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Letitia James

Walmart Fined For Shipping Illegal Realistic Toy Guns To NY Walmart Fined For Shipping Illegal Realistic Toy Guns To NY
Walmart Fined For Shipping Illegal Realistic Toy Guns To NY Walmart will pay a $16,000 penalty after New York State investigators found it shipped realistic-looking toy guns to multiple addresses across the state, the state attorney general’s office said. Following a settlement reached Tuesday, May 27, New York Attorney General Letitia James said the retail giant violated state laws that ban retailers from selling or shipping imitation guns that look too much like the real thing. The investigation by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) found that third-party sellers on Walmart’s online store sold and shipped at least nine illegal toy guns to Ne…
Trump's Tariffs Temporarily Reinstated After Appeals Court Blocks Two Rulings Trump's Tariffs Temporarily Reinstated After Appeals Court Blocks Two Rulings
Trump's Tariffs Temporarily Reinstated After Appeals Court Blocks Two Rulings The Trump administration can temporarily continue collecting tariffs after an appeals court lifted a lower court's block on the President's sweeping duties that have shaken global markets. The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit paused the ruling by the US Court of International Trade on Thursday, May 29. The trade court had struck down most of President Donald Trump's global tariffs, saying he had improperly used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose the duties. The dozen states and five small businesses who sued to block Trump's tariffs have unti…
NY AG Sues Capital One Over $2B+ Savings Scheme After Trump's CFPB Dropped Case NY AG Sues Capital One Over $2B+ Savings Scheme After Trump's CFPB Dropped Case
NY AG Sues Capital One Over $2B+ Savings Scheme After Trump's Cfpb Dropped Case New York's attorney general is reviving a major consumer protection case that federal regulators dropped shortly after President Donald Trump returned to office. Attorney General Letitia James announced the lawsuit against Capital One on Wednesday, May 14. The suit accuses the banking giant of misleading savings account customers and withholding millions in interest. According to the lawsuit, Capital One used "bait-and-switch" tactics by advertising its 360 Savings account as a high-interest option. The company then secretly offered far better rates to new customers through a…
8 NY Nissan Dealerships Must Pay $3.2M For Overcharging Customers: NY AG 8 NY Nissan Dealerships Must Pay $3.2M For Overcharging Customers: NY AG
8 NY Nissan Dealerships Must Pay $3.2M For Overcharging Customers: NY AG Eight Nissan dealerships across New York—including ones in Rockland County and on Long Island—have been ordered to pay more than $3.2 million for illegally overcharging over 1,700 customers who were trying to buy out their leased vehicles, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced.  According to James, who unveiled the agreement on Tuesday, May 6, the dealerships added bogus fees or inflated prices to final invoices, forcing customers to pay more than the amount promised in their original lease agreements.  The affected dealerships include:  Action Nissan in Ro…
CT Among 19 States Suing To Reverse Trump's 20,000 Health Care Job Cuts: 'Reckless, Dangerous' CT Among 19 States Suing To Reverse Trump's 20,000 Health Care Job Cuts: 'Reckless, Dangerous'
CT Among 19 States Suing To Reverse Trump's 20,000 Health Care Job Cuts: 'Reckless, Dangerous' Over one-third of U.S. states are urging a federal judge to reverse President Donald Trump’s decision to cut 20,000 Department of Health and Human Services employees, arguing the move could have dangerous and long-lasting effects on public health. Nineteen states — including Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Maryland — along with Washington, D.C., filed a lawsuit in Rhode Island on Monday, May 5. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced in March that the agency would cut nearly 25 percent of its workforce as part of Trump’s push to overhaul the federal government and reduce spendin…
NY Delivery Drivers Can Get Their Share Of $4M Tip Settlement: Here's Who Qualifies NY Delivery Drivers Can Get Their Share Of $4M Tip Settlement: Here's Who Qualifies
