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Utah and Other States Reach $220 Million Settlement With GM Over Driver Data
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Oct. 31 -- Utah Attorney General Derek Brown issued the following news:
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Utah and other states reach $220 million settlement with GM over driver data
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah -- Utah Attorney General Derek Brown, the Utah Department of Commerce's Division of Consumer Protection, and 35 other attorneys general reached a $220 million settlement with General Motors (GM) over allegations that the automaker sold drivers' driving behavior and location data without their consent. Utah will receive $6,938,619 from the settlement.
According to the states, GM sold driver data,
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SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Oct. 31 -- Utah Attorney General Derek Brown issued the following news:
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Utah and other states reach $220 million settlement with GM over driver data
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah -- Utah Attorney General Derek Brown, the Utah Department of Commerce's Division of Consumer Protection, and 35 other attorneys general reached a $220 million settlement with General Motors (GM) over allegations that the automaker sold drivers' driving behavior and location data without their consent. Utah will receive $6,938,619 from the settlement.
According to the states, GM sold driver data,including specific geolocation data, to data brokers in violation of Utah consumer protection and privacy laws. The data brokers then sold this data to insurance companies that used it, in part, to set insurance rates. The settlement requires GM to get drivers' affirmative express consent before collecting or sharing their driving and location data.
"Your driving data tells the story of your life: your commute, your errands, the route to your kids' school, even the time you get home at night. That story belongs to you. Drivers should never have to wonder whether that information is being collected or passed along without their knowledge. This settlement protects Utahns' privacy and puts them back in the driver's seat, with the final say over who sees their data," said Attorney General Brown.
From 2016 to 2024, GM's Smart Driver program tracked enrolled drivers' habits. According to the states, GM told drivers the program would help them drive more safely and that it would not share their data with insurers without consent. The states allege GM instead sold the data to brokers under contracts specifying it would be used for insurance products.
Most drivers were enrolled at the dealership through a single sign-up process that also covered GM's OnStar services. The states say that, in many cases, dealership employees accepted terms on customers' behalf without their consent, and GM paid sales staff bonuses tied in part to enrollment numbers.
GM's own systems failed to notify drivers about whether their data was being tracked. The OnStar app mistakenly told over 370,000 drivers that they were not enrolled in Smart Driver, when they actually were enrolled, and GM was collecting and selling their data. GM later quietly unenrolled these over 370,000 drivers without telling them about the mistake and left their data with the data brokers and insurance companies.
"Utahns deserve clear information about how their sensitive data will be used before they sign, and the ability to opt out," said Utah Department of Commerce Commissioner Margaret Woolley Busse. "Misrepresenting this data use is a significant breach of trust that cannot be overlooked. It's wrong to obscure this or bypass their consent for profit or personal gain."
According to the states, the data showed how often a person drove, trip start and end times, hard braking and acceleration, and speeding. The New York Times reported in March 2024 that insurers used the data to change rates, sometimes raising premiums. GM discontinued Smart Driver after the report.
The settlement also requires GM to:
* limit the driving data it collects;
* maintain a data privacy program with internal and external assessments;
* train and oversee dealership staff on consent.
Washington and Oregon co-led the coalition of state attorneys general. The executive committee included Utah, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Vermont. The attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, the District of Columbia, Florida, Hawai'i, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, and Wisconsin also joined the settlement.
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Original text here: https://attorneygeneral.utah.gov/utah-gm-settlement/
Utah Joins FTC in Suing Toast Over Alleged Deceptive Pricing and Hidden Fees
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Oct. 31 -- Utah Attorney General Derek Brown issued the following news:
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Utah joins FTC in suing Toast over alleged deceptive pricing and hidden fees
Salt Lake City, UT -- Utah has joined the Federal Trade Commission, six other states, and two local governments in suing Toast, Inc., alleging the company misled restaurant owners with deceptive pricing, false customer support claims, and hidden fees. Utah Attorney General Derek Brown is part of the bipartisan coalition that filed the suit on Thursday.
