Attorney General
Here's a look at documents from state attorneys general
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Okla. A.G. Drummond Cautions Wildlife Department to Rescind Policy Against Tribal Hunters
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, Nov. 15 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release on Nov. 14, 2025:
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Drummond cautions Wildlife Department to rescind policy against tribal hunters
Attorney General Gentner Drummond has cautioned the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) that it must rescind its misguided and unlawful policy to pursue criminal charges against tribal members for hunting and fishing in Indian Country.
"These enforcement actions are not merely ill-advised--they are unlawful. They expose individual ODWC officers to personal liability,"
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OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, Nov. 15 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release on Nov. 14, 2025:
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Drummond cautions Wildlife Department to rescind policy against tribal hunters
Attorney General Gentner Drummond has cautioned the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) that it must rescind its misguided and unlawful policy to pursue criminal charges against tribal members for hunting and fishing in Indian Country.
"These enforcement actions are not merely ill-advised--they are unlawful. They expose individual ODWC officers to personal liability,"the Attorney General wrote in a Nov. 13 letter to ODWC Director Wade Free. "They waste limited law enforcement and prosecutorial resources on cases that cannot succeed. And they inflict significant harm on the State's government-to-government relationships with the Five Tribes--relationships that took years to rebuild and that benefit all Oklahomans."
At issue is a directive from Gov. Stitt to ODWC leadership that tribal members will be prosecuted for hunting or fishing on Indian reservations without a state permit. Drummond has vowed to take over such cases and dismiss the baseless charges.
In his letter to Free, Drummond outlined how the ill-advised policy is based on a stark misreading of case law and violates well-established federal law that recognizes tribal sovereignty over hunting and fishing of tribal members.
"The practical consequences of ODWC's policy are equally troubling," Drummond wrote. " I have been informed that: (a) ODWC game wardens are actively threatening and citing tribal members engaged in lawful hunting activities on reservation lands; (b) Citations are being referred to the Governor's office for prosecution by special counsel in state court; (c) Game wardens are reporting information about tribal members to their superiors, creating investigative files on individuals exercising protected treaty rights; (d) The State has appointed special counsel to prosecute at least one Chickasaw citizen for hunting on the Chickasaw Reservation without state licenses."
Drummond added he is prepared to litigate the matter if such policies are not rescinded.
"I take no pleasure in the prospect of litigation between state agencies. But my paramount obligation is to the rule of law and to the protection of Oklahoma's legal and fiscal interests. ODWC's current policy threatens both," he wrote.
Read the Letter to the ODWC Director (https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/oag/news-documents/2025/november/Letter_Director%20Free-OK%20Dept%20of%20Wildlife%2011.13.2025.pdf)
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Original text here: https://oklahoma.gov/oag/news/newsroom/2025/november/drummond-cautions-wildlife-department-to-rescind-policy-against-tribal-hunters.html
HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SECURES INDICTMENTS FOR REAL PROPERTY SCAM
HONOLULU, Hawaii, Nov. 15 -- The Hawaii Department of the Attorney General issued the following news release:
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DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SECURES INDICTMENTS FOR REAL PROPERTY SCAM
HONOLULU - An O'ahu grand jury has indicted Eldon Simer, 41, and Guy Villanueva, 30, for crimes related to a scheme to steal residential properties by forging and recording fake deeds. Simer and Villanueva then sold or attempted to sell their fraudulent interest in those residential properties to unsuspecting purchasers.
Attorney General Anne Lopez stated, "As alleged, Simer and Villanueva targeted innocent
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HONOLULU, Hawaii, Nov. 15 -- The Hawaii Department of the Attorney General issued the following news release:
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DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SECURES INDICTMENTS FOR REAL PROPERTY SCAM
HONOLULU - An O'ahu grand jury has indicted Eldon Simer, 41, and Guy Villanueva, 30, for crimes related to a scheme to steal residential properties by forging and recording fake deeds. Simer and Villanueva then sold or attempted to sell their fraudulent interest in those residential properties to unsuspecting purchasers.