NY Delivery Drivers Can Get Their Share Of $4M Tip Settlement: Here's Who Qualifies Delivery workers across New York who were shortchanged by the now-defunct alcohol delivery service Drizly can now file to receive their share of a $4 million settlement. The claims portal officially opened this week and eligible workers have until Saturday, July 15, to file, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced Wednesday, April 23. The payout stems from a December 2024 settlement in which James’ office found that Drizly—acquired by Uber and shuttered in 2024—misled customers into thinking tips left during checkout were going directly to delivery workers. In reality, those fund…
Suicidal Patients Turned Away Without Stabilizing At Westchester Medical Center, AG Says Suicidal Patients Turned Away Without Stabilizing At Westchester Medical Center, AG Says
Suicidal Patients Turned Away Without Stabilizing At Westchester Medical Center, AG Says Three major hospitals in the Hudson Valley have been slammed for putting psychiatric patients at risk by prematurely discharging them or denying them care altogether, the New York Attorney General’s Office announced in a landmark settlement that aims to bring major reforms to the region’s mental health services.   In an announcement on Monday, April 21, Attorney General Letitia James said that Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, MidHudson Regional Hospital in Poughkeepsie, and HealthAlliance Hospital in Kingston will face sweeping changes after a state investigation f…
Car Wash Discriminated Against Jewish Customers Before Passover In Spring Valley, NY AG Says Car Wash Discriminated Against Jewish Customers Before Passover In Spring Valley, NY AG Says
Car Wash Discriminated Against Jewish Customers Before Passover In Spring Valley, NY AG Says A Rockland County car wash has been ordered to end a discriminatory "Passover Special" scam that allegedly charged Jewish customers more than three times the standard price for services, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced.  The investigation by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) found that Super 4 Seasons, a car wash business located in Spring Valley at 68 Eeast Route 59, promoted inflated pricing in the weeks leading up to Passover, a Jewish holiday that involves extensive cleaning, including the removal of leavened products—or "chametz"—from homes and vehicles, Ja…
Off-Duty MTA Officer Hits, Kills Pedestrian In North Amityville; AG Opens Investigation Off-Duty MTA Officer Hits, Kills Pedestrian In North Amityville; AG Opens Investigation
Off-Duty MTA Officer Hits, Kills Pedestrian In North Amityville; AG Opens Investigation The New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) has launched an investigation into the death of a pedestrian who was fatally struck by an off-duty Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) police officer. Jose Escobar, 56, was crossing Route 110 near Francine Avenue in North Amityville when he was struck by a Mazda SUV early Saturday, March 15, as Daily Voice reported. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver, identified as a 30-year-old MTA police officer from Amityville, was not injured and remained at the scene, officials said. Under New York State Executi…
Prison Death: NY AG Recusing Herself From Investigation Into Alleged Beating Of Messiah Nantwi Prison Death: NY AG Recusing Herself From Investigation Into Alleged Beating Of Messiah Nantwi
Prison Death: NY AG Recusing Herself From Investigation Into Alleged Beating Of Messiah Nantwi New York Attorney General Letitia James has recused her office from investigating the alleged beating death of a 22-year-old inmate at the hands of state prison guards. James’ office filed a motion in Onondaga County Supreme Court requesting a special prosecutor in the death of Messiah Nantwi at Mid-State Correctional Facility in Marcy, her office announced Thursday, March 6. The court granted the motion, appointing Onondaga County DA William Fitzpatrick as special prosecutor. James cited “internal conflicts,” given that her office represents state employees, including corrections officers…
$16M DoorDash Settlement Could Mean Long-Overdue Payday For NY Delivery Drivers $16M DoorDash Settlement Could Mean Long-Overdue Payday For NY Delivery Drivers
