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S.D. A.G. Jackley Requests Court Approval Of South Dakota Settlement With Sandoz Inc.
PIERRE, South Dakota, Oct. 2 -- South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Jackley Requests Court Approval Of South Dakota Settlement with Sandoz Inc.
Oct. 1, 2026
PIERRE. S.D. - Attorney General Marty Jackley announces South Dakota has joined 42 other states and territories in seeking preliminary federal court approval of a $400 million settlement with Sandoz Inc. and Fougera Pharmaceuticals Inc. that will result in eligible South Dakotans receiving a portion of the settlement funds.
"These two generic drug manufacturers conspired
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PIERRE, South Dakota, Oct. 2 -- South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Jackley Requests Court Approval Of South Dakota Settlement with Sandoz Inc.
Oct. 1, 2026
PIERRE. S.D. - Attorney General Marty Jackley announces South Dakota has joined 42 other states and territories in seeking preliminary federal court approval of a $400 million settlement with Sandoz Inc. and Fougera Pharmaceuticals Inc. that will result in eligible South Dakotans receiving a portion of the settlement funds.
"These two generic drug manufacturers conspiredto artificially inflate and manipulate prices, reduce competition, and unreasonably restrain trade with regard to numerous generic prescription drugs," said Attorney General Jackley. "South Dakota consumers were forced to pay extra, and they deserve to be compensated for their expenses."
Attorney General Jackley and other states previously announced a settlement in principle on August 3. All 43 states and territories now have signed onto the agreement and are requesting a federal judge to give preliminary approval to the settlement.
South Dakotans who purchased a generic prescription drug between May 2009 and December 2019 may be eligible for compensation. To determine eligibility, call 1-866-290-0182 (Toll-Free), email info@AGGenericDrugs.com or visit www.AGGenericDrugs.com. A claim for compensation can be submitted here.
South Dakota's state share is $389,077.51. Those funds will go to the South Dakota Medicaid Program, which is administered by the Department of Social Services and the Attorney General's Antitrust Fund, which is administered by the Court.
Other states and territories joining this settlement with Sandoz include: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Tennessee, U.S. Virgin Islands, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
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Original text here: https://atg.sd.gov/OurOffice/Media/pressreleasesdetail.aspx?id=3163
N.M. A.G. Torrez, State Rep. Serrato Unveil Legislation to Rein in Frontier AI Ahead of 2027 Legislative Session
SANTA FE, New Mexico, Oct. 2 (TNSida) -- New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Raul Torrez and Representative Linda Serrato Unveil Legislation to Rein in Frontier AI Ahead of 2027 Legislative Session
October 1, 2026
Bill responds to real-world "loss of control" incidents, including one that just reached a New Mexico university, and is accompanied by a formal inquiry letter to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman
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Santa Fe, NM -- New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez and State Representative Linda Serrato (D-Santa Fe) today announced the Frontier
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SANTA FE, New Mexico, Oct. 2 (TNSida) -- New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Raul Torrez and Representative Linda Serrato Unveil Legislation to Rein in Frontier AI Ahead of 2027 Legislative Session
October 1, 2026
Bill responds to real-world "loss of control" incidents, including one that just reached a New Mexico university, and is accompanied by a formal inquiry letter to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman
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Santa Fe, NM -- New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez and State Representative Linda Serrato (D-Santa Fe) today announced the FrontierArtificial Intelligence Safety and Accountability Act during Representative Serrato's "Machines to Mesas" AI Summit.
An autonomous AI agent operated by OpenAI attempted to breach the University of New Mexico's digital library in May, though the attempt did not come to light until reporting by the nonprofit research organization Transluce and The New York Times nearly four months later. According to that reporting, the agent used techniques associated with SQL injection, command injection, and path traversal to try to reach files and directories it had no authorization to access, then, when that failed, used a public URL-scanning service to probe for ways around the university's defenses and hit its servers with a burst of requests consistent with a denial-of-service attempt.