Attorney General Anne Lopez stated, "As alleged, Simer and Villanueva targeted innocenthomeowners on O'ahu by forging real property deeds and then exploited the state of Hawaii Bureau of Conveyances by recording the forged deeds. These men stole the rightful owners' property interests and defrauded purchasers. The Department of the Attorney General seeks to protect homeowners and hold Simer and Villanueva responsible for their egregious criminal activity." The investigation was conducted by the Department of the Attorney General's Special Investigation and Prosecution Division (SIPD). SIPD is the state of Hawaii's primary law enforcement unit responsible for investigating and prosecuting corruption, fraud and economic crimes. The Honolulu Police Department located and arrested Simer and Villanueva. They are currently being held without bail at Oahu Community Correctional Center.
Simer is charged with five counts of Computer Fraud in the First Degree, one count of Theft in the First Degree, six counts of Attempted Theft in the First Degree, one count of Insurance Fraud, and two counts of Forgery in the Second Degree. Villanueva is charged with one count of Computer Fraud in the First Degree and one count of Attempted Theft in the First Degree.
Computer Fraud in the First Degree is a class A felony offense punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. Theft in the First Degree, Attempted Theft in the First Degree, and Insurance Fraud are class B felony offenses punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. Forgery in the Second Degree is a class C felony offense punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
The charges are only allegations; Simer and Villanueva are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case, State v. Eldon Simer and Guy Villanueva, 1CPC-25-0001326, is being prosecuted by SIPD Deputy Attorney General Benajmin Rose. Arraignment is scheduled for November 17, 2025, at 8:30 a.m.
The public can report corruption, fraud, and economic crime using the Submit a Tip to SIPD website, located at https://ag.hawaii.gov/sipd/tips/. If there is an emergency or immediately threat to life, please call 911.
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Original text here: https://ag.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/News-Release-2025-94.pdf
Oregon Department of Justice Secures Settlement Releasing Hundreds of Homeowners from Deceptive 40-Year Contracts with MV Realty
SALEM, Oregon, Nov. 14 -- Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield issued the following news release:
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Oregon Department of Justice Secures Settlement Releasing Hundreds of Homeowners from Deceptive 40-Year Contracts with MV Realty
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AG Rayfield: "This was an outrageous scheme that took advantage of Oregonians who were just trying to get a little financial breathing room."
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield today announced a major settlement with MV Realty, a Florida-based real estate brokerage that used deceptive and coercive marketing to trap Oregon homeowners in 40-year "Homeowner Benefit
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SALEM, Oregon, Nov. 14 -- Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield issued the following news release:
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Oregon Department of Justice Secures Settlement Releasing Hundreds of Homeowners from Deceptive 40-Year Contracts with MV Realty
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AG Rayfield: "This was an outrageous scheme that took advantage of Oregonians who were just trying to get a little financial breathing room."
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield today announced a major settlement with MV Realty, a Florida-based real estate brokerage that used deceptive and coercive marketing to trap Oregon homeowners in 40-year "Homeowner BenefitAgreements." The agreements gave MV Realty exclusive rights to list consumers' homes for decadesoften in exchange for just a few hundred dollarsand allowed the company to file liens that blocked families from refinancing, selling, or accessing the equity in their own property.
"This was an outrageous scheme that took advantage of Oregonians who were just trying to get a little financial breathing room," said Attorney General Dan Rayfield. "For a few hundred bucks, MV Realty tried to trap people in their 40-year contracts that stuck to their homes - and even their kids. That's not just a bad deal - that's cruel. Because of this settlement, those families are finally out from under it. They can work with any agent they choose, and they don't owe MV Realty a dime."
