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Va. A.G. Jones Secures Landmark $2.25 Million Settlement Against Discriminatory Landlord
RICHMOND, Virginia, July 17 -- Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones issued the following news release on July 16, 2026:
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Attorney General Jay Jones Secures Landmark $2.25 Million Settlement Against Discriminatory Landlord
The OAG's Office of Civil Rights Achieves Justice for Hampton Roads Tenants
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Attorney General Jones is proud to announce the Office of Civil Rights' historic settlement in a fair housing case brought against David Merryman, a notorious landlord in Newport News and Norfolk who is already serving 17 years in prison for wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and race-based
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RICHMOND, Virginia, July 17 -- Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones issued the following news release on July 16, 2026:
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Attorney General Jay Jones Secures Landmark $2.25 Million Settlement Against Discriminatory Landlord
The OAG's Office of Civil Rights Achieves Justice for Hampton Roads Tenants
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Attorney General Jones is proud to announce the Office of Civil Rights' historic settlement in a fair housing case brought against David Merryman, a notorious landlord in Newport News and Norfolk who is already serving 17 years in prison for wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and race-basedinterference with housing and employment. The court found that for years, Merryman harassed and abused his tenants by calling them racist, sexist, and homophobic epithets, refusing to complete basic repairs to make their homes habitable, evicting tenants who requested those basic repairs, and, in some cases, even threatening violence to tenants who simply requested that Merryman fulfill his legal duties as a landlord.
Attorney General Jones has put an end to this abhorrent situation, and secured relief for those who were victimized as part of a landmark settlement. This huge win comes two years after Merryman was sentenced to federal prison for fraud and discriminatory practices. The terms of the settlement are sweeping and order the following of Merryman:
* He can never be a landlord in the Commonwealth again.
* He must sell all of his rental properties in Virginia within a year.
* He must work with the courts to eliminate millions of dollars of eviction filings and judgments from the records of his past tenants. This action removes a serious barrier for tenants to obtain housing.
* He must pay a monetary settlement of $2,250,000, which will be used to compensate tenants who were victims of his discriminatory behavior.
"Our friends, neighbors, communities, and families have the right to be treated with respect and dignity throughout the housing process, as guaranteed by the Virginia Fair Housing Law and the Fair Housing Act. Anyone found in violation of these laws will be held accountable by this office and justice will be achieved for tenants who face discrimination," said Attorney General Jones. "We are in a new era of civil rights enforcement in the Commonwealth. Returning this office to the people means returning energy and talent to the cases that went neglected far too long. The attorneys who first brought this case to court under my predecessor, former Attorney General Mark Herring -- Helen Hardiman and Palmer Heenan -- are back in this office leading efforts to safeguard the civil rights of all Virginians. Discriminatory harassment has no place in our Commonwealth and will play no role in the future we are creating for those who come after us."
"I was honored to rejoin the Office of the Attorney General of Virginia under Attorney General Jones' leadership," said Deputy Attorney General Helen Hardiman. "When he created the new Public Advocacy Division, AG Jones made clear that we are here to vigorously enforce people's rights. I still viscerally remember the horror stories of Merryman's tenants who we interviewed when we first opened this case in 2021. I hope they finally feel vindicated. This settlement is a testament to the hard work of attorneys in the Office of Civil Rights and the willingness of the Attorney General to bring the full resources of the Office to bear to stamp out housing discrimination."
"Today's settlement holds Merryman accountable; requiring him to admit that he discriminated against his tenants, abused his tenants, and called them horrific racist, sexist, and homophobic slurs. Justice has come. He can never again harm a tenant in the Commonwealth," said Section Chief Palmer Heenan. "The extent of the trauma and abuse his tenants faced cannot be understated. Having been involved in this case from the start, I am grateful to have helped impacted tenants achieve long-awaited justice."
If you believe your housing rights have been violated, you have options:
* File a complaint within one year with the Virginia Fair Housing Office or your local fair housing agency.
* File a lawsuit in court within two years of the last discriminatory act.
To read the full Consent Decree, click here (https://itsm-mailers.samanage.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.oag.state.va.us%2Ffiles%2FConsent_Decree_Signed.pdf/1/0100019f6ca64ad1-a0e39fc4-f55a-4e05-bac7-4b5c8c617651-000000/vnJd_bp2oP-zzGgWJ0S5UU31iS4U_vsQtEXnWtrN8d4=452).