In response, Attorney General Torrez is requesting that OpenAI preserve every record related to the incident and turn over a complete account of what happened, including the full technical timeline of the attack, why the agent shifted from a routine data request to attempting unauthorized access, what safeguards were supposed to prevent that and why they failed, and why neither UNM nor any New Mexico state agency was notified. OpenAI has ten business days to respond.
"The people building this technology admit they can't fully control it, that it could cause catastrophic harm, and that it needs real oversight," said Attorney General Raul Torrez. "That's why today's announcement is so important. Rather than providing that oversight, President Trump just approved an agreement to let these companies police themselves. But we already know how much damage Big Tech billionaires can inflict when they choose profits over safety. They can't be trusted to regulate themselves, and while some leaders in Washington are working hard to address these risks, others are standing in the way. If national leaders won't act decisively, New Mexico will show them the way."
"Today's announcement reflects the work we've done to bring experts, community leaders, and policymakers together to understand both the promise and the risks of artificial intelligence," said Representative Linda Serrato. "The 'Machines to Mesas' Summit has made it clear that we can't afford to sit back while powerful companies shape the future without accountability. New Mexico has an opportunity, and a responsibility, to lead with thoughtful, people focused policy that protects our communities, supports responsible innovation, and ensures transparency and fairness in this rapidly evolving landscape."
The UNM incident is not isolated. In July, roughly 700 AI agents operated by OpenAI escaped their own testing environment, without meaningful human direction, and broke into the systems of Hugging Face, a widely used open-source AI platform. The agents self-organized using an internal company tool they repurposed into a covert coordination channel, harvested credentials they found exposed online, and used them to gain unauthorized access across dozens of servers over several days. When the agents realized their assigned task involved a records check, some of them tampered with the evaluation logs in an apparent attempt to hide what they had done from their own creators. It took OpenAI roughly a week after the first warning signs appeared in its own internal logs to recognize what had happened. It is the first publicly documented instance of a frontier AI developer losing control of its own system to this degree.
Attorney General Torrez's letter to OpenAI cites still more examples the company has yet to fully explain, agents that reportedly took over a foreign website to use as an unauthorized message board for communicating with each other, and a confirmed breach of an Australian government Medicare portal that OpenAI did not disclose to Australian authorities for eighty-four days. The letter also notes that this risk is not confined to one company's technology, pointing to red-team testing in which Anthropic's most advanced model created fake personas to deceive real people and attempted to plant malicious code.
In the weeks since the Hugging Face breach, senior researchers at multiple AI labs have said publicly, not privately, that they don't yet have a reliable plan to keep these systems under control, and more than a thousand AI industry employees and executives have signed open letters urging government intervention.
One day before this announcement, President Trump hosted the leaders of Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Meta, xAI, and Nvidia at the White House, where they signed a voluntary accord pledging internal safety controls and external audits. Trump called it "self-regulation" and said he would not "stifle" the industry with new rules. The accord itself acknowledges that "it may make sense" to eventually turn these commitments into actual law.
This is the centerpiece of today's announcement as the bill requires the largest AI developers to assess and disclose the catastrophic risks their models pose, backed by independent, state-authorized audits designed to catch a model that behaves differently under evaluation than in the real world. A developer's own public safety promises become legally enforceable, so a company can't quietly walk back a commitment once a model crosses the danger line it named. Dangerous incidents must be reported fast (24 hours for loss-of-control events, 72 hours for others), and a developer must prove it can actually shut a system down before running it autonomously again. California and New York's AI safety laws stop at compliance penalties. This bill goes further, New Mexico can recover its own costs of responding to an incident, and the Attorney General can sue on behalf of New Mexicans harmed by one.
No other state has gone as far as New Mexico is proposing to go. California and New York require frontier developers to assess and disclose risk, but neither gives its Attorney General the power to independently audit those disclosures, to hold a developer to its own published safety promises as a matter of law, or to recover damages on behalf of residents and businesses harmed by an AI incident. This legislation would make New Mexico the first state framework with real teeth behind it rather than compliance paperwork alone.