The settlement requires MV Realty to release all Homeowner Benefit Agreements and associated liens on Oregon properties no later than December 5, 2025, restoring full ownership rights to affected consumers. MV Realty must also provide proof of release to both the Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ) and each property owner within ten days of each filing.
Under the agreement:
* MV Realty must release all 669 active Homeowner Benefit Agreements in Oregon and has no remaining interest in any Oregon property.
* MV Realty will pay the DOJ $150,000 in $10,000 monthly installments; DOJ will waive $60,000 if nine timely payments are made.
* An additional $500,000 payment is suspended due to MV Realty's demonstrated inability to pay.
If MV Realty had enforced its "early termination fees" on all active Oregon agreements, homeowners would have faced more than $7.9 million in penaltiesover ten times the cash MV Realty initially paid them.
The DOJ urges Oregon homeowners who discover that MV Realty remains listed on their property title after December 5, 2025, to contact MV Realty directly and submit a consumer complaint to the Oregon Department of Justice at www.oregonconsumer.gov.
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Original text here: https://www.doj.state.or.us/media-home/news-media-releases/odoj-secures-settlement-in-deceptive-realty-scheme/
Attorney General James' Office of Special Investigation Opens Investigation into Civilian Death in Manhattan
ALBANY, New York, Nov. 14 -- New York Attorney General Letitia James issued the following news release:
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Attorney General James' Office of Special Investigation Opens Investigation into Civilian Death in Manhattan
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November 14, 2025
NEW YORK - The New York Attorney General's Office of Special Investigation (OSI) has opened an investigation into the death of a civilian who died on November 13, 2025 following an encounter with members of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) in Manhattan.
At approximately 7:20 p.m. on November 13, NYPD officers were canvassing an area after receiving
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ALBANY, New York, Nov. 14 -- New York Attorney General Letitia James issued the following news release:
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Attorney General James' Office of Special Investigation Opens Investigation into Civilian Death in Manhattan
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November 14, 2025
NEW YORK - The New York Attorney General's Office of Special Investigation (OSI) has opened an investigation into the death of a civilian who died on November 13, 2025 following an encounter with members of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) in Manhattan.
At approximately 7:20 p.m. on November 13, NYPD officers were canvassing an area after receivingmultiple 911 calls reporting a man with a gun. Officers encountered a man matching the description with a gun in his hand at an address on Madison Avenue in Manhattan. The man fired the gun, and officers discharged their service weapons in response, striking the man. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Officers recovered a gun at the scene.
Pursuant to New York State Executive Law Section 70-b, OSI assesses every incident reported to it where a police officer or a peace officer, including a corrections officer, may have caused the death of a person by an act or omission. Under the law, the officer may be on-duty or off-duty, and the decedent may be armed or unarmed. Also, the decedent may or may not be in custody or incarcerated. If OSI's assessment indicates an officer may have caused the death, OSI proceeds to conduct a full investigation of the incident.
These are preliminary facts and subject to change.
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Original text here: https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2025/attorney-general-james-office-special-investigation-opens-investigation-31
ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL OBTAINS GUILTY PLEA FROM FORMER ILLINOIS STATE EMPLOYEE FOR INCOME TAX FRAUD IN PPP CASE
CHICAGO, Illinois, Nov. 14 -- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued the following news release:
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ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL OBTAINS GUILTY PLEA FROM FORMER ILLINOIS STATE EMPLOYEE FOR INCOME TAX FRAUD IN PPP CASE
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Chicago - Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced a Cook County woman was ordered to pay more than $41,000 in restitution for income tax fraud from thousands of dollars in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans during the COVID-19 pandemic by falsely claiming that she owned aa business while employed by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS).
Michelle
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CHICAGO, Illinois, Nov. 14 -- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued the following news release:
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ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL OBTAINS GUILTY PLEA FROM FORMER ILLINOIS STATE EMPLOYEE FOR INCOME TAX FRAUD IN PPP CASE
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Chicago - Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced a Cook County woman was ordered to pay more than $41,000 in restitution for income tax fraud from thousands of dollars in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans during the COVID-19 pandemic by falsely claiming that she owned aa business while employed by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS).
