funds on data disclosure.
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell, joined by a coalition of 21 states and Kentucky, filed a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Agriculture's demand that states turn over sensitive personal data of SNAP recipients. The lawsuit argues that this demand violates federal privacy laws and the Spending Clause, threatening the privacy of millions of low-income families and coercing states by threatening funding cuts.
New York Attorney General Letitia James joined a multistate coalition of 21 attorneys general and Kentucky in filing a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) challenging its illegal demand for personally identifiable information of over 40 million SNAP recipients. The coalition alleges the USDA’s requirement that states turn over SNAP recipients’ Social Security numbers, addresses, and immigration statuses violates federal and state laws prohibiting disclosure of SNAP data for non-program purposes, and that the data will be shared across federal agencies for unauthorized immigration enforcement. The coalition seeks a declaratory judgment declaring the policy illegal and a nationwide injunction preventing enforcement of the data demand.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong filed a lawsuit against MAKECTBETTER LLC and individuals for operating a fraudulent scheme selling fake cannabis licenses. The defendants forged state documents and charged businesses up to $50,000 for non-existent licenses. The AG is seeking a $2.5 million prejudgment remedy to freeze the defendants' assets.
$2.5M
New York Attorney General Letitia James, joined by 20 other states and Kentucky, filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's policy requiring states to disclose personal information of SNAP recipients to federal agencies. The policy violates privacy laws by demanding sensitive data like Social Security numbers for potential immigration enforcement. The coalition seeks a court injunction to stop the illegal data sharing.
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin joined a coalition of 20 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for demanding that states turn over sensitive personal information of SNAP recipients, including Social Security numbers and addresses. The lawsuit argues that this demand violates federal privacy laws and the Constitution, as the data is protected and should only be used for program administration. The coalition seeks to block USDA from conditioning SNAP funding on compliance with this demand.
Connecticut passed House Bill No. 7181 to strengthen enforcement against illegal cannabis and tobacco sales by increasing penalties, allowing municipalities to retain civil penalties, and creating a task force. The law also expands bans on online sales of e-cigarettes and improves age verification to prevent youth access to addictive products.
The Connecticut Office of the Attorney General released an updated enforcement report on the Connecticut Data Privacy Act (CTDPA) for 2024, summarizing investigations into companies handling connected vehicles, genetic data, palm recognition, teen messaging apps, and facial recognition. The report outlines expanded enforcement priorities around opt-out practices and dark patterns, and includes legislative recommendations to strengthen the CTDPA.
New York Attorney General Letitia James led a 19-state coalition to secure a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration from granting Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) unauthorized access to the Treasury Department’s central payment system and Americans’ sensitive personal information, including Social Security numbers and bank account details. A prior temporary restraining order required immediate destruction of all records already obtained by DOGE and Musk. The lawsuit remains ongoing to permanently prevent unauthorized access to private consumer data.
New York Attorney General Letitia James led a multistate coalition to sue the Trump administration for allowing Elon Musk and DOGE unauthorized access to the Treasury Department's central payment system, exposing Americans' sensitive personal information. A federal court granted a preliminary injunction blocking this access and ordering the destruction of any obtained records.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, leading a coalition of 19 attorneys general, secured a temporary restraining order blocking DOGE and Elon Musk from accessing Treasury Department payment systems containing sensitive personal data. The court found the Trump Administration illegally granted unauthorized access, exposing Americans' bank account details and Social Security numbers. The order mandates destruction of downloaded materials and restricts access to vetted civil servants.
New York Attorney General Letitia James led a coalition of 18 other state attorneys general in suing the Trump administration and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to stop unauthorized access to Americans' sensitive personal data held in U.S. Treasury payment systems. A federal judge granted a temporary restraining order blocking DOGE from accessing the data and requiring immediate destruction of any copies already obtained. A hearing on a motion for preliminary injunction is scheduled for February 14, 2025.
New York Attorney General Letitia James led a coalition of 11 other attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration for illegally granting Elon Musk and DOGE unauthorized access to the Treasury Department’s central payment system, exposing Social Security numbers, bank account information, and other private data of tens of millions of Americans. A federal judge granted a temporary restraining order on February 8, 2025, blocking access and ordering destruction of all obtained records, with the coalition seeking a preliminary injunction to continue the bar on unauthorized access.
New York Attorney General Letitia James led a multistate lawsuit against Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) for gaining unauthorized access to the U.S. Treasury's payment system, which contains Americans' sensitive personal data and controls vital funding. A federal judge granted a temporary restraining order blocking DOGE from accessing this data and requiring the destruction of any records already obtained, with a preliminary injunction hearing set for February 14, 2025.
New York Attorney General Letitia James led a coalition of 19 states in filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration for illegally granting Elon Musk and DOGE access to the Treasury's payment system, exposing Americans' sensitive personal information. The lawsuit seeks an injunction to halt this policy and a declaration that it is unlawful and unconstitutional.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong filed a lawsuit against President Trump and the U.S. Treasury Department to stop DOGE's unauthorized access to the Treasury's central payment system, which contains sensitive personal information like bank details and Social Security numbers. The lawsuit seeks an injunction and a declaration that the new policy granting access to Elon Musk and DOGE members is unlawful and jeopardizes data security.
A coalition of 18 state attorneys general, led by Illinois AG Kwame Raoul, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration to stop a policy that grants Elon Musk and DOGE unauthorized access to the Treasury Department's payment system, which contains sensitive personal information like bank details and Social Security numbers. The lawsuit seeks an injunction and a declaration that the policy is unlawful, arguing it violates federal law and jeopardizes data security.
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin joined a coalition of 19 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration for illegally granting Elon Musk and DOGE unauthorized access to the U.S. Treasury Department's central payment system, which contains sensitive personal information such as Social Security numbers and bank details. The lawsuit seeks an injunction to halt this policy and a declaration that it is unlawful and unconstitutional.