Toast provides point-of-sale hardware and software, and payment
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SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Oct. 31 -- Utah Attorney General Derek Brown issued the following news:
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Utah joins FTC in suing Toast over alleged deceptive pricing and hidden fees
Salt Lake City, UT -- Utah has joined the Federal Trade Commission, six other states, and two local governments in suing Toast, Inc., alleging the company misled restaurant owners with deceptive pricing, false customer support claims, and hidden fees. Utah Attorney General Derek Brown is part of the bipartisan coalition that filed the suit on Thursday.
Toast provides point-of-sale hardware and software, and paymentprocessing services to small businesses in the restaurant industry. According to the complaint, Toast made false claims to persuade customers to sign up for its subscription services. Utah brings its claims under the Truth in Advertising Act, which prohibits deceptive trade practices.
"Toast promised restaurant owners $0 for hardware and 24/7 customer service," said Attorney General Brown. "The complaint alleges neither promise was kept. Small businesses deserve to know the true cost before they sign, and my office will hold companies accountable when they hide it."
The complaint alleges:
* "$0" pricing claims. Toast advertised that customers would pay $0 for its point-of-sale products. None of those products are priced at $0.
* Customer support claims. Toast advertised "24/7/365" customer support. Customers frequently report difficulty reaching support at any hour.
* Undisclosed fees. Toast charges multiple fees that are not clearly and conspicuously disclosed. These include add-on subscriptions customers did not agree to and early termination fees that can reach $5,000 to $17,000.
* Cancellation delays. Toast's cancellation process is cumbersome. It often delays account deactivation for months while Toast continues to charge customers.
* Fees on online orders. Toast has charged restaurant customers fees on some online orders without their consent. Those fees go directly to Toast and are not refunded to the restaurants or their customers.
The coalition is asking the court to order Toast to stop violating federal and state law and to pay civil penalties and damages. The Attorneys General of Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, and Oklahoma as well the county of Los Angeles and the city of San Francisco joined Utah and the FTC in the suit.
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Original text here: https://attorneygeneral.utah.gov/utah-sues-toast/
S.D. Attorney General's Office, DCI Investigating Officer Involved Shooting in Rapid City
PIERRE, South Dakota, Oct. 31 -- South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley issued the following news release:
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Attorney General's Office, DCI Investigating Officer Involved Shooting in Rapid City
Oct. 30, 2026
PIERRE, S.D. - Attorney General Marty Jackley confirms that the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), at the request of the Rapid City Police Department, is conducting an independent investigation into an officer involved shooting that happened Thursday, Oct. 29, in Rapid City.
The incident occurred around 10 p.m. at a Rapid City residence. The suspect, who has not yet been
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PIERRE, South Dakota, Oct. 31 -- South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley issued the following news release:
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Attorney General's Office, DCI Investigating Officer Involved Shooting in Rapid City
Oct. 30, 2026
PIERRE, S.D. - Attorney General Marty Jackley confirms that the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), at the request of the Rapid City Police Department, is conducting an independent investigation into an officer involved shooting that happened Thursday, Oct. 29, in Rapid City.
The incident occurred around 10 p.m. at a Rapid City residence. The suspect, who has not yet beenidentified pending notification of family, was pronounced deceased at the scene. Police officers involved were not injured.
DCI is leading the investigation into incident and is being assisted by the Pennington County Sheriff's Office.
Attorney General Jackley said the investigation will be thorough and transparent. DCI will issue a final report to be reviewed by the Attorney General to determine the officer's use of force. The report's release to the public is anticipated within 30 days.
This is the sixth Officer Involved Shooting in South Dakota this year.
