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Statement of CPSC Acting Chairman Peter A. Feldman on $16.875 Million Civil Penalty Settlement With U.S. Subsidiaries of Taiwan-Based Johnson Health Tech Co. Ltd.
BETHESDA, Maryland, Aug. 5 -- The Consumer Product Safety Commission issued the following statement on Aug. 4, 2026, by Acting Chairman Peter A. Feldman:
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Statement of Acting Chairman Peter A. Feldman on $16.875 Million Civil Penalty Settlement with U.S. Subsidiaries of Taiwan-Based Johnson Health Tech Co. Ltd.
Settlement Establishes Compliance Monitoring Framework for Repeat Offender
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Today's $16.875 million civil penalty settlement with Johnson Health Tech, comprising two U.S. subsidiaries of Taiwan-based Johnson Health Tech Co. Ltd., resolves allegations of serious and repeated violations
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BETHESDA, Maryland, Aug. 5 -- The Consumer Product Safety Commission issued the following statement on Aug. 4, 2026, by Acting Chairman Peter A. Feldman:
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Statement of Acting Chairman Peter A. Feldman on $16.875 Million Civil Penalty Settlement with U.S. Subsidiaries of Taiwan-Based Johnson Health Tech Co. Ltd.
Settlement Establishes Compliance Monitoring Framework for Repeat Offender
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Today's $16.875 million civil penalty settlement with Johnson Health Tech, comprising two U.S. subsidiaries of Taiwan-based Johnson Health Tech Co. Ltd., resolves allegations of serious and repeated violationsof the Consumer Product Safety Act. These allegations include that the firm failed to timely report treadmill hazards despite hundreds of incidents and dozens of injuries. The Horizon treadmills identified in the settlement were manufactured overseas -- in China and Vietnam -- and imported into the United States. The firm also previously paid two civil penalties for similar reporting failures.
CPSC is increasingly focused on recidivist conduct. In such cases, and consistent with its statutory authority to seek injunctive relief, the Commission is pursuing compliance monitors and other forward-looking remedies where monetary penalties alone are insufficient to correct underlying compliance failures and deter future violations. Repeat offenders should expect greater consequences.
Accordingly, today's settlement establishes a compliance-monitoring regime at Johnson Health Tech. The firm must create a permanent product-safety position charged with supervising its CPSA compliance program and making recommendations concerning timely reporting decisions. In coordination with that official, the firm must conduct annual internal audits and submit sworn compliance reports to CPSC for three years.
These requirements provide sustained accountability and ongoing Commission oversight of the firm's compliance efforts. Taken together, these provisions are intended to produce durable institutional reforms and reduce the likelihood of future violations.
After years of inconsistency, CPSC is returning to a coherent civil penalty regime, one that is predictable, proportionate, and grounded in statutory penalty factors. Penalties should reflect the gravity of the violation, the risks presented to consumers, the size and sophistication of the company, and its compliance history. A consistent framework strengthens deterrence, promotes fair treatment across cases, and provides regulated parties with clear expectations.
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Original text here: https://www.cpsc.gov/About-CPSC/Chairman/Peter-A-Feldman/Statement/Statement-of-Acting-Chairman-Peter-A-Feldman-on-16875-Million-Civil-Penalty-Settlement-with-US-Subsidiaries-of-Taiwan-Based-Johnson-Health-Tech-Co-Ltd
FCC Orders Modern Holdings to Shut Down Electronic Billboards Over Wireless Interference
WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 -- The Federal Communications Commission ordered Modern Holdings LLC on Aug. 4, 2026, to immediately stop operating electronic billboards at its Denver, Colorado business site after determining the digital displays continue to cause harmful radio frequency interference to a licensed wireless communications network.
The action, issued under the title Electronic Billboards Causing Harmful Interference to Wireless Communications and Unauthorized Operation (EB-FIELDWR-22-00033267), warns the company that failure to cease operations could lead to civil penalties, equipment seizure,
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 -- The Federal Communications Commission ordered Modern Holdings LLC on Aug. 4, 2026, to immediately stop operating electronic billboards at its Denver, Colorado business site after determining the digital displays continue to cause harmful radio frequency interference to a licensed wireless communications network.
The action, issued under the title Electronic Billboards Causing Harmful Interference to Wireless Communications and Unauthorized Operation (EB-FIELDWR-22-00033267), warns the company that failure to cease operations could lead to civil penalties, equipment seizure,and daily fines reaching up to $25,132 per device.
