Featured Stories
Md. A.G.: Officer Identified in Police-Involved Shooting in the City of Baltimore
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Oct. 27 -- The Maryland Office of the Attorney General issued the following news release:
* * *
Officer Identified in Police-Involved Shooting in the City of Baltimore
10/26/2026
BALTIMORE, MD - The Independent Investigations Division (IID) of the Maryland Office of the Attorney General has identified the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) officer involved in the police-involved shooting that occurred on Thursday, October 22, 2026, in the city of Baltimore, Maryland.
The involved BPD officer is identified as Officer Phil Polanco, a 7-year veteran. Officer Polanco is assigned
... Show Full Article
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Oct. 27 -- The Maryland Office of the Attorney General issued the following news release:
* * *
Officer Identified in Police-Involved Shooting in the City of Baltimore
10/26/2026
BALTIMORE, MD - The Independent Investigations Division (IID) of the Maryland Office of the Attorney General has identified the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) officer involved in the police-involved shooting that occurred on Thursday, October 22, 2026, in the city of Baltimore, Maryland.
The involved BPD officer is identified as Officer Phil Polanco, a 7-year veteran. Officer Polanco is assignedto the Operations Bureau.
The identity of the involved civilian is not being released at this time.
The IID continues to investigate the circumstances of this police-involved shooting. Anyone with information about this incident, including cell phone or private surveillance video, is asked to contact the IID at (410) 576-7070 or by email at [email protected].
To read the original news release, click here: https://oag.maryland.gov/News/Pages/Independent-Investigations-Division-Investigating-Officer-Involved-Shooting-in-the-City-of-Baltimore.aspx.
* * *
Original text here: https://oag.maryland.gov/News/pages/Officer-Identified-in-Police-Involved-Shooting-in-the-City-of-Baltimore.aspx
AG Rayfield Calls on Meta to Protect Legitimate Political Activity After No Kings Account Taken Down
SALEM, Oregon, Oct. 26 -- Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield issued the following news release:
* * *
AG Rayfield Calls on Meta to Protect Legitimate Political Activity After No Kings Account Taken Down
*
Letter seeks answers after a pro-voting group's Instagram account went dark for hours during a nationwide day of action
Attorney General Dan Rayfield today pressed Meta for answers after the social media company mistakenly shut down the No Kings Coalition's Instagram account in the middle of a nationwide day of action on October 17.
"Meta's actions have raised a significant number of questions
... Show Full Article
SALEM, Oregon, Oct. 26 -- Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield issued the following news release:
* * *
AG Rayfield Calls on Meta to Protect Legitimate Political Activity After No Kings Account Taken Down
*
Letter seeks answers after a pro-voting group's Instagram account went dark for hours during a nationwide day of action
Attorney General Dan Rayfield today pressed Meta for answers after the social media company mistakenly shut down the No Kings Coalition's Instagram account in the middle of a nationwide day of action on October 17.
"Meta's actions have raised a significant number of questionsand red flags about the policies, procedures, and protections they have in place for legitimate political speech," said Attorney General Rayfield. "The company owes the public a clear explanation of what went wrong and what it's doing to make sure it doesn't happen again."
According to the No Kings Coalition, its Instagram account was suspended around 10:30 a.m. PT on October 17, during the group's nationwide day of action to support early voting. Administrators say they heard nothing from Meta for about 90 minutes while they tried to get the account back, and full access wasn't restored for more than four hours.
Meta has said its automated monitoring system detected a surge in activity from a Claude AI tool reading profiles, posts, and hashtags. That high-volume traffic was wrongly flagged as illicit "bot" activity, triggering "automated protections" that took the account offline.