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Original text here: https://atg.sd.gov/OurOffice/Media/pressreleasesdetail.aspx?id=3184
N.J. A.G. Davenport: Three Men, Including Former Local Councilman, Indicted for Loansharking, Extortion, and Other Crimes
TRENTON, New Jersey, Oct. 31 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release:
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Three Men, Including Former Local Councilman, Indicted for Loansharking, Extortion, and Other Crimes
October 30, 2026
TRENTON -- Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and the Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) announced that three men, including a former councilman in Englishtown, New Jersey, were indicted today for loansharking, extortion, conspiracy, and other crimes.
John E. Alite, 64, of Englishtown, New Jersey, was charged with multiple counts of second-degree theft by
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TRENTON, New Jersey, Oct. 31 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release:
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Three Men, Including Former Local Councilman, Indicted for Loansharking, Extortion, and Other Crimes
October 30, 2026
TRENTON -- Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and the Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) announced that three men, including a former councilman in Englishtown, New Jersey, were indicted today for loansharking, extortion, conspiracy, and other crimes.
John E. Alite, 64, of Englishtown, New Jersey, was charged with multiple counts of second-degree theft byextortion, second-degree corporate misconduct, second-degree usury, second-degree money laundering, third-degree terroristic threats, and third-degree conspiracy. Alite allegedly made loans conditioned on a rate of return over the maximum rate permitted by law and subsequently obtained the property and monies of victims by threatening to commit violent acts. He is also alleged to have misused his businesses, Straightened-Out Entertainment Inc. and Alite Consulting LLC, to promote his criminal scheme. At the time of his arrest on June 19, 2026, Alite was a councilman in Englishtown; he has since been removed from that position.
Also indicted today were Stephen Locrotondo, 68, of Bridgewater, New Jersey, who was charged with usury, extortion, conspiracy, corporate misconduct, and money laundering, for allegedly agreeing with Alite to receive interest on loans more than the maximum rate permitted by law, and Alite's son, John P. Alite, 35, of Manalapan, New Jersey, who was charged with usury, conspiracy, and money laundering.
"These defendants allegedly used intimidation and threats of violence to prey on their victims and take what was not rightfully theirs," said Attorney General Davenport. "These crimes have no place in our communities, and we will pursue anyone who tries to profit through fear."
"The grand jury's indictment allows us to move forward with prosecuting these defendants for allegedly using intimidation and violence to exploit vulnerable people," said DCJ Interim Director Martha Nye. "We are committed to seeing this case through the process to conviction and obtaining justice for the victims."
"The charges in this case are extremely serious, involving allegations of terrorist threats, conspiracy, and money laundering," said Jeanne Hengemuhle, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. "We will vigorously investigate these crimes of this nature and pursue accountability for anyone found to be responsible. It is particularly disturbing when allegations of this nature involve an elected official, someone the public entrusts to serve with integrity and uphold the law. Public trust is fundamental to our democratic institutions, and those who hold public trust must meet the highest standards of accountability."
Deputy Attorney General Heather Hausleben of the Division of Criminal Justice is prosecuting the case. The case is being investigated by the New Jersey State Police Official Corruption North Unit.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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Original text here: https://www.njoag.gov/three-men-including-former-local-councilman-indicted-for-loansharking-extortion-and-other-crimes/
Md. A.G. Brown Announces Jail Sentence and Full Restitution for Massive Felony Tax Fraud Scheme
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Oct. 31 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Brown Announces Jail Sentence and Full Restitution for Massive Felony Tax Fraud Scheme
10/30/2026
Easton Business Owner Sentenced to 18 Months in Jail and Has Already Paid More Than $170,000 in Restitution to the State
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BALTIMORE, MD - Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced that Robert David Michael, 56, of Easton, the sole owner and operator of B&E Motorsports, LLC, in Easton, Talbot County, Maryland, was sentenced to 18 months in jail for a felony theft
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BALTIMORE, Maryland, Oct. 31 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Brown Announces Jail Sentence and Full Restitution for Massive Felony Tax Fraud Scheme
10/30/2026
Easton Business Owner Sentenced to 18 Months in Jail and Has Already Paid More Than $170,000 in Restitution to the State
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BALTIMORE, MD - Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced that Robert David Michael, 56, of Easton, the sole owner and operator of B&E Motorsports, LLC, in Easton, Talbot County, Maryland, was sentenced to 18 months in jail for a felony theftscheme in which he created falsified sales paperwork to underreport the prices of jet skis, dirt bikes, and trailers, cheating the State of Maryland out of tens of thousands of dollars in excise taxes. The investigation was led by the Attorney General's Environmental and Natural Resources Crimes Unit (ENRCU), the Attorney General's Fraud and Corruption Unit (FCU), the Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP), the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Maryland Department of Transportation's (MDOT) Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA), and the Maryland Office of the Comptroller.