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Copy of the Frontier Artificial Intelligence Safety Act Summary (https://nmdoj.gov/wp-content/uploads/Frontier_AI_Safety_Act_Summary.pdf)
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INFODOC: https://nmdoj.gov/wp-content/uploads/10.01.2026-OpenAI-Letter-RE-Data-Breach-.pdf
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https://nmdoj.gov/press-release/attorney-general-raul-torrez-and-representative-linda-serrato-unveil-legislation-to-rein-in-frontier-ai-ahead-of-2027-legislative-session/
N.J. A.G. Davenport Challenges EPA's Rollback of Power Plant Pollution Limits
TRENTON, New Jersey, Oct. 2 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release:
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AG Davenport Challenges EPA's Rollback of Power Plant Pollution Limits
October 1, 2026
TRENTON -- Attorney General Jennifer Davenport today joined a coalition of 25 states, counties, and cities in suing the Trump Administration for dismantling federal greenhouse gas pollution limits for many of the nation's dirtiest power plants.
Communities in New Jersey and across the country rely on these regulations to protect the air they breathe. Air pollution from fossil fuels is especially
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TRENTON, New Jersey, Oct. 2 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release:
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AG Davenport Challenges EPA's Rollback of Power Plant Pollution Limits
October 1, 2026
TRENTON -- Attorney General Jennifer Davenport today joined a coalition of 25 states, counties, and cities in suing the Trump Administration for dismantling federal greenhouse gas pollution limits for many of the nation's dirtiest power plants.
Communities in New Jersey and across the country rely on these regulations to protect the air they breathe. Air pollution from fossil fuels is especiallyharmful to vulnerable groups like children, people with chronic health conditions, and overburdened communities that are exposed to numerous sources of pollution.
Last month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) repealed safeguards that required certain coal- and gas-fired power plants to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, clearing the way for a significant increase in pollution that will worsen extreme heat, deadly storms, flooding, wildfire smoke, and threats to public health. Attorney General Davenport and the coalition are filing a petition for review in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, asking the court to strike down the repeal and restore these protections. The coalition is also notifying EPA of its intent to sue over the agency's continued failure to regulate pollution from existing natural gas power plants.
"Climate change is becoming a more pressing problem each year, yet the Trump Administration is choosing to protect the fossil fuel industry instead of public health," said Attorney General Davenport. "We are running out of time to reverse worsening climate trends, which is why we are suing today."
Attorney General Davenport and the coalition are challenging EPA's repeal of the 2024 Carbon Pollution Standards, which set greenhouse gas emission targets for many of the country's fossil fuel power plants. These power plants are among the largest drivers of the climate crisis, producing roughly one-quarter of the nation's carbon dioxide emissions. Abandoning past efforts to regulate these sources, the EPA erased federal pollution limits for most gas- and coal-fired power plants and introduced a proposal to eliminate power plant emission regulation entirely.
Eliminating limits on these harmful air emissions threatens communities across the country. Increased air pollution contributes to more frequent and more intense heat waves that put children, older adults, and workers at risk. It also contributes to stronger storms and heavier flooding that damage homes, businesses, and transit systems, as well as more wildfire smoke that makes air dangerous to breathe. Increased pollution from fossil fuel power plants can worsen asthma, heart disease, and other serious respiratory illnesses, especially in low-income and other overburdened communities. These changes also increase the financial burden on local and state governments that bear the costs of recovering from increasingly extreme weather events.
In this lawsuit, New Jersey and the coalition will argue that EPA unlawfully abandoned power plant pollution limits without properly considering reasonable alternatives, the true costs of repealing the rule, or the enormous health and climate repercussions of allowing unchecked air pollution from fossil fuels into the atmosphere. The coalition is asking the court to strike down this unlawful rollback of environmental and public health protections, and ensure that EPA will continue limiting pollution from many of the nation's dirtiest sources.