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Original text here: https://www.oag.state.va.us/media-center/news-releases/3078-attorney-general-jay-jones-secures-landmark-2-25-million-settlement-against-discriminatory-landlord
Okla. A.G. Drummond Settles With 23andMe Over Breach of Oklahomans' Data
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, July 17 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release on July 16, 2026:
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Drummond settles with 23andMe over breach of Oklahomans' data
Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced today that Oklahoma will receive $276,435 as part of a multistate settlement over 23andMe's 2023 data breach. The breach exposed the genetic and personal data of more than 78,000 Oklahomans.
The settlement, negotiated with the bankruptcy trustee overseeing 23andMe's Chapter 11 case, resolves claims that the company failed to protect customers' sensitive
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OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, July 17 -- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued the following news release on July 16, 2026:
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Drummond settles with 23andMe over breach of Oklahomans' data
Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced today that Oklahoma will receive $276,435 as part of a multistate settlement over 23andMe's 2023 data breach. The breach exposed the genetic and personal data of more than 78,000 Oklahomans.
The settlement, negotiated with the bankruptcy trustee overseeing 23andMe's Chapter 11 case, resolves claims that the company failed to protect customers' sensitivegenetic information. Drummond joined a coalition of 42 attorneys general in the agreement, which allows $150 million in total claims but limits actual payouts to $18 million because of the limited funds available in 23andMe's bankruptcy estate.
"When Oklahomans signed up for 23andMe and shared their DNA, they trusted the company to protect some of the most personal information a person can share. Instead, that trust was betrayed," Drummond said. "This settlement won't undo the damage, but it holds 23andMe accountable and puts guardrails in place to prevent this from happening again."
In October 2023, the genetic testing company announced that it had discovered a data breach affecting 6.9 million customers. This data breach exposed a wide range of data about 23andMe customers, including in some cases genetic ancestry information, and subsets of this data were subsequently published for sale on the dark web.
23andMe learned about the breach months after impacted personal information was publicly available. At first, the company denied a breach and then, once it confirmed the breach, blamed consumers for how their accounts were set up or how passwords were used.
A multistate investigation led by state attorneys general found 23andMe had failed to take basic security precautions, including checking passwords against lists of known stolen passwords, requiring extra login verification, monitoring for suspicious login activity, and fixing known security weaknesses even after they were identified.
23andMe filed for bankruptcy in March 2025, and as part of that process, the company's assets, including its customer data, were sold to a new nonprofit, TTAM Research Institute, founded by 23andMe's former CEO, Anne Wojcicki. That nonprofit has since reregistered as 23andMe Research Institute and agreed to stronger data security and privacy protections going forward, including allowing customers to delete their data and creating an outside advisory board to oversee security practices.
Separately, 23andMe has also agreed to pay $46.75 million to settle a related class-action lawsuit for consumers who filed claims by February 17, 2026.
Read the Settlement Agreement (https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/oag/news-documents/2026/july/48357efe-af7a-4643-9161-3e0c2adbb0f8.pdf)
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Original text here: https://oklahoma.gov/oag/news/newsroom/2026/july/drummond-settles-with-23andme-over-breach-of-oklahomans-data.html
New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement Announces June 2026 Total Gaming Revenue Results
TRENTON, New Jersey, July 17 -- The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement issued the following news release on July 16, 2026:
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New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement Announces June 2026 Total Gaming Revenue Results
ATLANTIC CITY -- Today the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement announced the June 2026 total gaming revenue results.
Casino Win:
Casino Win for the nine casino hotels was $257.3 million for June 2026, reflecting a decrease of 0.7% when compared to $259.0 million reported for June 2025. Year-to-date Casino Win was $1.1 billion through June 2026, reflecting an increase
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TRENTON, New Jersey, July 17 -- The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement issued the following news release on July 16, 2026:
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New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement Announces June 2026 Total Gaming Revenue Results
ATLANTIC CITY -- Today the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement announced the June 2026 total gaming revenue results.
