Featured Stories
Okla. A.G. Drummond: Organized Crime Task Force Shuts Down 5 Illegal Marijuana Operations in Woodward
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, July 9 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release on July 8, 2026:
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Organized Crime Task Force shuts down 5 illegal marijuana operations in Woodward
Attorney General Gentner Drummond's Organized Crime Task Force shut down five illegal marijuana grow operations in Woodward last week across a two-day operation. Agents seized more than 30,000 marijuana plants and more than 200 pounds of processed marijuana.
As a result of the raids, six illegal immigrants were deported and one individual was arrested. Grow operations included
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OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, July 9 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release on July 8, 2026:
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Organized Crime Task Force shuts down 5 illegal marijuana operations in Woodward
Attorney General Gentner Drummond's Organized Crime Task Force shut down five illegal marijuana grow operations in Woodward last week across a two-day operation. Agents seized more than 30,000 marijuana plants and more than 200 pounds of processed marijuana.
As a result of the raids, six illegal immigrants were deported and one individual was arrested. Grow operations includedGreen Leaf LLC, 1111 Lakeview Drive; Purple Leaf LLC, 3000 8th St.; Green Manor LLC, 502 48th St.; Gold Leaf LLC, 43718 S. Country Rd. 206; and Silver Leaf LLC, 43790 S. County Rd. 206. Additionally, agents searched several apartments at Blue Sage Estates at 1215 Downs Ave.
"I appreciate the great work of my Organized Crime Task Force, which is finding and shutting down illegal grow operations on a regular basis all across Oklahoma," Drummond said. "We will continue to aggressively combat these criminal organizations until they are driven out of our state."
When Drummond took office in 2023, more than 9,000 licensed marijuana grows were located in Oklahoma. Today, fewer than 1,200 remain.
The Attorney General's Office worked in conjunction with the Oklahoma National Guard's 63rd Civil Support Team, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, the Woodward Police Department, the Woodward County Sheriff's Office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to carry out the operations. Woodward County Commissioners assisted after the locations were secure.
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Original text here: https://oklahoma.gov/oag/news/newsroom/2026/july/organized-crime-task-force-shuts-down-5-illegal-marijuana-operations-in-woodward.html
Attorney General James Sues Some of Nation's Largest Chemical Companies Over Toxic Pollution from Consumer Products
ALBANY, New York, July 9 -- New York Attorney General Letitia James issued the following news release:
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Attorney General James Sues Some of Nation's Largest Chemical Companies Over Toxic Pollution from Consumer Products
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July 9, 2026
NEW YORK - New York Attorney General Letitia James today sued some of the nation's largest chemical and agricultural companies - 3M Company (3M), EIDP, Inc. (EIDP), The Chemours Company, Inc. (Chemours), Corteva, Inc. (Corteva), and DuPont De Nemours, Inc. (DuPont) - for contributing to decades of toxic polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pollution in New
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ALBANY, New York, July 9 -- New York Attorney General Letitia James issued the following news release:
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Attorney General James Sues Some of Nation's Largest Chemical Companies Over Toxic Pollution from Consumer Products
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July 9, 2026
NEW YORK - New York Attorney General Letitia James today sued some of the nation's largest chemical and agricultural companies - 3M Company (3M), EIDP, Inc. (EIDP), The Chemours Company, Inc. (Chemours), Corteva, Inc. (Corteva), and DuPont De Nemours, Inc. (DuPont) - for contributing to decades of toxic polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pollution in NewYork through their use in consumer products. PFAS are known as "forever chemicals" because of their ability to persist in the environment without breaking down. Some PFAS are associated with an increased risk of cancer, birth defects, pregnancy complications, high cholesterol, hormone issues, and a wide range of other health problems.
Attorney General James alleges that these companies manufactured, marketed, and sold PFAS that they knew to be toxic for use in consumer products. She further alleges that the companies deceived consumers and the public about their exposure to PFAS and the contamination of the environment, and failed to warn the public about the risks of PFAS in consumer goods. Attorney General James is seeking a court order holding the companies liable for the environmental and public health damage they have caused, requiring them to fund cleanup efforts throughout New York, and ordering them to properly warn consumers about their products' risks. The lawsuit also seeks damages, restitution, and other financial penalties.