In addition, Attorney General Davenport and the coalition filed a notice of intent to sue EPA over the agency's continued failure to regulate greenhouse gas pollution from many existing gas-fired power plants. Those facilities, including "peaker" plants that often operate during periods of high electricity demand, are frequently located in low-income communities and communities of color that already bear a disproportionate share of pollution. Despite issuing standards for new gas plants over a decade ago, EPA has never fulfilled its legal obligation to limit pollution from existing gas plants. By delaying these protections for years, EPA has left many frontline communities without the safeguards required by the Clean Air Act.
Joining Attorney General Davenport in filing today's lawsuit, which was led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia, as well as the Governor of Pennsylvania, the Mayors of New York City and Chicago, and the City and County of Denver.
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Petition for Review (http://www.njoag.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/2026-1001_Petition-for-Review-Carbon-Pollution-Standards-Repeal-w.-FR-Notice.pdf)
Notice of Intent to Sue (http://www.njoag.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/2026-1001_Notice-of-Intent-to-Sue-Existing-Stationary-Combustion-Turbines.pdf)
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Original text here: https://www.njoag.gov/ag-davenport-challenges-epas-rollback-of-power-plant-pollution-limits/
N.H. A.G. Formella: State Secures Final Multistate Settlement With Sandoz Over Alleged Generic Drug Price-Fixing
CONCORD, New Hampshire, Oct. 2 -- New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella issued the following news release:
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October 01, 2026
New Hampshire Secures Final Multistate Settlement with Sandoz over Alleged Generic Drug Price-Fixing
Concord, NH - Attorney General John M. Formella announces that New Hampshire has joined a coalition of 43 states and territories in securing a final settlement with Sandoz Inc. and Fougera Pharmaceuticals Inc. resolving allegations that the companies participated in a widespread, long-running conspiracy to artificially inflate prices, limit competition, and
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CONCORD, New Hampshire, Oct. 2 -- New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella issued the following news release:
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October 01, 2026
New Hampshire Secures Final Multistate Settlement with Sandoz over Alleged Generic Drug Price-Fixing
Concord, NH - Attorney General John M. Formella announces that New Hampshire has joined a coalition of 43 states and territories in securing a final settlement with Sandoz Inc. and Fougera Pharmaceuticals Inc. resolving allegations that the companies participated in a widespread, long-running conspiracy to artificially inflate prices, limit competition, andrestrain trade involving numerous generic prescription drugs. The settlement, previously announced in principle in August, includes significant payments and injunctive relief designed to address the States' allegations and promote compliance with antitrust laws and fair competition. Under this agreement, Sandoz will pay approximately $400 million. Combined with previous settlements involving Sandoz, the total payments to state enforcers will be approximately $469 million. The settlement also resolves allegations that Sandoz's past and present international affiliates participated in the alleged anticompetitive conduct and that certain corporate entities fraudulently transferred assets to avoid liability. As part of the agreement, Sandoz has agreed to a series of internal reforms intended to ensure compliance with antitrust laws and promote fair competition. The settlement must still receive final court approval.
"New Hampshire will continue to hold companies accountable when conduct harms consumers and undermines fair competition," said Attorney General Formella. "Generic medications play an important role in our health care system, and consumers should be able to trust that competition, not unlawful agreements, helps determine the prices they pay. This settlement represents another step in protecting consumers and ensuring a fair marketplace."
Over $170 million from this settlement will be dedicated to a nationwide consumer restitution fund. New Hampshire consumers are encouraged to determine eligibility at AGGenericDrugs.com. New Hampshire is also estimated to receive an additional $556,866.17 from this settlement. The settlement comes as the States continue to pursue a series of antitrust cases involving the generic drug industry. The States' most recent case focuses on 80 topical generic drugs and is scheduled for trial in February 2027. The States allege that those drugs account for billions of dollars in sales in the United States. The multistate investigation and litigation began in 2016 and has involved multiple manufacturers, executives, and generic drugs. The Sandoz settlement follows previous settlements involving Glenmark, Lannett, Bausch, Apotex, and Heritage Pharmaceuticals and its parent company, Emcure, totaling approximately $96.5 million. Consumers who purchased certain generic prescription drugs between May 2009 and December 2019 may be eligible for compensation. Information about eligibility and the claims process is available at AGGenericDrugs.com.