$16M DoorDash Settlement Could Mean Long-Overdue Payday For NY Delivery Drivers Thousands of New York delivery drivers who worked for DoorDash may soon receive a long-overdue payout. DoorDash agreed to a $16.75 million settlement with the State of New York after getting caught pocketing drivers’ tips and misleading customers, Attorney General Letitia James’ office announced Monday, Feb. 24. The food delivery giant cheated drivers out of their hard-earned tips between May 2017 and September 2019, using customer tips to cover base pay instead of paying them out to drivers as promised, an Office of the Attorney General (OAG) investigation found. Customers were misled int…
'Predatory' Vape Makers Fueled Teen Nicotine Addiction Crisis, NY AG's Lawsuit Says 'Predatory' Vape Makers Fueled Teen Nicotine Addiction Crisis, NY AG's Lawsuit Says
'Predatory' Vape Makers Fueled Teen Nicotine Addiction Crisis, NY AG's Lawsuit Says New York is suing more than a dozen leading vape manufacturers, distributors, and retailers, accusing them of fueling vaping among children. Attorney General Letitia James has filed a lawsuit against 13 companies including brands such as Puff Bar, Elf Bar, Geek Bar, and Breeze, her office said in a news release on Thursday, Feb. 20. The lawsuit claims the companies marketed highly addictive, flavored disposable e-cigarettes to kids, misled consumers about product safety, and violated federal and state regulations. According to the Office of the Attorney General, the vape make…
Officers Charged With Murder In Beating Death Of Robert Brooks At NY Prison Officers Charged With Murder In Beating Death Of Robert Brooks At NY Prison
Officers Charged With Murder In Beating Death Of Robert Brooks At NY Prison Six former corrections officers are facing murder and manslaughter charges in the fatal beating of inmate Robert Brooks at a New York prison. An indictment unsealed in Oneida County on Thursday, Feb. 20, charges the following ex-prison guards with second-degree murder in Brooks' death at the Marcy Correctional Facility in December 2024: Nicholas Anazalone Anthony Farina Mathew Galliher Christopher Walrath David Kingsley An unnamed sixth defendant  All six defendants are also charged with first-degree manslaughter and gang assault, Albany NBC affiliate WNYT reports. Additionally,…
Feds Suing NY State Officials Over 'Green Light' Immigration Law: 'We're Coming After You' Feds Suing NY State Officials Over 'Green Light' Immigration Law: 'We're Coming After You'
Feds Suing NY State Officials Over 'Green Light' Immigration Law: 'We're Coming After You' The US Justice Department is suing New York State officials–including Gov. Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James–over alleged failures to enforce federal immigration law. A sweeping lawsuit accuses the Empire State of adhering to policies that protect undocumented immigrants at the expense of public safety, new US Attorney General Pam Bondi said. “This is a new DOJ, and we are taking steps to protect Americans,” Bondi said Wednesday, Feb. 12, standing alongside law enforcement officials and Tammy Nobles, an “angel mom" whose daughter was killed by an MS-13 gang member from El Salv…
NWSL To Pay $5M After Players Suffer Sexual, Racist, Emotional Abuse From Coaches NWSL To Pay $5M After Players Suffer Sexual, Racist, Emotional Abuse From Coaches
NWSL To Pay $5M After Players Suffer Sexual, Racist, Emotional Abuse From Coaches The National Women's Soccer League will pay $5 million to compensate players who endured years of abuse and harassment. The landmark NWSL settlement was announced by the attorneys general of New York, Illinois, and Washington, DC, on Wednesday, Feb. 5. The agreement follows investigations into claims of widespread misconduct, including emotional abuse, sexual coercion, and systemic failures that left players unprotected. The NWSL will create a $5 million fund to pay players who experienced abuse. "For too long, the hardworking and talented women of the National Women's …
Poughkeepsie Ringleader, Gun Maker From Dutchess Get Years In Jail In Drug, Firearm Bust Poughkeepsie Ringleader, Gun Maker From Dutchess Get Years In Jail In Drug, Firearm Bust