"Big companies like 3M and DuPont knowingly sold toxic products that threatened New Yorkers' health and polluted our environment for decades. It's time for them to pay for the damage they caused," said Attorney General James. "For far too long, our communities have unfairly shouldered the costs of protecting people from these toxic forever chemicals and cleaning up their contamination. I look forward to ensuring the companies responsible for PFAS pollution are held accountable."
PFAS were first developed in the 1940s and were used in a wide variety of consumer products for their water and oil-repellant properties. Companies such as 3M and DuPont began manufacturing and selling these chemicals for use in consumer products to create water and stain-resistant fabric treatments, water-repellant clothing, food packaging, non-stick cookware, cosmetics, and more. Regular use of these products released toxic PFAS into the environment and consumers' bodies, posing substantial environmental and health risks.
Attorney General James alleges that the companies knew early on that PFAS were toxic, persistent, and accumulated in humans, plants, and animals, yet hid this information from the public. As early as the 1970s, researchers at 3M had discovered PFAS in blood samples from the company's employees and the general public, and knew that their products were toxic. In 1981, DuPont secretly monitored 50 of its female employees who were exposed to one of its PFAS products. Its data showed that two of the seven pregnant workers who were exposed had babies with eye and nostril defects. Rather than inform its employees or regulators of the results, DuPont abandoned the study and continued to manufacture and sell that PFAS product.
The lawsuit also alleges the companies knew that their products caused environmental damage. For example, in 1983, 3M scientists concluded that PFAS could pollute the water supply through wastewater, yet for decades 3M failed to conduct any of the environmental risk assessments its researchers recommended. Instead, the companies continued to aggressively produce, market, and sell chemical products containing PFAS they knew to be toxic while misleading consumers about their safety. Even when the companies phased out their use of certain PFAS products, they failed to warn consumers about products that were still for sale or already in their homes containing these toxic chemicals. In other cases, harmful PFAS were merely replaced with similarly toxic compounds.
Attorney General James alleges that the companies violated New York laws by producing, marketing, and selling products containing chemicals they knew to be harmful to New Yorkers' health and the environment for decades. The companies violated New Yorkers' rights to clean air and water by causing widespread environmental contamination. They violated New York's consumer protection laws by deceptively marketing their products as safe, when in fact, they contained toxic chemicals. The companies also engaged in repeated and persistent fraud, allowing them to illegally profit by failing to warn New Yorkers of the health and environmental risks of their products.
Attorney General James is seeking a court order holding the companies liable for the environmental and public health effects of their PFAS products and requiring them to fund cleanup efforts to rid communities of the toxic chemicals. The lawsuit also seeks to prevent the companies from selling any products containing harmful PFAS without adequate warnings, and to end any misleading advertising. In addition, Attorney General James is seeking damages, disgorgement of all illegally earned profits, restitution, and other penalties.
Attorney General James thanks the New York Department of Environmental Conservation and New York Department Health for their assistance in this matter.
This matter is being handled by Assistant Attorneys General Jennifer C. Simon, Kyle Burns, Sabita Krishnan, Brendan McGrath, and Environmental Scientists John Davis and Joshua Crittenden of the Environmental Protection Bureau, under the supervision of Bureau Chief Lemuel M. Srolovic, and with the assistance of Senior Advisor and Special Counsel M. Umair Khan. Data Scientist Blake Rubey and former Data Scientist Blythe Davis of the Research and Analytics Department also assisted in this matter. The Environmental Protection Bureau is a part of the Division for Social Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Meghan Faux and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.
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Original text here: https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2026/attorney-general-james-sues-some-nations-largest-chemical-companies-over-toxic
Attorney General Bonta Secures Settlement with Remaining Defendants in Sham Health Coverage Case
SACRAMENTO, California, July 9 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Bonta Secures Settlement with Remaining Defendants in Sham Health Coverage Case
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OAKLAND -California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced that the Los Angeles Superior Court approved a settlement with Shelley Steele, Timothy Candace "Tim" Moses, Chase Moses (collectively, the Moses family), and First Call Telemedicine, LLC (First Call), the remaining defendants in a matter involving the alleged sale of sham health coverage to California consumers.
The case
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SACRAMENTO, California, July 9 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Bonta Secures Settlement with Remaining Defendants in Sham Health Coverage Case
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OAKLAND -California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced that the Los Angeles Superior Court approved a settlement with Shelley Steele, Timothy Candace "Tim" Moses, Chase Moses (collectively, the Moses family), and First Call Telemedicine, LLC (First Call), the remaining defendants in a matter involving the alleged sale of sham health coverage to California consumers.