AG Rayfield and 13 other attorneys general say Meta's explanation raises a basic concern: the company may not be able to tell the difference between legitimate political activity and bots. With the November 3 election days away, they sent a letter asking Meta to:
* Explain in detail why the No Kings account was suspended, when Meta became aware of it, and what the company did to fix it
* Say whether, and how, human reviewers were involved in suspending and restoring the account
* Disclose any other legitimate election-related accounts that were suspended or made unavailable in this election cycle
* Describe how it will distinguish legitimate political activity from bot traffic going forward
* Explain how users whose accounts are wrongly suspended can get them back, and how Meta is making that process known
The attorneys general asked Meta to respond by Thursday, October 29.
Alongside Attorney General Rayfield in sending this letter were the attorneys general of California, Connecticut, Delaware, Washington, D.C., Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Vermont and Washington.
***
Original text here: https://www.doj.state.or.us/media-home/news-media-releases/ag-rayfield-presses-meta-for-answers-after-no-kings-account-taken-down/ (TNSmlt)
AG Labrador Demands Data Protections for Idahoans in Chatbot Corporate Bankruptcy
BOISE, Idaho, Oct. 26 -- Idaho Attorney General Raul R. Labrador issued the following news release:
* * *
AG Labrador Demands Data Protections for Idahoans in Chatbot Corporate Bankruptcy
*
BOISE, ID - Attorney General Raul Labrador today announced that Idaho is joining a coalition of state attorneys general in filing a notice in the bankruptcy proceedings of Character Technologies, Inc., the company behind the popular chatbot company Character.AI. The court filing identifies serious concerns about the company's safety and privacy practices and calls for protections for children and consumers
... Show Full Article
BOISE, Idaho, Oct. 26 -- Idaho Attorney General Raul R. Labrador issued the following news release:
* * *
AG Labrador Demands Data Protections for Idahoans in Chatbot Corporate Bankruptcy
*
BOISE, ID - Attorney General Raul Labrador today announced that Idaho is joining a coalition of state attorneys general in filing a notice in the bankruptcy proceedings of Character Technologies, Inc., the company behind the popular chatbot company Character.AI. The court filing identifies serious concerns about the company's safety and privacy practices and calls for protections for children and consumersin any sale of the company's business or assets.
"Corporate bankruptcy can't undo the damage that Character.AI did to children in Idaho," said Attorney General Labrador. "We will hold this company accountable for their negligence and pursue whatever remedies are available in the distribution of their assets."
Character.AI is an artificial intelligence chatbot platform that allows users to interact with AI-powered chatbot "characters" designed to mimic human conversation and relationships. These chatbot characters include fictional and celebrity personas, children's cartoon characters, and others that present themselves as psychologists, therapists, and doctors. Through chats with these characters, the company has collected sensitive consumer data, including private conversations about users' mental health, relationships, and emotional struggles.
Idaho began investigating Character.AI following a 2024 wrongful death lawsuit alleging that its chatbots fostered an emotionally and sexually exploitative relationship with a child, reinforced his suicidal thoughts, and contributed to his death by suicide. The investigation identified potential consumer protection and privacy violations.
The multi-state filing highlights the significant volume of sensitive consumer information held by Character.AI, including private chatbot conversations involving children and adults, and identifies privacy and safety protections that should be addressed in any sale or transfer of the company's business or assets.
Although Character.AI has recently voluntarily restricted minors' access to certain chatbot features, the states have raised concerns that these measures are incomplete, not compulsory, and could be circumvented or reversed by a future purchaser.
Idaho and the other states intend to remain actively engaged in the bankruptcy proceedings to protect consumers and address outstanding regulatory concerns. The states have reserved their rights to challenge any proposed sale or bankruptcy plan and to seek additional protections for consumers' personal information.
A copy of the states' filing is available here.
***
Original text here: https://www.ag.idaho.gov/newsroom/ag-labrador-demands-data-protections-for-idahoans-in-chatbot-corporate-bankruptcy/
Nebraska Joins FTC and 19 States in Suing Dollar General for Charging Consumers More than Advertised for Many Products
LINCOLN, Nebraska, Oct. 26 -- Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers issued the following news release:
* * *
Nebraska Joins FTC and 19 States in Suing Dollar General for Charging Consumers More than Advertised for Many Products
*
Lincoln - Nebraska, along with the Federal Trade Commission and 19 other states, sued Dollar General Corporation for engaging in long-running deceptive pricing practices by routinely charging customers more at the register than the prices displayed on shelves, price tags, and advertisements, costing consumers millions of dollars.