Casino Win:
Casino Win for the nine casino hotels was $257.3 million for June 2026, reflecting a decrease of 0.7% when compared to $259.0 million reported for June 2025. Year-to-date Casino Win was $1.1 billion through June 2026, reflecting an increaseof 2.3% compared to the prior year-to-date period. The Monthly Gross Revenue Reports are posted online at https://www.njoag.gov/about/divisions-and-offices/division-of-gaming-enforcement-home/financial-and-statistical-information/monthly-gross-revenue-reports/
Internet Gaming Win:
Internet Gaming Win for the casinos and their partners was $271.0 million for June 2026, reflecting growth of 17.5% when compared to $230.7 million reported for June 2025. Year-to-date Internet Gaming Win was $1.59 billion through June 2026, reflecting growth of 15.0% when compared to $1.39 billion for the prior year-to-date period. The Monthly Internet Gaming Gross Revenue Reports are posted online at https://www.njoag.gov/about/divisions-and-offices/division-of-gaming-enforcement-home/financial-and-statistical-information/monthly-internet-gross-revenue-reports/
Sports Wagering Gross Revenue:
Sports Wagering Gross Revenue for the casinos, racetracks, and their partners was $57.3 million for June 2026, reflecting a decrease of 37.7% when compared to $91.9 million reported for June 2025. The decline primarily reflects patron winnings associated with the NBA Finals and FIFA World Cup games. Sports wagering total handle increased 16.0% for June 2026 compared to June 2025. Year-to-date Sports Wagering Gross Revenue was $513.0 million through June 2026, reflecting a decrease of 7.1% when compared to $552.0 million reported for the prior year-to-date period. The Monthly Sports Wagering Tax Returns are posted online at https://www.njoag.gov/about/divisions-and-offices/division-of-gaming-enforcement-home/financial-and-statistical-information/monthly-sports-wagering-revenue-reports/
Total Gaming Revenue:
Total Gaming Revenue for casinos, racetracks, and their partners was $585.6 million for June 2026, reflecting 0.7% growth when compared to $581.6 million reported for June 2025. Year-to-date Total Gaming Revenue was $3.52 billion through June 2026, reflecting 6.0% growth when compared to $3.32 billion reported for the prior year-to-date period. Total Gross Revenue Taxes were $81.0 million for June 2026 and $500.5 million for year-to-date through June 2026.
Click here (https://www.nj.gov/oag/ge/docs/Financials/PressRelease2026/June2026.pdf) for the DGE press release for additional information.
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Original text here: https://www.njoag.gov/new-jersey-division-of-gaming-enforcement-announces-june-2026-total-gaming-revenue-results/
HAWAII A.G. LOPEZ PROVIDES BIWEEKLY UPDATE ON PUBLIC CORRUPTION INVESTIGATION
HONOLULU, Hawaii, July 17 -- Hawaii Attorney General Anne E. Lopez issued the following news release:
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ATTORNEY GENERAL LOPEZ PROVIDES BIWEEKLY UPDATE ON PUBLIC CORRUPTION INVESTIGATION
The Department of the Attorney General today confirmed that work continues without interruption on its ongoing public corruption investigation.
Investigators and prosecutors with the department's Special Investigation and Prosecution Division (SIPD) are evaluating information as they work toward completing the investigation. The work underway requires them to carefully evaluate information and complete
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HONOLULU, Hawaii, July 17 -- Hawaii Attorney General Anne E. Lopez issued the following news release:
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ATTORNEY GENERAL LOPEZ PROVIDES BIWEEKLY UPDATE ON PUBLIC CORRUPTION INVESTIGATION
The Department of the Attorney General today confirmed that work continues without interruption on its ongoing public corruption investigation.
Investigators and prosecutors with the department's Special Investigation and Prosecution Division (SIPD) are evaluating information as they work toward completing the investigation. The work underway requires them to carefully evaluate information and completenecessary investigative steps before reaching conclusions.
Attorney General Anne Lopez issued the following statement:
"Our investigators and prosecutors remain fully engaged and focused on bringing this investigation to a conclusion. They are doing the complex work necessary to ensure our decisions are grounded in verified facts and supported by the law. We remain committed to completing this investigation as expeditiously and responsibly as possible."
The investigation remains active. The department cannot comment on specific evidence, investigative steps, individuals who may have been interviewed or contacted, subpoenas, notifications, or potential charging decisions.