The casebegan in January 2022, when Attorney General Bonta filed a lawsuit against The Aliera Companies, Inc. (Aliera), Trinity HealthShare (Trinity), and other defendants, including those who are the subject of today's settlement. The lawsuit alleged that the Moses family created and controlled Trinity, falsely presenting it as a legitimate health care sharing ministry (HCSM), and used Aliera, a for-profit company they also controlled, to market and administer the health plans to consumers. HCSMs are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations historically comprised of members of a particular religious community who contribute money to share catastrophic or unexpected healthcare costs. HCSMs are often marketed as lower-cost alternatives to traditional health insurance, but they generally do not pay for all essential health benefits such as prescriptions, preexisting conditions, birth control, or mental healthcare, and do not guarantee payment for medical expenses. According to the complaint, Trinity was not a legitimate HCSM, and Aliera retained a significant portion of members' contributions rather than using those funds to pay healthcare costs, leaving many consumers with unpaid medical bills. The lawsuit also alleged that, after the collapse of Aliera, Shelley Steele continued selling health plans in California through First Call without the required state authorization and directed millions of dollars from Trinity membership funds to First Call. In 2025, Attorney General Bonta reached a settlement with Aliera, Trinity, and additional defendants. Today's settlement resolves the matter with the remaining defendants: the Moses family and First Call.
"Californians deserve honest information when making decisions about their health coverage," said Attorney General Bonta. "More than 14,000 Californians were allegedly misled into paying for health plans that did not provide the protection they expected, while those behind the scheme profited from their trust. After holding other defendants accountable last year, this settlement finishes the job by securing penalties against the remaining defendants and barring them from doing business in California."
Consumers were allegedly led to believe their monthly payments were being used to pay healthcare expenses, but Aliera retained nearly 84% of those funds and routinely rejected requests for payment of medical expenses. Under the settlement:
* Shelley Steele, Tim Moses, and First Call Telemedicine are permanently barred from conducting business in California, directing business toward California residents, serving in leadership positions at companies doing business in California, or owning more than a 25% interest in businesses operating in California.
* Chase Moses is prohibited from conducting business in California for 10 years and is permanently barred from marketing, selling, administering, or otherwise operating any HCSM in California.
* These remaining defendants must pay more than $5.1 million in civil penalties. Portions of those penalties are suspended based on the defendants' sworn financial disclosures and continued compliance with the judgment and may be reinstated if the defendants are found to have materially misrepresented their financial condition or violate the settlement.
Californians who believe an HCSM used deceptive marketing or misrepresented its services are encouraged to file a complaint at oag.ca.gov/report.
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Original text here: https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-secures-settlement-remaining-defendants-sham-health
Attorney General Bonta Secures Sentence Against Southern California Real Estate Agent in Eaton Fire Price Gouging Case
SACRAMENTO, California, July 9 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Bonta Secures Sentence Against Southern California Real Estate Agent in Eaton Fire Price Gouging Case
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LOS ANGELES -California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the sentencing of real estate agent Mike Kobeissi for false advertising arising out of an attempt to price gouge a couple who lost their home in the Los Angeles Eaton Fire. Kobeissi's sentence includes 12 months of probation, 100 hours of community service, and a mandatory professional ethics course
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SACRAMENTO, California, July 9 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Bonta Secures Sentence Against Southern California Real Estate Agent in Eaton Fire Price Gouging Case
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LOS ANGELES -California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the sentencing of real estate agent Mike Kobeissi for false advertising arising out of an attempt to price gouge a couple who lost their home in the Los Angeles Eaton Fire. Kobeissi's sentence includes 12 months of probation, 100 hours of community service, and a mandatory professional ethics coursethrough the National Association of Realtors. Additionally, he must pay $20,000 to a disaster relief fund and submit a letter of apology to the victims.
"As I have said repeatedly, price gouging during a state of emergency is illegal," said Attorney General Bonta. "May this announcement serve as a stern warning to those who would seek to further victimize those who have lost everything. My office is aggressively and relentlessly pursuing those who are trying to make a quick buck off someone else's pain."
The California Department of Justice (DOJ) filed charges against Kobeissi following an investigation spurred by a consumer complaint sent to DOJ by the evacuated couple, which detailed their attempt to rent a home after the Governor's Emergency Order took effect. The Emergency Order explicitly prohibited the price gouging of wildfire victims. The investigation revealed that the couple applied to rent a home listed by real estate agent Kobeissi, but after the application was received, they were informed that the price increased by 38%. They decided not to rent the house due to the price increase.