"Nebraskans expect that they are
... Show Full Article
LINCOLN, Nebraska, Oct. 26 -- Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers issued the following news release:
* * *
Nebraska Joins FTC and 19 States in Suing Dollar General for Charging Consumers More than Advertised for Many Products
*
Lincoln - Nebraska, along with the Federal Trade Commission and 19 other states, sued Dollar General Corporation for engaging in long-running deceptive pricing practices by routinely charging customers more at the register than the prices displayed on shelves, price tags, and advertisements, costing consumers millions of dollars.
"Nebraskans expect that they arecharged at the register the prices that are advertised," said Attorney General Mike Hilgers. "Dollar General betrayed that trust at the expense of hard-working Nebraska families. Our office is committed to holding Dollar General accountable for these practices and ensuring that consumers are protected from deceptive pricing and unfair overcharges."
According to the complaint:
* Thousands of Dollar General stores have taken advantage of vulnerable shoppers by extracting millions of dollars in unlawful overcharges with insufficient safeguards to prevent the practice.
* Dollar General received tens of thousands of complaints from consumers across the country who say the company did not honor the advertised price, demonstrating widespread consumer harm and confirming that customers nationwide have been charged more than the advertised price.
* Dollar General knows that it harms consumers by charging more at the register than the prices it advertises, as reflected by the numerous complaints it has received.
Despite being made aware of the problem, Dollar General has failed to implement policies and practices to adequately address the problem, according to the complaint.
The FTC and states allege these practices violate the FTC Act, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, and Nebraska law.
Nebraska and 19 state partners joined the FTC in filing a complaint alleging that Dollar General has, for years, repeatedly mislabeled prices, overcharged consumers, and failed to correct the issue despite extensive corporate knowledge of the problem. The states joining the FTC lawsuit include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, and Wisconsin.
***
Original text here: https://ago.nebraska.gov/news/nebraska-joins-ftc-and-19-states-suing-dollar-general-charging-consumers-more-advertised-many
Connecticut Joins FTC and States in Suing Dollar General for Charging Consumers More Than Advertised
HARTFORD, Connecticut, Oct. 26 -- Connecticut Attorney General William Tong issued the following news release:
* * *
Connecticut Joins FTC and States in Suing Dollar General for Charging Consumers More Than Advertised
*
Dollar General has generated millions of dollars by regularly and repeatedly charging more at the register than the price advertised, the FTC and states allege
(Hartford, CT) -- Attorney General William Tong today joined the Federal Trade Commission and 19 other state attorneys general in suing Dollar General Corporation for engaging in long-running deceptive pricing practices
... Show Full Article
HARTFORD, Connecticut, Oct. 26 -- Connecticut Attorney General William Tong issued the following news release:
* * *
Connecticut Joins FTC and States in Suing Dollar General for Charging Consumers More Than Advertised
*
Dollar General has generated millions of dollars by regularly and repeatedly charging more at the register than the price advertised, the FTC and states allege
(Hartford, CT) -- Attorney General William Tong today joined the Federal Trade Commission and 19 other state attorneys general in suing Dollar General Corporation for engaging in long-running deceptive pricing practicesby routinely charging customers more at the register than the prices displayed on shelves, price tags and advertisements, costing consumers millions of dollars.
The complaint alleges that Dollar General has, for years, repeatedly mislabeled prices, overcharged consumers and failed to correct the issue despite extensive corporate knowledge of the problem.
"Dollar General knew it was overcharging customers and failed to do anything about it. They profited from years of deception, while American families lost millions. Consumers should be able to trust the prices they see on the shelves, not worry about what they'll be charged at the register. We are taking aggressive action to hold them accountable," said Attorney General Tong.