Poughkeepsie Ringleader, Gun Maker From Dutchess Get Years In Jail In Drug, Firearm Bust A Poughkeepsie man who ran a major drug and firearms trafficking operation in Dutchess County will serve more than a decade behind bars, while his top weapons supplier—who built ghost guns in his home—was sentenced to even more time, authorities announced.  New York Attorney General Letitia James revealed on Wednesday, Jan. 29, that Muayad Qader, 35, of Poughkeepsie, was sentenced to 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple felonies for his role in a sprawling narcotics and illegal firearms network. His main supplier, Jason Knapp, a Dutchess County resident who built untrace…
Not So Secure: Data Blunder Left Home Security Cams Open To Outsiders, NY AG Finds Not So Secure: Data Blunder Left Home Security Cams Open To Outsiders, NY AG Finds
Not So Secure: Data Blunder Left Home Security Cams Open To Outsiders, NY AG Finds New Yorkers can feel a little more secure when it comes to their home security systems. Three companies that distribute Eufy home security cameras agreed to a $450,000 settlement for failing to secure consumers’ videos, New York Attorney General Letitia James said Tuesday, Jan. 28. The companies – Fantasia Trading LLC, Power Mobile Life LLC, and Smart Innovation LCC – were plagued with troubling data security vulnerabilities, making them accessible to anyone with the relevant link, even without authentication, the investigation found. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) began looking …
Tax Fraud: Colonie Car Dealership Owner Admits Stealing Over $160K Tax Fraud: Colonie Car Dealership Owner Admits Stealing Over $160K
Tax Fraud: Colonie Car Dealership Owner Admits Stealing Over $160K The owner of a Capital Region car dealership formally confessed to dodging hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid taxes. Guy Nicolas, of Colonie, and his business, G&A Auto Care Inc., were sentenced in Albany County Court on Thursday, Jan. 23, months after Nicolas pleaded guilty to grand larceny. An investigation led by the New York Attorney General’s Office found that Nicolas failed to file annual sales tax returns for his car dealership business for all but two years between June 2013 and June 2023, the AG’s office said. During that period, he failed to report more than $2 millio…
NY Among States Suing Trump For Ending Birthright Citizenship: 'Dangerous, Unconstitutional' NY Among States Suing Trump For Ending Birthright Citizenship: 'Dangerous, Unconstitutional'
NY Among States Suing Trump For Ending Birthright Citizenship: 'Dangerous, Unconstitutional' Several states in the Northeast are fighting to block an executive order signed by President Donald Trump that would end birthright citizenship. A coalition of 18 states – including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maryland – are named as plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the Trump administration that was filed in Massachusetts federal court on Tuesday, Jan. 21. The suit argues that Trump’s order denying US citizenship to the children of those who are neither a U.S. citizen nor a lawful permanent resident is unlawful. “This dangerous and unconstitutional order undermines…
NYers To Receive Share of $106M Settlement Over Vanguard Retirement Fund Changes NYers To Receive Share of $106M Settlement Over Vanguard Retirement Fund Changes
NYers To Receive Share of $106M Settlement Over Vanguard Retirement Fund Changes Thousands of New Yorkers forced to pay higher taxes on their retirement savings are set to receive restitution after a $106 million, multi-state settlement was reached with Vanguard Group. The agreement, announced by New York Attorney General Letitia James on Friday, Jan. 17, comes after the investment advisory firm failed to inform investors of changes to its retirement funds.  Those changes led to unexpected and significant capital gains tax bills for hundreds of thousands of investors, including over 15,000 in New York, James’ office said. An investigation found that Vanguard reduc…
Massive Drug Trafficking Network Dismantled In Poughkeepsie, 7 Arrested Massive Drug Trafficking Network Dismantled In Poughkeepsie, 7 Arrested