California law -specifically, Penal Code section 396 -generally prohibits charging a price that exceeds, by more than 10%, the price a seller charged for an item before a state or local declaration of emergency. For items that a seller only began selling after an emergency declaration, the law generally prohibits charging a price that exceeds the seller's cost of the item by more than 50%. This law applies to those who sell food, emergency supplies, medical supplies, building materials, and gasoline. The law also applies to repair or reconstruction services, emergency cleanup services, transportation, freight and storage services, hotel accommodations, and long- and short-term rental housing. Exceptions to this prohibition exist if, for example, the price of labor, goods, or materials has increased for the business.
This case was prosecuted by DOJ's Special Prosecutions Section (SPS). SPS combats complex, multi-jurisdictional crimes by deploying specialized vertical teams of prosecutors, auditors, and paralegals. This unit focuses heavily on major financial crimes, including securities, mortgage, tax, and revenue fraud, alongside counterfeiting and underground economy offenses.
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Original text here: https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-secures-sentence-against-southern-california-real-estate
ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL CALLS ON EPA TO MOVE FORWARD WITH EMISSION STANDARDS FOR LIGHT- AND MEDIUM-DUTY VEHICLES
CHICAGO, Illinois, July 9 -- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued the following news release:
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ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL CALLS ON EPA TO MOVE FORWARD WITH EMISSION STANDARDS FOR LIGHT- AND MEDIUM-DUTY VEHICLES
Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 19 attorneys general and five cities, submitted a comment letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) opposing its proposed rule to delay implementation of the Tier 4 emissions standards for light- and medium-duty vehicles. The proposed rule would give manufacturers two additional years before implementing these
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CHICAGO, Illinois, July 9 -- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued the following news release:
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ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL CALLS ON EPA TO MOVE FORWARD WITH EMISSION STANDARDS FOR LIGHT- AND MEDIUM-DUTY VEHICLES
Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 19 attorneys general and five cities, submitted a comment letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) opposing its proposed rule to delay implementation of the Tier 4 emissions standards for light- and medium-duty vehicles. The proposed rule would give manufacturers two additional years before implementing thesehealth-protective standards that ensure vehicles emit fewer harmful pollutants, including nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide.
In the comment letter (https://illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/News-Room/Current-News/Multi-State%20Comment%20on%20Revision%20of%20Tier%204%20Standards%20EPA-HQ-OAR-2025-3297.pdf?language_id=1), Raoul and the coalition assert that the EPA's proposal to delay this compliance schedule, such that manufacturers are not required to take any action until they begin producing model year 2029 vehicles, would harm public health and welfare by delaying the benefits of stricter air pollutant emissions standards.
"Failing to implement EPA's Tier 4 emissions standards by delaying compliance undercuts progress we have made to reduce harmful pollutants from vehicles, including air toxins and pollutants that cause smog," Raoul said. "I stand with my colleagues against the EPA's failure to enforce timely standards that protect the environment and our health."
Under the current, state-of-the-art "Tier 4" standards adopted by the EPA in 2024, manufacturers must ensure vehicles emit fewer harmful pollutants, including nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide. When the EPA adopted these standards, manufacturers had sufficient lead time before the standards would begin to be phased in and several additional years before full implementation of the standards is required.
Following that schedule, manufacturers are required to start implementing the standards with their model year 2027 vehicles and will have to obtain Tier 4 certification for all light-duty vehicles by 2030 and for all medium-duty vehicles by 2033. However, the EPA has now proposed to delay the start of this phase-in schedule for two years, which will delay the health protections the standards provide.
Raoul and the coalition explain in their letter that air pollution from motor vehicles continues to impact public health, welfare and the environment. Motor vehicle emissions contribute to ozone, increased levels of particulate matter and air toxics, which are linked to premature deaths and other serious health impacts, including respiratory illness, cardiovascular problems and cancer.
In their letter, Raoul and the attorneys general and cities assert that:
* The EPA has failed to support with any evidence its claims that compliance with the Tier 4 standards is not feasible. In fact, the Tier 4 standards are still feasible and cost-effective based on the lengthy phase-in schedule and the flexible compliance pathways outlined in the 2024 rule, including low-cost, off-the-shelf controls for internal combustion engines.