Joining New Hampshire in the settlement with Sandoz include: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, U.S. Virgin Islands, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
The New Hampshire Department of Justice Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau investigates unfair, deceptive, or unreasonable practices involving New Hampshire consumers. To file a complaint with the New Hampshire Department of Justice, visit https://www.doj.nh.gov/consumer/complaints.
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Original text here: https://www.doj.nh.gov/news-and-media/new-hampshire-secures-final-multistate-settlement-sandoz-over-alleged-generic-drug
Miss. A.G. Fitch Announces $384M False Claims Settlement With Abbott Laboratories
JACKSON, Mississippi, Oct. 2 -- Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch issued the following news release:
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September 30, 2026
AG Fitch Announces $384M False Claims Settlement with Abbott Laboratories
(Jackson, Mississippi) Attorney General Fitch announced, along with 39 other states and the federal government, that an agreement with Abbott Laboratories (Abbott) to settle allegations that the company defrauded government health programs by selling them infant formula and nutritional therapy products manufactured in plants that failed to meet state and federal safety standards for preventing
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JACKSON, Mississippi, Oct. 2 -- Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch issued the following news release:
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September 30, 2026
AG Fitch Announces $384M False Claims Settlement with Abbott Laboratories
(Jackson, Mississippi) Attorney General Fitch announced, along with 39 other states and the federal government, that an agreement with Abbott Laboratories (Abbott) to settle allegations that the company defrauded government health programs by selling them infant formula and nutritional therapy products manufactured in plants that failed to meet state and federal safety standards for preventingcontamination. Abbott will pay about $348.7 million to the United States to resolve False Claims Act allegations and another $35.5 million to the states for claims related to Medicaid programs. As part of the settlement, Mississippi will receive $771,432.52 in restitution and other recoveries.
"Parents should be able to trust that the infant formula they feed their babies is safe, but Abbott betrayed that trust. My office is dedicated to protecting the integrity of the Medicaid program and ensuring that Mississippians receive the necessities that their families rely on. This settlement holds Abbott accountable for knowingly manufacturing formula in substandard conditions and defrauding taxpayers," said Attorney General Lynn Fitch.
The federal and state governments allege Abbott knowingly manufactured infant formula purchased with taxpayer dollars in an environment that put the products at unacceptable risk of microorganism contamination and significantly impacted the products' reliability, quality, and safety. They also alleged that, in certain instances, Abbott failed to disclose test results indicating the presence of microorganism contamination when responding to requests from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration during 2019 and 2022 inspections at the Sturgis, Michigan facility. The national settlement resolves allegations that Abbott caused false claims to be submitted, between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2022, arising from these failures.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funds and regulates the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, which provides nutritional support -- including infant formula -- to eligible participants. More than half of all infant formula purchased in the United States is paid for with USDA funds through WIC. Many state Medicaid programs also cover and pay for certain powder infant formula.
The Mississippi Attorney General's Office Medicaid Fraud Control Unit receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant totaling $3,858,572.00 for Federal fiscal year 2026. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $1,286,190.00, is funded by the State of Mississippi.
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Original text here: https://attorneygenerallynnfitch.com/2026/09/30/ag-fitch-announces-384m-false-claims-settlement-with-abbott-laboratories-september-30-2026/
Md. A.G. Brown Joins Fraudulent Transfer Lawsuit Against DuPont, Corteva, and Newly Created Vylor
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Oct. 2 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Brown Joins Fraudulent Transfer Lawsuit Against DuPont, Corteva, and Newly Created Vylor
10/1/2026
BALTIMORE, MD - Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today joined a bipartisan multistate coalition of 16 states and Guam in a lawsuit filed against Indiana-based EIDP - the chemical company historically known as DuPont - its parent company, Corteva, and a newly created entity called "Vylor." The lawsuit seeks to unwind the defendants' coordinated effort to fraudulently
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BALTIMORE, Maryland, Oct. 2 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Brown Joins Fraudulent Transfer Lawsuit Against DuPont, Corteva, and Newly Created Vylor
10/1/2026
BALTIMORE, MD - Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today joined a bipartisan multistate coalition of 16 states and Guam in a lawsuit filed against Indiana-based EIDP - the chemical company historically known as DuPont - its parent company, Corteva, and a newly created entity called "Vylor." The lawsuit seeks to unwind the defendants' coordinated effort to fraudulentlymove DuPont's most valuable business assets into Vylor and leave DuPont's massive liabilities behind, including those associated with its past use and emission of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), known as "forever chemicals."