The Department of the Attorney General will continue to provide biweekly updates in accordance with its commitment to public transparency and will provide additional information when it is appropriate to do so.
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Original text here: https://ag.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/News-Release-2026-47.pdf
Calif. A.G. Bonta Appeals Ruling in Card Room Regulations Litigation
SACRAMENTO, California, July 17 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Bonta Appeals Ruling in Card Room Regulations Litigation
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OAKLAND -California Attorney General Rob Bonta today released a statement regarding the decision to appeal the Superior Court's orders invalidating the Bureau of Gambling Control's card room regulations for blackjack and player-dealer games.
"Today, we appealed a court ruling that restricts the Bureau of Gambling Control's power to keep card room games lawful, fair, transparent, and consistent with California
... Show Full Article
SACRAMENTO, California, July 17 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Bonta Appeals Ruling in Card Room Regulations Litigation
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OAKLAND -California Attorney General Rob Bonta today released a statement regarding the decision to appeal the Superior Court's orders invalidating the Bureau of Gambling Control's card room regulations for blackjack and player-dealer games.
"Today, we appealed a court ruling that restricts the Bureau of Gambling Control's power to keep card room games lawful, fair, transparent, and consistent with Californialaw," said Attorney General Bonta. "State law directs the Bureau to decide whether card room games may be approved for play in California or not. We believe the law is on our side, and we look forward to making our case before the Court of Appeal. My office is committed to ensuring a fair and lawful gaming environment for all."
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Original text here: https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-appeals-ruling-card-room-regulations-litigation
Attorney General Griffin Announces Arrest of Gurdon Man for Abuse of a Vulnerable Person
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, July 17 -- Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Griffin Announces Arrest of Gurdon Man for Abuse of a Vulnerable Person
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Griffin: 'Those who depend on caregivers deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and my office will pursue those who abuse our vulnerable population'
LITTLE ROCK - Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following statement announcing the arrest of a Gurdon man for abuse of a vulnerable person:
"On July 13, Sam Bell, 22, of Gurdon, was arrested on one count of Abuse of an Adult-Endangered
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LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, July 17 -- Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Griffin Announces Arrest of Gurdon Man for Abuse of a Vulnerable Person
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Griffin: 'Those who depend on caregivers deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and my office will pursue those who abuse our vulnerable population'
LITTLE ROCK - Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following statement announcing the arrest of a Gurdon man for abuse of a vulnerable person:
"On July 13, Sam Bell, 22, of Gurdon, was arrested on one count of Abuse of an Adult-Endangeredor Impaired Person-Physical Injury, a Class D felony. While working as a CNA at the Arkadelphia Human Development Center, Bell repeatedly struck a resident in the head after the resident struck him, causing injury to the resident.
"Those who depend on caregivers deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and my office will pursue those who abuse our vulnerable population. I want to applaud the exceptional work done on this case by Special Agent Matthew Edwards of my Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU). I am also grateful for the assistance of Ninth Judicial District East Prosecutor Dan Turner in this case."
The Arkansas MFCU receives 75% of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant totaling $4,781,516 for the Federal fiscal year 2026, of which $3,586,140 is federally funded. The remaining 25%, totaling $1,195,376 for the State fiscal year 2026, is funded by Arkansas General Revenue.
To download a PDF of this version release, click here.
About Attorney General Tim Griffin
Tim Griffin was sworn in as the 57th Attorney General of Arkansas on January 10, 2023, having previously served as the state's 20th Lieutenant Governor from 2015-2023. From 2011-2015, Griffin served as the 24th representative of Arkansas's Second Congressional District, where he served on the House Committee on Ways and Means, House Armed Services Committee, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, House Committee on Ethics and House Committee on the Judiciary while also serving as a Deputy Whip for the Majority.
Griffin is currently an officer in the Arkansas Army National Guard and holds the rank of colonel. Griffin served as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps for more than 28 years. In 2005, Griffin was mobilized to active duty as an Army prosecutor at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and served with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) in Mosul, Iraq.
His previous assignments include serving as the Commander of the 2d Legal Operations Detachment in New Orleans, Louisiana; the Commander of the 134th Legal Operations Detachment at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; and as a Senior Legislative Advisor to the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness at the Pentagon. Griffin earned a master's degree in strategic studies as a Distinguished Honor Graduate from the U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.