* The EPA failed to conduct any air quality modeling; nor did EPA make any attempts to consider the economic value of the harm of delaying the Tier 4 standards on air quality, and, by extension, public health and welfare.
* The Clean Air Act does not allow the EPA to reverse course and weaken criteria and toxic air pollutant standards. It also does not authorize the EPA to make it harder for states to meet federal air quality standards, making this proposal, if finalized, unlawful.
Under the Trump Administration, the EPA has already repealed federal greenhouse gas standards for vehicles, which Raoul and a coalition are currently challenging in court. Now the EPA seeks to delay the implementation of their criteria and toxic pollutant standards, which would similarly erase important health and welfare benefits from the 2024 rulemaking.
Joining Raoul in sending the letters were the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington and Wisconsin. Also joining the letter were the cities of Chicago, New York, Denver and San Francisco.
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Original text here: https://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/news/story/attorney-general-raoul-calls-on-epa-to-move-forward-with-emission-standards-for-light-and-medium-duty-vehicles
AG Nessel Announces $45 Million Multistate Settlement Over Deceptive Practices on Cash App
LANSING, Michigan, July 9 -- Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued the following news release:
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AG Nessel Announces $45 Million Multistate Settlement Over Deceptive Practices on Cash App
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LANSING - Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is announcing a $45 million multistate settlement with Block, Inc., the company behind the popular peer-to-peer payments app Cash App. The settlement resolves allegations that Block misled consumers about the safety of Cash App, failed to protect users from fraud on the platform, and didn't provide the fraud protection and resolution that it promised
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LANSING, Michigan, July 9 -- Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued the following news release:
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AG Nessel Announces $45 Million Multistate Settlement Over Deceptive Practices on Cash App
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LANSING - Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is announcing a $45 million multistate settlement with Block, Inc., the company behind the popular peer-to-peer payments app Cash App. The settlement resolves allegations that Block misled consumers about the safety of Cash App, failed to protect users from fraud on the platform, and didn't provide the fraud protection and resolution that it promisedand that was required by law.
"Customer safety should always be a top priority, and when a company misleads and fails to protect its users from fraud, it must be held accountable," said Attorney General Nessel. "This settlement requires Cash App to maintain strong safeguards for consumers and commits the company to putting stolen money back into the pockets of Michigan residents. Throughout my time in office, we have worked with multistate coalitions to halt deceptive business practices, and we will continue to pursue corporations that try to put their bottom line over the people of Michigan."
Block told Cash App users their money was safe - implying that the app worked like a bank, with the same protections, which wasn't true. At the same time, Block knew fraud on its platform was rising sharply - and instead of warning users or strengthening protections, it doubled down on marketing.
For years, Block actively promoted direct deposits of paychecks and government benefits into Cash App. It made a particular push to reach unbanked and underbanked consumers - people who would often rely on Cash App as their primary financial account, and who were especially vulnerable to fraud. Block grew its user base without making sure it could support those users when problems arose.
Block's policies didn't just fail to stop fraud - in several ways they made it easier:
* Block's sign-up process was designed to be fast and frictionless, with minimal identity verification. That made it easy for fraudsters to create accounts, not just legitimate users.
* For years, Cash App had no phone support. Users who needed help could only message through the app or on social media. People who got locked out - or just wanted to talk to someone - searched online for a phone number and often ended up calling fake 1-800 numbers run by scammers posing as Cash App. Those scammers would then take over accounts or drain users' other financial accounts. Block knew this was happening and didn't warn users or set up a real phone line until years later.
* Block ran a social media promotion called Cash App Fridays, encouraging users to publicly post their $cashtag - a unique Cash App identifier - for a chance to win a weekly prize. Fraudsters would then contact those users, tell them they'd won, and trick them into handing over their login information. Block knew about these scams and kept running the promotion anyway, for years.
Block's failure to provide adequate customer service and to fulfill its promise to protect users from fraud had real consequences for real people. Innocent users who experience automated account locks for suspicious transactions were frequently locked out of their accounts for weeks without a way to access their money. Victims of fraud through the app were often left with no recourse, because delays made it impossible to get stolen money back from scammers and because Block failed to investigate unauthorized transactions and failed to issue refunds when required by law.
Under the settlement, the State of Michigan will receive $936,540. Block has also agreed to implement and maintain responsible practices to resolve these issues, including to:
* Maintain customer support that can resolve fraud complaints, account lockouts, and other problems.