Massive Drug Trafficking Network Dismantled In Poughkeepsie, 7 Arrested A major drug trafficking network responsible for distributing cocaine and counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl throughout the Hudson Valley has been dismantled, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced. Seven individuals, including network leaders, were busted Friday, Jan. 10, following a yearlong investigation led by the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force and the New York State Police Special Investigations Unit.  Authorities seized over 10,500 fentanyl-laced pills worth $75,000, more than eight kilograms of cocaine valued at $200,000, three firearms, in…
Former NY Gov. Cuomo Files Lawsuit Against Sexual Harassment Accuser From Northern Westchester Former NY Gov. Cuomo Files Lawsuit Against Sexual Harassment Accuser From Northern Westchester
Former NY Gov. Cuomo Files Lawsuit Against Sexual Harassment Accuser From Northern Westchester Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who resigned in 2021 following allegations of sexual harassment, is suing one of his accusers, a Northern Westchester native, for defamation.  Cuomo, age 67, filed the lawsuit in the New York Supreme Court on Thursday, Dec. 19 against former staffer Charlotte Bennett, a Northern Westchester native, who accused the former governor of sexual harassment in 2021.  Bennett had previously filed a federal lawsuit against former Gov. Cuomo in September 2022. However, she voluntarily dropped the lawsuit on Monday, Dec. 9, saying in a joint statement …
NY Baby Formula Suppliers Accused Of Price Gouging Agree To $675K Settlement NY Baby Formula Suppliers Accused Of Price Gouging Agree To $675K Settlement
NY Baby Formula Suppliers Accused Of Price Gouging Agree To $675K Settlement Thousands of cans of baby formula are being distributed to families in need across New York after a settlement was reached with two companies accused of illegal price gouging. New York Attorney General Letitia James announced on Monday, Dec. 18, that her office had secured $675,000 worth of baby formula from Marine Park Distribution Inc. and its affiliate, Formula Depot Inc., following an investigation into price gouging during the nationwide formula shortage in 2022. The companies allegedly raised formula prices by more than 60 percent in some cases, with costs doubling for certain product…
NYers To Receive Cut Of $4.8M Settlement With SmileDirectClub Over Improper Billing NYers To Receive Cut Of $4.8M Settlement With SmileDirectClub Over Improper Billing
NYers To Receive Cut Of $4.8M Settlement With SmileDirectClub Over Improper Billing Thousands of New Yorkers will benefit from a $4.8 million settlement with the now-defunct SmileDirectClub over improper billing practices. The former Nashville, Tennessee-based teledentistry company agreed to the move after it continued to charge more than 28,000 consumers despite filing for bankruptcy and stopping services in September 2023. Multiple complaints were filed with the New York State Office of the Attorney General (OAG) after consumers were told to keep making monthly installment payments despite no longer receiving aligner treatment. In December 2023, OAG sent a cease-and-de…
NY Pet Stores Face Deadline To Halt Sales Of Dogs, Cats, Rabbits NY Pet Stores Face Deadline To Halt Sales Of Dogs, Cats, Rabbits
NY Pet Stores Face Deadline To Halt Sales Of Dogs, Cats, Rabbits Retail pet stores in New York will soon be prohibited from selling dogs, cats, or rabbits under a new state law aimed at ending the abusive practices of puppy mills.  Starting Sunday, Dec. 15, pet stores across the state must cease all sales, leases, or transfers of dogs, cats, and rabbits, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced on Friday, Nov. 22. James emphasized that the law, known as the Puppy Mill Pipeline Act, is designed to disrupt large-scale breeding operations, often referred to as puppy mills, which have long been criticized for inhumane treatment and poor health …
Over 100 Assault Weapons, Guns Turned In At Buyback Event In Peekskill Over 100 Assault Weapons, Guns Turned In At Buyback Event In Peekskill
Over 100 Assault Weapons, Guns Turned In At Buyback Event In Peekskill More than 100 firearms, including several assault weapons, were turned in during a community gun buyback event held in Northern Westchester.  A total of 103 guns were collected during the buyback event held in Peekskill on Saturday, Nov. 16 at the United Methodist Church of Peekskill, the New York Attorney General's Office announced.  This included 68 handguns; 19 long guns; and 9 assault weapons, officials said, adding that the office has removed more than 8,300 guns from New York communities since 2019.  "Every one of the guns collected today is a step in the right di…
