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.
The coalition is seeking an injunction to prevent the Treasury Department from implementing its new policy of expanded access to its payment system and a declaration that the policy change is unlawful and unconstitutional.
In-house legal teams should review all agreements involving government contractors, vendors handling sensitive personal data (like SSNs or bank details), or any contracts granting access to federal payment systems. Focus on clauses governing data sharing with government entities, requirements for legal process (e.g., warrants/subpoenas) before disclosing data, data security and audit rights, and breach notification obligations. Given the allegations of unauthorized access, contracts may need amendments to restrict access to Treasury or similar systems, mandate immediate notification of government data requests, and require verification of lawful authority before compliance.
Entity
U.S. Department of Treasury
Also known as: U.S. Treasury
Industry
Other"Treasury Department’s new policy"
"illegally provided Elon Musk and the so-called 'Department of Government Efficiency' ('DOGE') unauthorized access to the Treasury Department’s central payment system"
$18.0M
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport joined a bipartisan coalition of 42 attorneys general in announcing a settlement with the bankruptcy trustee for 23andMe, resolving allegations from a 2023 data breach that compromised genetic data of 6.9 million people worldwide, including nearly 150,000 in New Jersey. The settlement provides $18 million to states from available bankruptcy funds, plus enhanced data security and consumer deletion rights for the successor entity, 23andMe Research Institute.
$45.0M
Block, Inc. agreed to a $45 million multistate settlement with 46 states for allegedly misleading consumers about the safety of Cash App, failing to protect users from fraud, and not providing promised fraud protection. The settlement requires Block to improve customer support, stop misleading claims, and educate consumers about fraud.
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport co-led a coalition of 49 attorneys general in calling on the FCC to strengthen rules to cut off scammers' access to legitimate telephone numbers. The coalition's letter requests stronger certification rules, regular reporting, and prohibitions on number cycling to combat illegal robocalls.
Governor Sherrill and Attorney General Davenport announced coordinated executive actions to reduce and eliminate junk fees in New Jersey. The initiative includes an Executive Order directing state agencies to review industries for junk fees and an Enforcement Statement from the Division of Consumer Affairs explaining how junk fee practices may violate the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act.
The New Jersey Bureau of Securities announced its 2026 annual investment adviser examination, with a particular focus on firms' use of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity protocols. The examination requires nearly 800 registered investment adviser firms to answer questions about AI use in portfolio management, data protection policies, and third-party vendor due diligence. Failure to comply may result in administrative action.
The New Jersey Bureau of Securities filed a lawsuit against Xiao Hu (aka Mark Hu) and his companies Skyline Technology USA LLC and Thunderbirds.ME, Inc. for allegedly defrauding at least 15 investors out of $2.5 million through unregistered securities offerings. Hu allegedly misappropriated at least $280,000 for personal expenses including a home purchase and vacation, and falsely claimed to have a Ph.D. from Columbia University.