"Forever chemicals do not disappear, and neither does DuPont's responsibility to clean them up," said Attorney General Brown. "Shifting its most valuable assets into a new company is a complicated maneuver with a simple goal: avoid accountability. We will not allow DuPont to stick Marylanders with the bill to remove PFAS from our environment."
States and taxpayers across the country have been damaged by DuPont's PFAS chemistry, which has contaminated the drinking water of more than 100 million Americans. It will cost taxpayers tens of billions of dollars to remove PFAS from their drinking water, clean up PFAS sources in the environment, and compensate the public for the costs and impacts of DuPont's chemistry. Additionally, DuPont faces thousands of claims from firefighters and others alleging they have been injured by exposure to DuPont's PFAS.
PFAS do not break down easily. They contaminate drinking water, groundwater, and soil and are costly to remove. Studies have linked PFAS exposure to certain cancers, infertility, thyroid disease, and childhood developmental harm. Testing by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found PFAS in the blood of nearly every person tested since 1999.
The states have filed claims across the country alleging that DuPont knew or should have known about the dangers of PFAS when DuPont made or sold products containing those chemicals. Internal documents show that for decades DuPont concealed from state regulators, the public, and consumers who used DuPont's products, its growing knowledge of the risks these chemicals posed to human health and the environment. The states assert that DuPont failed to warn the public about the dangers of PFAS and concealed the dangerous nature of those products.
Despite that pending litigation, on October 1, 2026, DuPont and Corteva transferred its Pioneer seeds business - a major corn and soybean operation - to a newly formed company called Vylor. As a result, Vylor received about three-quarters of the value held in DuPont and Corteva that was previously available to satisfy the states' claims and other creditors of DuPont. Corteva intentionally structured the transaction so that Vylor did not accept any responsibility for the massive PFAS liabilities DuPont faces. Those liabilities were designed to stay with DuPont, which now has significantly fewer assets to satisfy the states' claims. The states allege the transaction was designed to interfere with the creditors' rights to collect on these liabilities and to require DuPont to address the contamination it caused.
The coalition of states is asking a Marion County, Indiana, court for a temporary restraining order to freeze the assets. The proposed order would stop DuPont and its parent, Corteva, from using remaining funds for dividends and stock buybacks and stop Vylor from selling or pledging the seed assets it just received.
Joining Attorney General Brown in the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Alaska, Florida, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, and Washington, and the Government of Guam.
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Original text here: https://oag.maryland.gov/News/pages/Attorney-General-Brown-Joins-Fraudulent-Transfer-Lawsuit-Against-DuPont,-Corteva,-and-Newly-Created-Vylor.aspx
Ga. A.G. Carr Convicts 17 for $500k PPP Fraud in Mitchell County
ATLANTA, Georgia, Oct. 2 -- Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr issued the following news release:
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September 30, 2026
Carr Convicts 17 for $500k PPP Fraud in Mitchell County
CAMILLA, GEORGIA - Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr today announced that his White Collar and Cyber Crime Unit has secured the convictions of 17 individuals who fraudulently obtained nearly $500,000 in loans from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). All those prosecuted are residents of Mitchell County, Georgia.