On September 22, 2026, Robert Michael pleaded guilty before the Honorable Stacy W. McCormack in the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County to a felony theft scheme over $100,000, felony identity fraud scheme over $25,000, perjury, and willfully filing a false income tax return.
On October 27, 2026, Michael was sentenced to serve 18 months of active incarceration in the Anne Arundel County Detention Center, with a turn-in date of December 18, 2026. After his release from jail, he will be on five years of supervised probation. If he violates probation, he could potentially serve eight-and-a-half additional years of incarceration.
The defendant has already paid full restitution in this case totaling $171,450.07, paid as follows: $81,081.42 to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), $52,448.36 to the Maryland Department of Transportation's Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA), $37,920.29 to the Maryland Comptroller. Michael will pay an additional criminal fine of $25,000.
The charges stem from a fraud scheme Michael carried out between July 2018 and June 2025, in which he created false paperwork to fraudulently deflate the cost of personal watercrafts (commonly known as jet skis), off-road motorcycles (commonly known as dirt bikes), and trailers to reduce the amount of excise tax he paid to the State of Maryland. Michael collected the correct tax from consumers at the time of sale but then created a second set of false documents to submit to DNR and MDOT, showing a fake lower price. Michael would remit only the tax due on the fake lower price and would steal the difference. Further, Michael falsified tax returns by grossly underreporting income to minimize or nullified any state income tax owed.
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Original text here: https://oag.maryland.gov/News/pages/Attorney-General-Brown-Announces-Jail-Sentence-and-Full-Restitution-for-Massive-Felony-Tax-Fraud-Scheme.aspx
Md. A.G. Brown Announces Court Victory Blocking Implementation of Unlawful Medicaid Work Requirements for Medically Frail Individuals
BALTIMORE, Maryland, Oct. 31 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Brown Announces Court Victory Blocking Implementation of Unlawful Medicaid Work Requirements for Medically Frail Individuals
10/30/2026
BALTIMORE, MD - Attorney General Anthony G. Brown secured a decision by the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts finding the Trump administration's implementation of new Medicaid work requirements under the "One Big Bill Act" unlawful.
The ruling will likely protect thousands of Medicaid recipients in Maryland,
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BALTIMORE, Maryland, Oct. 31 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Brown Announces Court Victory Blocking Implementation of Unlawful Medicaid Work Requirements for Medically Frail Individuals
10/30/2026
BALTIMORE, MD - Attorney General Anthony G. Brown secured a decision by the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts finding the Trump administration's implementation of new Medicaid work requirements under the "One Big Bill Act" unlawful.
The ruling will likely protect thousands of Medicaid recipients in Maryland,as the state previously estimated that an estimated 150,000 Marylanders, or 45% of adults covered through the state's Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion, could lose coverage due to the requirements imposed under the rule. The Court's ruling will likely spare the state significant administrative costs, as the rule was previously estimated to impose $2 million in such additional burdens.