MichelleBarnes-Kendall, 56 of Chicago, was sentenced by Cook County Circuit Court Judge Steven Watkins to pay full restitution after pleading guilty to Class 4 felony income tax fraud. Barnes-Kendall was also sentenced to 24 months of second chance probation and 30 hours of community service.
"Paycheck Protection Program loans were intended for struggling business owners during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is unacceptable that anyone would take advantage of this crucial assistance program," Raoul said. "I will continue to hold individuals, especially government workers, accountable if they exploited critical aid programs for their own financial benefit."
The case was referred to the Attorney General's office by the Illinois Office of the Executive Inspector General. Barnes-Kendall was employed as a child support specialist at HFS when she applied for two PPP loans and falsely stated she was the owner, operator and sole employee of a beauty salon. She received the loans in 2021, which totaled approximately $41,666. In order to obtain the loans, Barnes-Kendall claimed she made money from that business on federal tax documents despite never reporting that profit to the Illinois Department of Revenue on her personal tax forms.
Assistant Attorney General Tori Whitman prosecuted the case for Raoul's Criminal Prosecutions and Trial Assistance Bureau.
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Original text here: https://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/news/story/attorney-general-raoul-obtains-guilty-plea-from-former-illinois-state-employee-for-income-tax-fraud-in-ppp-case-11-14-25
AG Nessel Urges Public Comment to Public Service Commission on Expedited DTE Data Center Application
LANSING, Michigan, Nov. 14 -- Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued the following news release:
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AG Nessel Urges Public Comment to Public Service Commission on Expedited DTE Data Center Application
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LANSING - Today, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is urging Michigan residents to file public comments with the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC), calling for public hearings over DTE's plans to service an anticipated 1.4-gigawatt data center in Saline. DTE Electric has filed an ex parte request for approval of two special contracts to provide electric service to the data
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LANSING, Michigan, Nov. 14 -- Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued the following news release:
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AG Nessel Urges Public Comment to Public Service Commission on Expedited DTE Data Center Application
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LANSING - Today, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is urging Michigan residents to file public comments with the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC), calling for public hearings over DTE's plans to service an anticipated 1.4-gigawatt data center in Saline. DTE Electric has filed an ex parte request for approval of two special contracts to provide electric service to the datacenter and specifically requests their application be approved with no formal hearings or any of the traditional oversight in place that secure the interests of ratepayers and the public. It is anticipated that DTE's costs to build the infrastructure to support this data center will number in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
In response, the Department of Attorney General filed a notice of intervention to request public hearings so that residents and other consumer protection organizations can weigh in. Public comment in case U-21990 can be filed on the MPSC website, at least until its next meeting on December 5th. Unless the MPSC grants the Attorney General's request for formal hearings, this may be the only avenue for public input on the massive, newly proposed projects that could shape Michigan's energy landscape for decades.
"The Commission needs to hear from the people of Michigan that we don't want corners cut and shortcuts taken when it comes to such a monumental moment as our state enters the data center era and economy," said Nessel. "How we handle these first massive data centers could impact everything from the electric bill in your mailbox, to our clean energy generation future, and widespread water and land use throughout both peninsulas. Before long, corporate data centers may be the largest energy consumers in our state, and we must thoroughly, and publicly, review these first contracts with an eye on protecting Michigan ratepayers and our shared resources."
A formal public hearing with discovery and filed testimony will allow parties, such as the Attorney General, the opportunity to verify protections and cost reductions to customers proposed by the utility corporation and provide the Commission with a full evidentiary record to decide whether the special contract is prudent and reasonable. An ex parte request requires no public hearing, and no party is allowed to conduct discovery and file testimony for the Commission to review before deciding whether to approve the special contract.