The dispute stems from a complaint filed in January 2022 by T-Mobile USA, Inc. regarding severe signal disruption in its 600 MHz and 700 MHz uplink bands. The affected site, located at 637 Osage Street in Denver, forms part of the carrier's local wireless coverage. Federal Communications Commission agents investigated the disruption using specialized direction-finding equipment. Investigators traced the interfering signals to two digital billboards mounted on a commercial building owned by Modern Holdings at 590 Quivas Street. According to technical measurements, emissions centered around 672 MHz were creating an elevated noise floor within authorized operational frequencies, disrupting wireless connectivity. Regulatory officials emphasize that preventing interference with licensed mobile bands is crucial to maintaining network integrity and ensuring uninterrupted access to emergency services such as 911 calling.
Federal regulators sent a warning letter to Modern Holdings in April 2022, explaining that while electronic billboards operate as unlicensed devices under Part 15 regulations, operators must immediately shut down equipment whenever it causes harmful interference to licensed radio operations. Despite clear directives stating that operation must discontinue immediately, the enterprise failed to resolve the issue. Communications between field agents and company representative Rodolfo Alaniz yielded little progress. Alaniz initially requested additional details regarding the violation but subsequently denied federal personnel physical access to the property to perform field testing, inspect the external displays, or examine internal power control systems.
Follow-up measurements conducted by federal investigators confirmed ongoing violations across multiple years. Agents logged persistent interference during on-site inspections in May 2022, August 2023, April 2024, June 2024, and August 2025. During testing conducted in June 2024, agents observed interfering signals emanating from the displays in every direction surrounding the cell site while eliminating other potential radio frequency sources. T-Mobile alerted enforcement staff as recently as June 2026 that interference at the site remained active.
Under federal law, operating radio devices that cause unauthorized interference violates Sections 301 and 333 of the Communications Act of 1934, along with Section 15.5 of federal communications regulations. While non-regulated entities must receive warnings prior to direct financial forfeiture, the issued document establishes the legal basis for penalties on future or past non-compliance. Continued unauthorized operation carries statutory consequences. Financial forfeitures can accrue up to $25,132 per day for each offending display, capped at $188,491 for a single continuing violation. Regulators noted that future enforcement actions could also involve seizure of equipment through in rem asset forfeiture or criminal proceedings.
In addition to ordering an immediate operational shutdown, the agency directed Modern Holdings to supply written responses within 30 days. The company must provide full equipment details including make, model, serial numbers, and identification numbers for the billboards and internal power systems, along with documentation provided by manufacturers or vendors regarding installation and system configuration. Modern Holdings must also provide written confirmation verifying that the electronic displays have been deactivated or operational descriptions explaining how the interference was verified and resolved, alongside action plans outlining steps taken to prevent recurrence of spectrum violations.
Company representatives have 30 days from the issue date to respond in writing or schedule an interview with agency staff at the regional office in Denver. Agency officials cautioned that submitting false statements or withholding required documentation carries additional monetary penalties and statutory criminal liability.
-- Vidhi Gianani, Targeted News Service
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-815A1.pdf
SEC Files Proposed Settlement With Respect to Fraud and Market Manipulation Claims Against Gotbit Consulting, Dismisses Claims Against Fedor Kedrov
WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 -- The Securities and Exchange Commission issued the following litigation release:
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Securities and Exchange Commission v. Gotbit Consulting LLC a/k/a Gotbit Hedge Fund and Fedor Kedrov, No. 1:24-cv-12589-AK (D. Mass. filed Oct. 9, 2024)
On July 28, 2026, the SEC filed a proposed final judgment in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts as to the Commission's claims against Gotbit Consulting LLC a/k/a Gotbit Hedge Fund. If approved by the court, the proposed final judgment would settle the Commission's previously-filed fraud and market manipulation claims
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 -- The Securities and Exchange Commission issued the following litigation release:
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Securities and Exchange Commission v. Gotbit Consulting LLC a/k/a Gotbit Hedge Fund and Fedor Kedrov, No. 1:24-cv-12589-AK (D. Mass. filed Oct. 9, 2024)
On July 28, 2026, the SEC filed a proposed final judgment in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts as to the Commission's claims against Gotbit Consulting LLC a/k/a Gotbit Hedge Fund. If approved by the court, the proposed final judgment would settle the Commission's previously-filed fraud and market manipulation claimsagainst Gotbit. The Commission previously filed a notice of voluntary dismissal as to the pending claims against Fedor Kedrov.