In a lawsuit filed in June 2026, Attorney General Brown joined a multistate coalition in challenging provisions of an interim final rule, which adopted a new interpretation of key terms like "medically frail," making it harder for medically vulnerable individuals to be excused from the work requirements. In the decision, the District Court held that the Trump administration's definition of "medical frailty" is unlawful. The Court struck down the definition, issued a permanent injunction, and granted the coalition states a six-month stay of enforcement to accommodate any errors or delays resulting from the necessary changes to implementation.
"The Trump Administration's unlawful policy would force people who are fighting just to stay alive to meet work requirements or lose their health coverage," said Attorney General Brown. "By securing this victory, our Office is protecting Marylanders who are managing a wide range of serious health conditions, including physical and developmental disabilities."
Medicaid is the nation's safety net healthcare program for low-income Americans and is jointly funded by states and the federal government, with the federal government providing at least 50% of the cost of services. Congress created exemptions from Medicaid's work requirements to ensure that people with serious illnesses and disabilities do not lose coverage or face interruptions in care.
Earlier this year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued an interim final rule that makes it harder for medically vulnerable individuals to be excused from the work requirements and makes other changes that increase administrative burdens, create unnecessary red tape, and put eligible people at risk of losing their health coverage - including those who are already working or qualify for an exemption. The coalition argued that the rule disregarded substantial evidence that should have been considered, failed to adequately evaluate reasonable alternatives, and did not give states clear or workable guidance.
Past Medicaid work requirement programs have shown that added bureaucratic red tape causes eligible people to lose coverage, placing greater strain on state Medicaid programs, safety net providers, and emergency rooms, while increasing costs as more medically frail residents become uninsured.
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Original text here: https://oag.maryland.gov/News/pages/Attorney-General-Brown-Announces-Court-Victory-Blocking-Implementation-of-Unlawful-Medicaid-Work-Requirements-for-Medically.aspx
Attorney General Ken Paxton Announces Arrests of Convicted Felons for Illegally Voting in Texas
AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 31 -- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton posted the following news release:
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Attorney General Ken Paxton Announces Arrests of Convicted Felons for Illegally Voting in Texas
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Attorney General Ken Paxton announced the arrests of convicted felons accused of illegally casting ballots in Texas elections. These arrests mark the latest action in the ongoing efforts of the Office of the Attorney General's Election Integrity Unit ("EIU") to investigate election crimes.
On October 27, 2026, a concerned citizen reported that convicted felons who were incarcerated, on parole,
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AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 31 -- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton posted the following news release:
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Attorney General Ken Paxton Announces Arrests of Convicted Felons for Illegally Voting in Texas
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Attorney General Ken Paxton announced the arrests of convicted felons accused of illegally casting ballots in Texas elections. These arrests mark the latest action in the ongoing efforts of the Office of the Attorney General's Election Integrity Unit ("EIU") to investigate election crimes.
On October 27, 2026, a concerned citizen reported that convicted felons who were incarcerated, on parole,or on probation had allegedly cast ballots in Harris County. The citizen provided open-source information to support the allegation. Members of the Office of the Attorney General's EIU opened an investigation and began collecting evidence of potential violations of the Texas Election Code.
EIU analysts verified the identities of the individuals, reviewed their voter registration records, and examined whether they had cast ballots in the 2026 election. Investigators subsequently referred the identified individuals to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice ("TDCJ") for verification of their criminal justice status. So far, TDCJ has confirmed that multiple individuals were on parole when they cast their ballots, rendering them ineligible to vote under Texas law.
"Today, my office arrested convicted felons for voting illegally in Texas. My Election Integrity Unit is actively investigating additional reports of election crimes," said Attorney General Paxton. "We will continue working to protect the lawful votes of Texans."
On October 30, 2026, arrest warrants were issued in Montgomery County for individuals identified thus far in the investigation. Officers from the Office of the Attorney General subsequently arrested the individuals.
The Office of the Attorney General will continue to investigate additional allegations of illegal voting and remains committed to ensuring that Texas elections are free and fair.
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Original text here: https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-announces-arrests-convicted-felons-illegally-voting-texas
