http://ag.ca.gov/ Office of the Attorney General - State of California - Department of Justice - News Feed en-us Tue, 9 Feb 2010 15:49:36 UTC Tue, 9 Feb 2010 15:49:36 UTC webmaster@ag.ca.gov http://ag.ca.gov/images/rss_icons/AGlogo_rss.gif http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1856 San Diego-Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced that Mary Louise Wilson, 54, of San Diego, has been sentenced to 19 years and 4 months in prison for attempting to "kill or seriously injure" nursing home residents by setting fires in the homes. Today's sentence marks the longest prison term that anyone convicted by the Attorney General's Office has received in an elder abuse case. "These fires were no accident. This woman meant to kill or seriously injure dozens of disabled people," Brown said. Mon, 8 Feb 2010 15:00:00 UTC http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1856 http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1855 Sacramento-Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today called on the nation's two largest public pension funds-the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) and the California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS)-to "honor the state law" that requires them to divest from companies doing business in Iran. "CalPERS and CalSTRS need to honor the state law requiring them to divest from companies doing business in Iran," Brown said. Mon, 8 Feb 2010 11:00:00 UTC http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1855 http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1854 Oakland-Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced today that Sharon Elyce Pearl, 52, of Oakland, the former Director of Real Property for the State Bar of California, has been sentenced to two years and eight months in prison after she "methodically embezzled" more than $600,000 from her employer to spend on spa treatments, designer clothes and other luxury items. "As the State Bar's Director of Real Property, Pearl methodically embezzled more than $600,000 to bankroll a lavish lifestyle," Brown said. Fri, 5 Feb 2010 16:00:00 UTC http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1854 http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1853 Los Angeles-In an ongoing investigation of the state's underground economy, Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced a fifth legal judgment against trucking companies operating at California ports that deny workers "the Social Security, Medicare and workers' compensation benefits to which they are entitled under state law." Last month, the Los Angeles Superior Court found that Pacifica Trucks, a Southern California fleet operator, misclassified its drivers as independent contractors. The company failed to pay state employment-related taxes, contribute to Social Security and Medicare and provide W-2 forms to its employees. Thu, 4 Feb 2010 9:00:00 UTC http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1853 http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1852 Oakland-With tax season quickly approaching, Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today urged Californians to avoid high-cost tax-refund-anticipation loans, which force taxpayers to "borrow their own money," include numerous fees and can carry triple-digit annual interest rates. According to the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) and Consumer Federation of America (CFA), refund-anticipation loans cost 8.4 million American taxpayers more than $800 million in 2008. "As tax season begins, hardworking Californians should avoid tax-refund-anticipation loans and any tax preparer who advertises these loans as early tax refunds," Brown said. Mon, 1 Feb 2010 9:00:00 UTC http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1852 http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1850 Oakland - Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced a $1.8 million settlement preventing Maurice Irving Glad, owner of 22 Midas auto shops throughout California, from owning or operating an auto repair shop in the state, after the franchisee "deceptively lured" customers with cheap brake specials and then charged hundreds of dollars for unnecessary repairs. Mon, 25 Jan 2010 9:00:00 UTC http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1850 http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1851 Oakland -Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today joined sixteen state attorneys general and the United States Department of Justice in approving the Ticketmaster and LiveNation merger after requiring the two companies to agree to several changes that would create "a more competitive market" for concert tickets by allowing two new primary ticketing competitors. Mon, 25 Jan 2010 0:00:00 UTC http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1851 http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1848 San Francisco-Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today petitioned the California Supreme Court to review the Second Appellate District Court of Appeal's ruling which "wrongly threw out" the law banning felons from possessing body armor. "The appellate court wrongly threw out an important law that prohibited felons from possessing body armor," Brown said. "We're asking the Supreme Court to review the decision and restore important protections for the men and women in law enforcement." In 1998, the California Legislature enacted the James Guelff Body Armor Act to prohibit felons convicted of a violent crime from possessing body armor. Fri, 22 Jan 2010 0:00:00 UTC http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1848 http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1847 Mendocino, Calif-Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced a settlement with James L. Harrison, 62, of Ukiah, after he "looted college scholarship funds" from a Trust intended to benefit female graduates of Ukiah High School pursuing careers in medicine. Brown's office, working with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the California Department of Financial Institutions, recovered both the principal and the interest-totaling over $650,000-owed to the Trust. Wed, 20 Jan 2010 9:00:00 UTC http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1847 http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1846 Oakland - Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today is encouraging Californians to make charitable donations for victims of the devastating earthquake in Haiti, but warns citizens to avoid "scam artists" who may prey on the goodwill of California donors. "After every tragedy, a wave of scam artists take advantage of generous individuals who want to help the victims of a tragedy," Brown said. "It's important to thoroughly research charitable organizations before you write a check." The Attorney General's Office regulates charities and professional fundraisers in order to prevent the misapplication of charitable donations made by Californians. Thu, 14 Jan 2010 0:00:00 UTC http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1846 http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1845 Oakland-Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today sued Florida-based electronic-cigarette retailer Smoking Everywhere to prevent the company from targeting minors and making "misleading and irresponsible" claims that electronic cigarettes are a safe alternative to smoking. "Smoking Everywhere launched a misleading and irresponsible advertising campaign targeting minors and claiming that electronic cigarettes do not contain harmful chemicals," Brown said. Wed, 13 Jan 2010 13:00:00 UTC http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1845 http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1844 Oakland-Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. and 23 other state attorneys general today announced a $22.5 million settlement with pharmaceutical giants Abbott and Fournier after the companies "illegally blocked" cheaper generic substitutes for the cholesterol-reducing drug Tricor. The settlement is the result of one of the country's first legal actions challenging pharmaceutical companies for "product hopping," a strategy to block generic competition by making slight changes to the formulation of a drug. "Abbott and Fournier devised a complex scheme that illegally blocked cheaper generic drugs from entering the market," Brown said. Thu, 7 Jan 2010 9:00:00 UTC http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1844 http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1843 Statement from Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. on the Second Appellate District Court of Appeal's decision to overturn California's ban on violent felons possessing body armor: "Every day, California's law enforcement officers put their lives on the line to protect our communities," said Attorney General Brown. "Allowing violent felons to possess military grade body armor puts their lives further at risk and jeopardizes public safety. My office will petition the California Supreme Court to review the appeals court decision next month." Tue, 29 Dec 2009 10:00:00 UTC http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1843 http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1842 Sacramento - Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced today a $21.3 million settlement with Schering-Plough Corporation, resolving allegations the company "deliberately inflated" the price of Albuterol and other drugs, causing California's Medicaid (Medi-Cal) program to overpay millions of dollars in pharmacy reimbursement. Thu, 17 Dec 2009 9:00:00 UTC http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1842 http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1841 Los Angeles -Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today sued a Los Angeles car wash for $2.6 million for illegally forcing employees to work nearly 60-hour weeks without overtime, ignoring minimum wage laws and denying injured employees workers' compensation benefits. Brown's legal action was part of his statewide crackdown on companies that break worker-protection laws. Tue, 15 Dec 2009 9:00:00 UTC http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1841