The SEC's complaint, filed in October 2024, alleged that Gotbit engaged in a scheme to manipulate the market for a crypto asset that was offered and sold subject to an investment contract, including by generating artificial trading volume for the crypto asset. The SEC alleged that Gotbit manipulated the market for the crypto asset by self-trading (commonly referred to as "wash trading") or by engaging in other trading practices that likewise served no economic purpose. As described in the complaint, wash trading generally refers to trades that do not lead to a change in beneficial ownership, but create the false impression of market interest in the underlying asset.
Gotbit consented to the entry of a final judgment, subject to court approval, that would permanently enjoin Gotbit from violating Section 17(a)(1) and (3) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Sections 9(a)(2) and 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5(a) and (c) thereunder, and from participating, directly or indirectly, in any issuance, purchase, offer, or sale of any securities.
In a parallel criminal proceeding, U.S. v. Gotbit Consulting LLC et al., No. 24-cr-10190 (D. Mass.), Gotbit pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit market manipulation and wire fraud, and, in June 2025, Gotbit was sentenced to five years' probation.
The SEC's investigation was conducted by Amy Harman Burkart, Ivan Panchenko, Jeffrey Cook, and John McCann in the SEC's Boston Regional Office, as well as Joy Guo of the Division of Enforcement's Cyber and Emerging Technologies Unit (CETU). They were supervised by Amy Gwiazda and Laura D'Allaird of CETU, Michael Brennan, and Celia Moore and John T. Dugan of the Boston Regional Office. The SEC's litigation was led by Amy Harman Burkart.
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Resources
* SEC Complaint (https://www.sec.gov/files/litigation/complaints/2026/comp26598.pdf)
* Final Judgment - Gotbit Consulting LLC (https://www.sec.gov/files/litigation/litreleases/2026/judg26598-gotbit-consulting.pdf)
* Consent - Gotbit Consulting LLC (https://www.sec.gov/files/litigation/litreleases/2026/consent-26598gotbit-consulting.pdf)
* Dismissal - Fedor Kedrov (https://www.sec.gov/files/litigation/litreleases/2026/dismissal26598-fedor-kedrov.pdf)
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Original text here: https://www.sec.gov/enforcement-litigation/litigation-releases/lr-26598
FDIC Launches New Office of Supervisory Appeals
WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 -- The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation issued the following news release:
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FDIC Launches New Office of Supervisory Appeals
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WASHINGTON-The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) today announced the launch of a new Office of Supervisory Appeals (OSA) panel comprised of independent officials who will consider and resolve appeals of material supervisory determinations brought before the agency. The OSA is a standalone office within the FDIC and replaces the Supervision Appeals Review Committee as the final level of review of material supervisory determinations.
On
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 -- The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation issued the following news release:
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FDIC Launches New Office of Supervisory Appeals
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WASHINGTON-The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) today announced the launch of a new Office of Supervisory Appeals (OSA) panel comprised of independent officials who will consider and resolve appeals of material supervisory determinations brought before the agency. The OSA is a standalone office within the FDIC and replaces the Supervision Appeals Review Committee as the final level of review of material supervisory determinations.
OnJanuary 22, 2026, the FDIC Board of Directors approved amendments to the agency's Guidelines for Appeals of Material Supervisory Determinations (PDF), which become effective now that the OSA is fully operational. As part of the OSA's launch, the FDIC announced the appointment of three individuals who will serve as reviewing officials:
Tim Ayala served as a banking executive and FDIC senior leader with experience covering bank supervision, governance, compliance, and regulatory strategy. Most recently, Mr. Ayala served as Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Officer with Pinnacle Financial Partners, a $54 billion financial institution based in Nashville, Tennessee. His private sector experience also includes serving as Senior Vice President and Regulatory Relations Officer for a fintech lender. At the FDIC, Mr. Ayala was a commissioned bank examiner in risk management, serving in senior leadership positions in Washington, DC and in four regions, including Assistant Regional Director and Examiner-in-Charge of a large financial institution.