* Offer live support 24 hours a day, with a human available by phone at least 13.5 hours a day and by live chat at least 18 hours a day.
* Stop making false or misleading claims about Cash App's safety and how it protects users from fraud.
* Discontinue marketing practices known to increase fraud on the platform.
* Directly educate consumers about common types of fraud.
* Fulfill its legal obligations to investigate fraud claims and reimburse users for unauthorized transactions.
The multistate settlement also reaffirms Block's commitment to distribute between $75 million and $120 million to compensate consumers nationwide as part of a settlement with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Additional information regarding the CFPB's settlement is available on the CFPB's website and Cash App settlement website.
A copy of the consent order submitted to the Court can be found here (PDF).
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Original text here: https://www.michigan.gov/ag/news/press-releases/2026/07/09/ag-nessel-announces-45-million-multistate-settlement-over-deceptive-practices-on-cash-app
AG Campbell Announces $36.5 Million Multistate Settlement with CVS for Allegedly Over-Dispensing Insulin Pens
BOSTON, Massachusetts, July 9 -- Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell issued the following news release:
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AG Campbell Announces $36.5 Million Multistate Settlement with CVS for Allegedly Over-Dispensing Insulin Pens
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BOSTON -Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, in collaboration with the U.S Department of Justice and a bipartisan coalition of 35 other state attorneys general, today announced a $36.5 million multistate settlement with CVS Pharmacy, Inc. (CVS) to resolve allegations that the company knowingly submitted false claims to MassHealth and other government
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BOSTON, Massachusetts, July 9 -- Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell issued the following news release:
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AG Campbell Announces $36.5 Million Multistate Settlement with CVS for Allegedly Over-Dispensing Insulin Pens
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BOSTON -Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, in collaboration with the U.S Department of Justice and a bipartisan coalition of 35 other state attorneys general, today announced a $36.5 million multistate settlement with CVS Pharmacy, Inc. (CVS) to resolve allegations that the company knowingly submitted false claims to MassHealth and other governmenthealthcare programs ("GHPs") by over-dispensing insulin pens and improperly obtaining reimbursement.
Under the terms of the agreement, CVS will pay $36.5 million to the federal government and coalition states. Massachusetts will receive $1.3 million from the settlement.
"MassHealth provides critical healthcare coverage to residents across the Commonwealth, and companies that exploit the program for profit undermine the trust placed in our public institutions," said AG Campbell. "When companies submit improper claims and misuse taxpayer-funded resources, my office will hold them accountable. We will continue to protect public dollars and ensure these programs serve the people who depend on them."
The settlement resolves allegations that, from January 2010 through December 2020, CVS violated the federal False Claims Act and various state false claims statutes, including the Massachusetts False Claims Act, by overbilling for and improperly dispensing insulin pens to patients enrolled in GHPs like MassHealth. According to the coalition, CVS knowingly gave patients more insulin than their doctors prescribed and refilled those prescriptions too early. To hide these actions, CVS allegedly underreported how many days the insulin supply should last, which tricked tracking systems into approving premature refills, violating rules that require pharmacies to use accurate usage data to calculate refill dates. As a result of these fraudulent claims, MassHealth reimbursed CVS for insulin that patients did not need.
Per the terms of the agreement, CVS has admitted and accepted responsibility for certain conduct, including that GHPs paid CVS substantial amounts for insulin pen refills that were ineligible for reimbursement and CVS pharmacies dispensed more insulin pens to GHP beneficiaries than they needed.
AG Campbell is joined in securing the settlement by the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.
This matter was handled by Assistant Attorney General Molly Mahan of the AGO's Medicaid Fraud Division.
The AGO's Medicaid Fraud Division is a Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, annually certified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to investigate and prosecute health care providers who defraud the state's Medicaid program, MassHealth. The Medicaid Fraud Division also has jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute complaints of abuse, neglect and financial exploitation of residents in long-term care facilities and of Medicaid patients in any health care setting. Individuals may file a MassHealth fraud complaint or report cases of abuse or neglect of Medicaid patients or long-term care residents by visiting the AGO's website.
The Massachusetts Medicaid Fraud Division receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $6,458,176 for federal fiscal year 2026. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $2,152,724 for FY 2026, is funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
* Office of the Attorney General
The Attorney General is the chief lawyer and law enforcement officer of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
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Original text here: https://www.mass.gov/news/ag-campbell-announces-365-million-multistate-settlement-with-cvs-for-allegedly-over-dispensing-insulin-pens