Griffin also served as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Political Affairs for President George W. Bush; Special Assistant to Assistant Attorney General Michael Chertoff, Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice; Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Arkansas; Senior Investigative Counsel, Government Reform and Oversight Committee, U.S. House of Representatives; and Associate Independent Counsel, Office of Independent Counsel David M. Barrett, In re: HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros.
Griffin is a graduate of Magnolia High School, Hendrix College in Conway, and Tulane Law School in New Orleans. He attended graduate school at Oxford University. He is admitted to practice law in Arkansas (active) and Louisiana (inactive). Griffin lives in Little Rock with his wife, Elizabeth, a Camden native, and their three children.
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Original text here: https://arkansasag.gov/news-release/attorney-general-griffin-announces-arrest-of-gurdon-man-for-abuse-of-a-vulnerable-person/
A.G. Mayes Intervenes to Protect Onshore Wind Energy Projects in Arizona
PHOENIX, Arizona, July 17 -- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Mayes Intervenes to Protect Onshore Wind Energy Projects in Arizona
Attorney General Kris Mayes today joined a coalition of 18 other attorneys general in moving to intervene in a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and Secretary Pete Hegseth for unlawfully freezing routine reviews of land-based wind energy projects across the country. Federal law requires DoD to review proposed wind projects for potential national security concerns and work with developers
... Show Full Article
PHOENIX, Arizona, July 17 -- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Mayes Intervenes to Protect Onshore Wind Energy Projects in Arizona
Attorney General Kris Mayes today joined a coalition of 18 other attorneys general in moving to intervene in a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and Secretary Pete Hegseth for unlawfully freezing routine reviews of land-based wind energy projects across the country. Federal law requires DoD to review proposed wind projects for potential national security concerns and work with developersto address any issues.
In August 2025, DoD stopped moving projects through this process, blocking wind energy development nationwide, including the Black Ridge Renewable Project in Apache County. Attorney General Mayes and the coalition are asking the court to set aside DoD's unlawful freeze and order the agency to resume the review process required by federal law.
"DoD's abrupt and unexplained freeze on wind energy reviews is putting jobs and investments at risk in Arizona," said Attorney General Mayes. "We're asking the court to force DoD to follow the law and get this process moving again."
Under federal law, land-based wind project developers must submit any proposed projects with wind turbines over 200 feet tall to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for review. The FAA then refers these projects to DoD to assess whether they could affect military operations, radar systems, flight paths, or national security. For more than a decade, DoD engaged in a predictable review process and worked with developers to mitigate potential concerns. Mitigation measures often included changes to turbine placement or height, radar upgrades, or agreements to pause generation under certain circumstances.
In August 2025, DoD abruptly stopped following this process. Officials ceased countersigning mitigation agreements, stopped sending completed agreements to developers for signature, and delayed or halted communications with developers about mitigation. As a result, wind projects across the country have been frozen at various stages of the review process, including those that had already completed mitigation negotiations and were awaiting only final DoD approval.
Attorney General Mayes and the coalition argue that DoD's freeze is unlawful, arbitrary and capricious, and violates the Administrative Procedure Act. DoD has not provided a reasonable explanation for its sudden change in policy, accounted for the harm to states, developers, workers, and ratepayers, or considered the major investments made in reliance on its longstanding review process. The coalition also argues that DoD's refusal to act is causing unreasonable delay and undermining Congress' directive that DoD balance national security concerns with the responsible development of renewable energy. They are asking the court to require the agency to resume reviewing and approving land-based wind projects.
Joining Attorney General Mayes in intervening in this lawsuit are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, and Washington.
A copy of the complaint (https://us.list-manage.com/zAaEwPIXj39?e=9153ff6c96&c2id=9a759fc70c6d734a91a2647ef652fab2) is available. A copy of the motion to intervene (https://us.list-manage.com/14gHffyzDH7?e=9153ff6c96&c2id=9a759fc70c6d734a91a2647ef652fab2) is available.
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Original text here: https://www.azag.gov/press-release/attorney-general-mayes-intervenes-protect-onshore-wind-energy-projects-arizona