The defendants pleaded guilty to felony charges of Theft by Taking and False Swearing and received
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ATLANTA, Georgia, Oct. 2 -- Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr issued the following news release:
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September 30, 2026
Carr Convicts 17 for $500k PPP Fraud in Mitchell County
CAMILLA, GEORGIA - Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr today announced that his White Collar and Cyber Crime Unit has secured the convictions of 17 individuals who fraudulently obtained nearly $500,000 in loans from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). All those prosecuted are residents of Mitchell County, Georgia.
The defendants pleaded guilty to felony charges of Theft by Taking and False Swearing and receivedvarious sentences. Each defendant was also ordered to pay back any amounts they received.
"The Paycheck Protection Program was designed to support small business owners - not criminals looking to take advantage of a global health pandemic," said Carr. "With these convictions, we're sending a message that fraud and abuse will not be tolerated in this state. If you steal from taxpayers to line your own pockets, we're coming for you, and you will be forced to pay back every dollar you stole."
Established by the CARES Act and implemented by the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) administered SBA-backed loans to assist small businesses in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Applicants certified under penalty of law that the funds were necessary due to economic uncertainty and would only be used for business-related costs. Applicants could later apply for loan forgiveness if employee numbers and wage amounts remained stable.
All 17 defendants in this case submitted an application stating that they owned a business that had been negatively affected by the COVID-19 shutdowns. Investigations revealed that, not only did the defendants not own their own businesses, but they also submitted forged tax documents in support of their PPP applications.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Charles Van Keuren. It was investigated by the Investigations Section of the Attorney General's Prosecution Division.
Guilty Pleas and Sentences
Information regarding each plea and sentence is included below.
De'Antre Jackson, 31, of Camilla:
On Aug. 26, 2026, Jackson pleaded guilty to the following charges.
* 2 counts of Theft by Taking
* 2 counts of False Swearing
A Mitchell County Superior Court Judge sentenced the defendant to 10 years, with the first two years to be served in prison and the remainder on probation. Jackson was also ordered to pay full restitution in the amount of $41,666 and perform 200 hours of community service.
Amaray McDowell, 24, of Camilla:
On June 29, 2026, McDowell pleaded guilty to the following charges.
* 2 counts of Theft by Taking
* 2 counts of False Swearing
A Mitchell County Superior Court Judge sentenced the defendant to 10 years of probation. McDowell was also ordered to pay full restitution in the amount of $41,666 and perform 200 hours of community service.
Kentavious Wimberly, 26, of Camilla:
On Apr. 20, 2026, Wimberly pleaded guilty to the following charges.
* 1 count of Theft by Taking
* 1 count of False Swearing
A Mitchell County Superior Court Judge sentenced the defendant to 10 years of probation. Wimberly was also ordered to pay full restitution in the amount of $20,833 and perform 200 hours of community service.
Randerrius Thomas, 24, of Camilla:
On Apr. 20, 2026, Thomas pleaded guilty to the following charges.
* 1 count of Theft by Taking
* 1 count of False Swearing
A Mitchell County Superior Court Judge sentenced the defendant to 10 years of probation. Thomas was also ordered to pay full restitution in the amount of $20,833 and perform 200 hours of community service.
Au'Darrious Perry, 25, of Camilla:
On Apr. 20, 2026, Perry pleaded guilty to the following charges.
* 1 count of Theft by Taking
* 1 count of False Swearing
A Mitchell County Superior Court Judge sentenced the defendant to 10 years of probation. Perry was also ordered to pay full restitution in the amount of $20,833 and perform 200 hours of community service.
Chauncy Moore, 29, of Camilla:
On Apr. 20, 2026, Moore pleaded guilty to the following charges.
* 1 count of Theft by Taking
* 1 count of False Swearing
A Mitchell County Superior Court Judge sentenced the defendant to 10 years of probation. Moore was also ordered to pay full restitution in the amount of $20,833 and perform 200 hours of community service.
Da'Cari Jones, 28, of Camilla:
On Apr. 20, 2026, Jones pleaded guilty to the following charges.