"It's simple: the price you advertise on the shelf, in the menu, on your website or anywhere else, must be the price you charge, whether the item is $1 or $100," said DCP Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli. "Consistently advertising one price and charging another, isn't a simple mistake, it's a concerted effort to take advantage of consumers, exposes frontline retail workers to unnecessary confrontation, and is generally bad for business. Honesty is always the best policy whether you are a major corporation or a small business."
According to the complaint:
* Thousands of Dollar General stores have taken advantage of vulnerable shoppers by extracting millions of dollars in unlawful overcharges with insufficient safeguards to prevent the practice.
* Dollar General received tens of thousands of complaints from consumers across the country who say the company did not honor the advertised price, demonstrating widespread consumer harm and confirming that customers nationwide have been charged more than the advertised price.
* Dollar General knows that it harms consumers by charging more at the register than the prices it advertises, as reflected by the numerous complaints it has received.
* Despite being made aware of the problem, Dollar General has failed to implement policies and practices to adequately address the problem, according to the complaint.
The FTC and states allege these practices violate the FTC Act, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act (CUPTA).
This lawsuit reflects Attorney General Tong's ongoing efforts to drive down costs for American families. As president of the National Association of Attorneys General, Attorney General Tong has made affordability the focus of his presidential initiative, working together with attorneys general across the country to protect consumers and hold businesses accountable.
The states joining the FTC lawsuit include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin.
***
Original text here: https://portal.ct.gov/ag/press-releases/2026-press-releases/connecticut-joins-ftc-and-states-in-suing-dollar-general-for-charging-consumers-more-than-advertised
Attorney General Griffin Joins FTC and 19 States in Suing Dollar General for Charging Consumers More than Advertised
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, Oct. 26 -- Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following news release:
* * *
Attorney General Griffin Joins FTC and 19 States in Suing Dollar General for Charging Consumers More than Advertised
*
Griffin: 'My office will continue cracking down on deceptive practices that hurt Arkansas consumers'
LITTLE ROCK - Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin, along with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and 19 other states, sued Dollar General Corporation for engaging in long-running deceptive pricing practices by routinely charging customers more at the register than
... Show Full Article
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, Oct. 26 -- Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following news release:
* * *
Attorney General Griffin Joins FTC and 19 States in Suing Dollar General for Charging Consumers More than Advertised
*
Griffin: 'My office will continue cracking down on deceptive practices that hurt Arkansas consumers'
LITTLE ROCK - Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin, along with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and 19 other states, sued Dollar General Corporation for engaging in long-running deceptive pricing practices by routinely charging customers more at the register thanthe prices displayed on shelves, price tags and advertisements, costing consumers millions of dollars.
Arkansas and 19 state partners joined the FTC in filing a complaint, alleging that for years Dollar General has repeatedly mislabeled prices, overcharged consumers and failed to correct the issue despite extensive corporate knowledge of the problem. The other states joining the FTC lawsuit include Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin.
Griffin issued the following statement:
"Arkansans shouldn't have to pay more at the register than the price they were promised on the shelf. Businesses have a responsibility to advertise their prices honestly, and those that deceive consumers must be held accountable. My office will continue cracking down on deceptive practices that hurt Arkansas consumers."
According to the complaint:
* Thousands of Dollar General stores have taken advantage of vulnerable shoppers by extracting millions of dollars in unlawful overcharges with insufficient safeguards to prevent the practice.
* Dollar General received tens of thousands of complaints from consumers across the country who say the company did not honor the advertised price, demonstrating widespread consumer harm and confirming that customers nationwide have been charged more than the advertised price.
* Dollar General knows that it harms consumers by charging more at the register than the prices it advertises, as reflected by the numerous complaints it has received.
Despite being made aware of the problem, Dollar General has failed to implement policies and practices to adequately address the problem, according to the complaint.
* Thousands of Dollar General stores have taken advantage of vulnerable shoppers by extracting millions of dollars in unlawful overcharges with insufficient safeguards to prevent the practice.