"The Public Service Commission is under extraordinary and unprecedented political and industry pressure to close their eyes, plug their nose, and fast-track these special contracts that have the potential to shape state energy policy for decades to come," continued Nessel. "Just last week, a bipartisan group of state legislators with no ties to Saline penned open letters supporting this fast-track, no-review plan to advance DTE's agenda. DTE, of course, stands to gain untold millions in profit selling energy to these industrial-scale plants and it remains no mystery why they want such an expedited, short-sighted review of their plans - which remain murky and fail to show how DTE intends to live up to their lofty promises."
The Michigan Public Service Commission is comprised of three members, each appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer. The Commission has routinely approved massive 9-figure annual rate hikes for each of the state's major utility companies, at their request, multiple times a year. Since taking office, Attorney General Nessel has helped save Michigan consumers more than $4 billion by intervening in utility cases before the MPSC. Public comment in case U-21990 can be filed on the MPSC website. The MPSC is next scheduled to hold a regular meeting on December 5th and may take up this application from DTE at that public meeting.
"Never before has the Public Service Commission been tasked with exercising their regulatory function under such immense pressure from so many powerful voices and it is my belief that the Commission must hear from the Michigan public that we won't leave our energy policy and data center future to be privately negotiated only by the companies standing to profit most," Nessel concluded. "Pleasereach out to the Commission today and demand they conduct fair oversight and regulation over these new contracts, rather than rubber stamp DTE's handcrafted proposals for how best to profit off our energy future."
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Original text here: https://www.michigan.gov/ag/news/press-releases/2025/11/14/ag-nessel-urges-public-comment-to-public-service-commission
AG Campbell Protects Access To Hundreds Of Millions Of Dollars In Education Funds
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Nov. 14 -- Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell issued the following news release:
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AG Campbell Protects Access To Hundreds Of Millions Of Dollars In Education Funds
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Boston Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell secured a victory in her lawsuit against the Department of Education (Department), ensuring states' access to critical Department programs that support low-income and unhoused students and provide funding for other services to address the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on K-12 students. After AG Campbell and a coalition
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BOSTON, Massachusetts, Nov. 14 -- Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell issued the following news release:
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AG Campbell Protects Access To Hundreds Of Millions Of Dollars In Education Funds
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Boston Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell secured a victory in her lawsuit against the Department of Education (Department), ensuring states' access to critical Department programs that support low-income and unhoused students and provide funding for other services to address the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on K-12 students. After AG Campbell and a coalitionof 16 other states filed a lawsuit challenging the Department's attempt to unilaterally end access to these dollars, the coalition has reached an agreement with the federal government that prevents the government from revoking, rescinding, modifying, or shortening the period in which states can access the funds.
"Rather than help our schools recover from the devastating learning loss and financial hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Trump Administration attempted to terminate funding meant to aid school districts with learning loss and recovery," said AG Campbell. "This victory ensures our schools will have access to the hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding they rely on to serve their most vulnerable students, including our homeless youth."
On March 28, the Department notified states that it was unilaterally ending access to hundreds of millions of dollars in grants from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which the Department had previously determined the states could access through March 2026. To combat the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, ARPA funded three education-related programs to help support states' school systems and direct more resources to the most vulnerable students. These three programs - Homeless Children and Youth (HCY), Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER), and Emergency Assistance to Nonpublic Schools (EANS) - provide essential resources to help schools and students recover from the lasting impacts of the pandemic.
AG Campbell and the coalition asserted that the Department's arbitrary and abrupt termination of the states' access to these funds caused a massive, unexpected budget gap that harmed students and teachers by cutting off vital education services.
AG Campbell and the coalition argued that the Department's decision to cut off access to awarded funds violated the Administrative Procedure Act because it reversed its prior decision to allow states to access the funds through March 2026 and instead immediately terminated the states' access without a sufficient explanation and contrary to Congress' intent.
* 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-protects-access-to-hundreds-of-millions-of-dollars-in-education-funds