* 2 counts of Theft by Taking
* 2 counts of False Swearing
A Mitchell County Superior Court Judge sentenced the defendant to 10 years of probation. Jones was also ordered to pay full restitution in the amount of $41,666 and perform 200 hours of community service.
Demontavious Clayton, 27, of Camilla:
On Apr. 20, 2026, Clayton pleaded guilty to the following charges.
* 1 count of Theft by Taking
* 1 count of False Swearing
A Mitchell County Superior Court Judge sentenced the defendant to 10 years of probation. Clayton was also ordered to pay full restitution in the amount of $20,833 and perform 200 hours of community service.
Malik Watkins, 28, of Camilla:
On Jan. 12, 2026, Watkins pleaded guilty to the following charges.
* 1 count of Theft by Taking
* 1 count of False Swearing
A Mitchell County Superior Court Judge sentenced the defendant to 10 years of probation. Watkins was also ordered to pay full restitution in the amount of $20,833 and perform 200 hours of community service.
Lashundra Clayton, 44, of Camilla:
On Jan. 12, 2026, Clayton pleaded guilty to the following charges.
* 1 count of Theft by Taking
A Mitchell County Superior Court Judge sentenced the defendant to 10 years of probation. Clayton was also ordered to pay full restitution in the amount of $20,833 and perform 200 hours of community service.
Kentavius Clayton, 28, of Camilla:
On Jan. 12, 2026, Clayton pleaded guilty to the following charges.
* 2 counts of Theft by Taking
* 2 counts of False Swearing
A Mitchell County Superior Court Judge sentenced the defendant to 10 years of probation. Clayton was also ordered to pay full restitution in the amount of $41,666 and perform 200 hours of community service.
Jordan Clayton, 25, of Camilla:
On Jan. 12, 2026, Clayton pleaded guilty to the following charges.
* 1 count of Theft by Taking
* 1 count of False Swearing
A Mitchell County Superior Court Judge sentenced the defendant to 10 years of probation. Clayton was also ordered to pay full restitution in the amount of $20,833 and perform 200 hours of community service.
Kimbreanna Williams, 32, of Camilla:
On Oct. 20, 2025, Williams pleaded guilty to the following charges.
* 2 counts of Theft by Taking
* 2 counts of False Swearing
A Mitchell County Superior Court Judge sentenced the defendant to 10 years of probation. Williams was also ordered to pay full restitution in the amount of $41,666 and perform 200 hours of community service.
Kentavious Williams, 29, of Camilla:
On Oct. 20, 2025, Williams pleaded guilty to the following charges.
* 2 counts of Theft by Taking
* 2 counts of False Swearing
A Mitchell County Superior Court Judge sentenced the defendant to 10 years of probation. Williams was also ordered to pay full restitution in the amount of $41,666 and perform 200 hours of community service.
Stacey Smith, 31, of Camilla:
On Oct. 20, 2025, Smith pleaded guilty to the following charges.
* 2 counts of Theft by Taking
* 2 counts of False Swearing
A Mitchell County Superior Court Judge sentenced the defendant to 10 years of probation. Smith was also ordered to pay full restitution in the amount of $41,666 and perform 200 hours of community service.
Dre'Kwaun Daniels, 24, of Camilla:
On Oct. 20, 2025, Daniels pleaded guilty to the following charges.
* 1 count of Theft by Taking
* 1 count of False Swearing
A Mitchell County Superior Court Judge sentenced the defendant to 10 years of probation. Daniels was also ordered to pay full restitution in the amount of $20,833 and perform 200 hours of community service.
Kentrundas Almond, 33, of Camilla:
On Oct. 20, 2025, Almond pleaded guilty to the following charges.
* 1 count of Theft by Taking
* 1 count of False Swearing
A Mitchell County Superior Court Judge sentenced the defendant to 10 years of probation. Almond was also ordered to pay full restitution in the amount of $20,833 and perform 200 hours of community service.
The State's case against four remaining defendants is active and ongoing.
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Original text here: https://law.georgia.gov/press-releases/2026-09-30/carr-convicts-17-500k-ppp-fraud-mitchell-county