* Dollar General received tens of thousands of complaints from consumers across the country who say the company did not honor the advertised price, demonstrating widespread consumer harm and confirming that customers nationwide have been charged more than the advertised price.
* Dollar General knows that it harms consumers by charging more at the register than the prices it advertises, as reflected by the numerous complaints it has received.
* Despite being made aware of the problem, Dollar General has failed to implement policies and practices to adequately address the problem, according to the complaint.
The FTC and states allege these practices violate the FTC Act, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and Arkansas law.
To read a copy of the lawsuit, click here.
To download a PDF version of this release, click here.
***
Original text here: https://arkansasag.gov/news-release/attorney-general-griffin-joins-ftc-and19-states-in-suing-dollar-general-for-charging-consumers-more-than-advertised/
AG Sunday's Insurance Fraud Section Charges Father, Son in Lehigh Valley-Based 'Chop Shop' Scheme Involving Stolen Vehicles
HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, Oct. 26 -- Pennsylvania Attorney General David W. Sunday issued the following news:
* * *
AG Sunday's Insurance Fraud Section Charges Father, Son in Lehigh Valley-Based 'Chop Shop' Scheme Involving Stolen Vehicles
*
HARRISBURG -- Attorney General Dave Sunday announced the takedown of a Lehigh County-based "chop shop" scheme, with charges against a father and son who engaged in illegal titling and sales of stolen vehicles with counterfeit documents.
Jermaine Quinones Sr., 42, and Jermaine Quinones Jr., 18, are each charged with numerous felonies, including corrupt
... Show Full Article
HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, Oct. 26 -- Pennsylvania Attorney General David W. Sunday issued the following news:
* * *
AG Sunday's Insurance Fraud Section Charges Father, Son in Lehigh Valley-Based 'Chop Shop' Scheme Involving Stolen Vehicles
*
HARRISBURG -- Attorney General Dave Sunday announced the takedown of a Lehigh County-based "chop shop" scheme, with charges against a father and son who engaged in illegal titling and sales of stolen vehicles with counterfeit documents.
Jermaine Quinones Sr., 42, and Jermaine Quinones Jr., 18, are each charged with numerous felonies, including corruptorganizations, theft by deception, washing vehicle titles, and insurance fraud.
The older Quinones was arrested earlier this month at his Allentown home. He was arraigned on the charges and bail was set at $450,000 cash.
Jermaine Quinones Jr. was arrested Thursday. At arraignment, bail was set at $100,000.
According to a collaborative investigation between the Office of Attorney General's Insurance Fraud Section, Pennsylvania State Police, and Monroe County Detectives, the father and son ran a chop shop throughout 2026, "washing" titles of vehicles that were known to be stolen with VINs and other information not belonging to the stolen vehicles.
Many of the vehicles were sold on Facebook Marketplace.
"This criminal conduct is harmful in many ways, as it defrauds the Commonwealth's vehicle titling system and insurance providers, and unsuspecting buyers who are left with 'dirty' vehicles," Attorney General Sunday said. "The vehicle titling and registration system exists to protect consumers and insurance providers, and ensure vehicles on Commonwealth roadways are safe."
Many of the vehicles were new and of high value, including 2026 model Infiniti QX60 ($67,599 value), Acura Integra ($35,950), and two Ford Mustangs ($32,640 and $31,890).
Between 2025 and 2026, investigators identified sales of 12 vehicles with washed paperwork, valued at nearly $500,000.
When taking Quinones Sr into custody, investigators seized a semiautomatic rifle. He is not permitted to possess firearms due to a prior felony conviction.
The case will be prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Joseph Sembrot and Deputy Attorney General Jose Perez of the Insurance Fraud Section. Criminal charges, and any discussion thereof, are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
***
Original text here: https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/taking-action/ag-sundays-insurance-fraud-section-charges-father-son-in-lehigh-valley-based-chop-shop-scheme-involving-stolen-vehicles/