John Conneely is a former FDIC senior executive with 35 years of experience in bank supervision and regulation. Mr. Conneely became a commissioned bank examiner in New York City in 1989 and subsequently held a variety of senior leadership positions within the agency's Division of Complex Institutions Supervision & Resolution, including serving as Division Director. He also served as FDIC's Chicago Regional Director and Deputy Regional Director in the New York Region. Mr. Conneely was also a Banking Policy Advisor in the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of International Banking and Securities Markets.
Duke Sheow brings more than three decades of experience in financial institution supervision, enterprise risk management, and banking regulation across the public and private sectors. Most recently, he served as Senior Managing Director at PwC, and he previously held executive positions with several banks. Mr. Sheow also served as a senior commissioned examiner with the FDIC and the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and was a key member in the development of the Federal Reserve's Fintech Supervisory Program. His experience includes evaluating material supervisory determinations, participating in enforcement and civil money penalty matters, advising bank boards, and developing supervisory programs addressing emerging risks.
The FDIC issued a Financial Institution Letter to provide specific instructions for FDIC-supervised institutions seeking to appeal material supervisory determinations.
#Attachment(s)
Office of Supervisory Appeals is Operational
#Contact(s)
MediaRequests@fdic.gov
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Original text here: https://www.fdic.gov/news/press-releases/2026/fdic-launches-new-office-supervisory-appeals
FDIC Approves the Deposit Insurance Application for Augustus National Bank, N.A., Dallas, Texas
WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 -- The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation issued the following news release:
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FDIC Approves the Deposit Insurance Application for Augustus National Bank, N.A., Dallas, Texas
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WASHINGTON-The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) today approved a deposit insurance application for Augustus National Bank, N.A. (Augustus National Bank), a newly chartered national bank to be headquartered in Dallas, Texas. The organizers of Augustus National Bank applied to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for a national bank charter and received preliminary conditional
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 -- The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation issued the following news release:
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FDIC Approves the Deposit Insurance Application for Augustus National Bank, N.A., Dallas, Texas
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WASHINGTON-The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) today approved a deposit insurance application for Augustus National Bank, N.A. (Augustus National Bank), a newly chartered national bank to be headquartered in Dallas, Texas. The organizers of Augustus National Bank applied to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for a national bank charter and received preliminary conditionalapproval on May 8, 2026.
Augustus National Bank's business model will focus on providing deposit and lending products to digital asset companies, high-net-worth individuals, artificial intelligence companies, technology companies, and international financial institutions, as well as virtual currency, payment, and treasury services. Augustus National Bank also plans to issue a stablecoin through a subsidiary, if approved as a permitted payment stablecoin issuer under the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act, and provide stablecoin-related services (e.g., issuance and redemption of partner stablecoins, custody, conversion, and payment functionality). Funding will consist of demand deposit accounts, for-benefit-of accounts, and correspondent accounts.
Applications for deposit insurance are evaluated under a statutory framework of seven factors that include: the financial history and condition of the institution; the adequacy of the institution's capital structure; the future earnings prospects of the institution; the general character and fitness of the management of the institution; the risk presented by the institution to the Deposit Insurance Fund; the convenience and needs of the community to be served by the institution; and whether the institution's corporate powers are consistent with the purposes of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act. The FDIC found that Augustus National Bank satisfied the statutory factors for approval, subject to certain conditions.
The FDIC approval order expires if Augustus National Bank is not established within twelve months, unless extended by the FDIC.
#Attachment(s)
Augustus National Bank, N.A.'s, Order and Statement (PDF)
#Contact(s)
MediaRequests@fdic.gov
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Original text here: https://www.fdic.gov/news/press-releases/2026/fdic-approves-deposit-insurance-application-augustus-national-bank-na
FCC Public Safety & Homeland Security Bureau Issues Public Notice: Comment and Reply Comment Dates for Alerting Modernization Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 -- The Federal Communications Commission Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau issued the following public notice (PS Dockets No. 25-224, 15-94, 15-91):
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On June 25, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission adopted a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Further Notice) to continue its examination of the nation's alert and warning systems and to modernize the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), improving their effectiveness, efficiency, and service to the public./1
The Further Notice set deadlines for filing comments and reply comments
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 -- The Federal Communications Commission Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau issued the following public notice (PS Dockets No. 25-224, 15-94, 15-91):
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On June 25, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission adopted a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Further Notice) to continue its examination of the nation's alert and warning systems and to modernize the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), improving their effectiveness, efficiency, and service to the public./1
The Further Notice set deadlines for filing comments and reply commentsat 30 and 60 days, respectively, after publication of a summary of the Further Notice in the Federal Register./2
On July 31, 2026, the Office of the Federal Register published a summary of the Further Notice, including the associated comment and reply comment dates./3
Accordingly, comments must be filed on or before August 31, 2026 and reply comments must be filed on or before September 29, 2026. The Further Notice contains the instructions on how to file comments and reply comments./4
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Footnotes:
1/ Modernization of the Nation's Alerting Systems; Protecting the Nation's Communications Systems from Cybersecurity Threats; Wireless Emergency Alerts; Amendment of Part 11 of the Commission's Rules Regarding the Emergency Alert System, Report and Order in PS Dockets 25-224 and 22-329, and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in PS Dockets 25-224, 14-94, and 15-91, FCC 26-38, (June 25, 2026), https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-26-38A1.pdf (Further Notice).