Former Hempstead Co-Op Prez Dodges Prison After Embezzling $26K Former Hempstead Co-Op Prez Dodges Prison After Embezzling $26K
Former Hempstead Co-Op Prez Dodges Prison After Embezzling $26K The former president of a Long Island co-op formally confessed to embezzling tens of thousands of dollars. Juan Alayo, age 72, of East Meadow, pleaded guilty to grand larceny and related charges on Friday, Nov. 15. New York Attorney General Letitia James said Alayo embezzled more than $26,700 between 2016 and 2023, during his tenure as president of the Marlboro Owners Corporation cooperative in Hempstead. An investigation found that he routinely wrote checks to himself and his company, A&J, that were neither discussed nor approved by the co-op board. He concealed his thefts by falsifyi…
White Plains Nursing Home Among 4 In NY To Pay $45M Settlement After Mistreating Residents: AG White Plains Nursing Home Among 4 In NY To Pay $45M Settlement After Mistreating Residents: AG
White Plains Nursing Home Among 4 In NY To Pay $45M Settlement After Mistreating Residents: AG A Westchester County nursing home is one of four in New York that will be required to pay tens of millions of dollars following years of mistreating and neglecting its senior residents, officials announced. In an announcement on Thursday, Nov. 14, New York Attorney General Letitia James revealed that four New York nursing homes, including the Martine Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing at 12 Tibbets Ave. in White Plains, would pay a $45 million settlement to address years of alleged insufficient staffing and resident neglect. The other nursing homes, all managed by Centers for Care, …
Contractor Who 'Destroyed' Protected Wetlands In West Babylon Fined $121K Contractor Who 'Destroyed' Protected Wetlands In West Babylon Fined $121K
Contractor Who 'Destroyed' Protected Wetlands In West Babylon Fined $121K A Long Island contractor will fork over six figures in fines for building a parking lot on protected wetlands. Anthony Labriola and his companies, ALAC Realty and ALAC Contracting, were penalized $121,000 by New York State for illegally building on a protected area along the Carlls River in West Babylon. New York Attorney General Letitita James revealed Friday, Nov. 8, that Labriola and his companies removed trees and plants in a protected "buffer area” to build a construction vehicle parking lot and storage facility. The Carlls River freshwater wetlands are classified under the Department…
James Joins AGs Nationwide Wide Calling For Peaceful Election James Joins AGs Nationwide Wide Calling For Peaceful Election
James Joins AGs Nationwide Wide Calling For Peaceful Election New York Attorney General Letitia James and a bipartisan coalition of 50 attorneys general are calling for a peaceful election and transfer of power and condemning any potential political violence: “Regardless of the 2024 election outcome, we condemn any and all acts of violence related to its results," the coalition said. The coalition added: "A peaceful transfer of power is the highest testament to the rule of law, a tradition that stands at the heart of our nation’s stability. As Attorneys General, we affirm our commitment to protect our communities and uphold the democratic principles w…
Problem Voting? NY State Attorney General Has A Hotline For Help Problem Voting? NY State Attorney General Has A Hotline For Help
Problem Voting? NY State Attorney General Has A Hotline For Help As thousands flock to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 5, New York Attorney General Letitia James reminds voters that a hotline is available on election day for help. Hotline staffers can help voters troubleshoot and resolve a range of issues they may encounter when they cast their ballot. To help, James issued guidance for voters ahead of the election, and a guide addressing frequently asked questions is also available. “All New Yorkers have the right to feel safe when casting their votes,” said James. “Our Election Protection Hotline will help ensure that every voice is heard – whether you’re v…