2/ Further Notice at *1.
3/ See Federal Communications Commission, Wireless Emergency Alerts; The Emergency Alert System; Modernization of the Nation's Alerting Systems, 91 Fed. Reg. 48320 (July 31, 2026).
4/ Further Notice at *71-72, para. 143.
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-812A1.pdf
FCC Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Issues Public Notice: Native Nations Communications Task Force Notice Regarding the Ex Parte Status of Presentations
WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 -- The Federal Communications Commission Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau issued the following public notice (Docket No. DA 26-813):
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The Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) recently announced additional appointments to the Native Nations Communications Task Force (Task Force) and date of first meeting./1
The Task Force, composed exclusively of Tribal officials and senior FCC staff, is not subject to the procedures set forth in the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA)/2 because of an exemption provided under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 -- The Federal Communications Commission Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau issued the following public notice (Docket No. DA 26-813):
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The Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) recently announced additional appointments to the Native Nations Communications Task Force (Task Force) and date of first meeting./1
The Task Force, composed exclusively of Tribal officials and senior FCC staff, is not subject to the procedures set forth in the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA)/2 because of an exemption provided under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act(UMRA)./3 The UMRA exemption is intended to promote the free exchange of ideas between officials of the federal government and state, local and tribal governments (or their designated employees) on matters of common interest while meeting in closed sessions./4 Accordingly, meetings of the Task Force are not open to the public.
Because the UMRA exemption provides for conversations among the Task Force members and Commission staff or Commissioners, pursuant to section 1.1200(a) of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR Sec.1.1200(a), presentations to the Task Force, including to any subcommittees and working groups and at any roundtable discussions sponsored by the Task Force, and presentations between Task Force members and FCC staff or Commissioners, will be treated as exempt presentations for ex parte purposes. This treatment is appropriate since such presentations, like comments on a Notice of Inquiry, will not directly result in the promulgation of new rules./5
We recognize, however, that in the course of its work the Task Force may address issues that are subject to pending rulemaking proceedings. The Commission will not rely in these proceedings on any information submitted to the Task Force, or to any of its subcommittees, working groups, or sponsored roundtables, or information conveyed by Task Force members to FCC staff or Commissioners, unless that information is first placed in the record of the relevant proceeding.
ACCESSIBLE FORMATS
To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530.
FURTHER INFORMATION
For further information, please contact the Office of Native Affairs and Policy at Native@fcc.gov.
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Footnotes:
1/ FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced additional appointments to the FCC's Native Nations Communications Task Force and date of first meeting, Public Notice, DA 26-737 (July 16, 2026).
2/ See 5 U.S.C. App.2.
3/ See 2 U.S.C. Sec.1534(b).
4/ UMRA permits federal officials or their designated employees to speak with their state, local, and tribal counterparts without implicating the FACA as long as a two-part test set forth in 2 U.S.C. Sec.1534(b) is satisfied: "(1) meetings are held exclusively between federal officials and elected officers of state, local, and tribal governments (or their designated employees with authority to act on their behalf) acting in their official capacities"; and (2) "such meetings are solely for the purpose of exchanging views, information, or advice relating to the management or implementation of federal programs established pursuant to statute, that explicitly or inherently share intergovernmental responsibilities or administration."
5/ See 47 CFR Sec. 1.1204(b)(1) (exempt treatment of presentations regarding a Notice of Inquiry).
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-813A1.pdf
