Consumer Protection : Law360 : Legal News & Analysis (2024)

Crypto Firms Back FIT 21 Legislation Ahead Of House Vote

The advocacy group Crypto Council for Innovation gathered 60 industry signatories for a Friday letter to House leaders expressing support for an anticipated vote on a framework to regulate digital assets.

Feds Seek 10 Years In First Product Safety Conviction

The government is asking for a pair of 10-year prison sentences for two Gree USA Inc. executives convicted of failing to report defective humidifiers, after the two were found guilty of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Bettors Say 6th Circ. Erred In Ruling Over Doped Derby Horse

A group of gamblers who claim they had winning bets on the 2021 Kentucky Derby after officials stripped the lead horse of its title has petitioned the Sixth Circuit to rehear arguments after a panel of the court earlier this month affirmed the lower court's decision to toss the case.

Chicago Wants Climate Deception Claims Back In State Court

The city of Chicago says it should be in state court hashing out climate change deception claims against several of the nation's largest oil producers because the companies lodged "objectively baseless" arguments to remove its case to federal court.

Broadband Advocates Decry Delays On Senate Spectrum Bill

Broadband advocates who work on fixing the "digital divide" said they are dismayed the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee again delayed a markup Thursday to advance legislation renewing the soon-to-expire Affordable Connectivity Program.

Luxury fashion brand Dolce & Gabbana has been hit with a shareholder class action in New York federal court, alleging it sold consumers "essentially worthless" non-fungible tokens that it misrepresented as high-value and abandoned the project while retaining over $25 million that was used to fund it.

Utilities Need More Airwaves To Drive Growth, FCC Hears

Utilities need more spectrum to keep their networks running smoothly as they move toward digitizing the electric grid, which is already under significant strain, a wireless service provider has told the Federal Communications Commission.

Google Says Payment Means No Need For DOJ Ad Tech Jury

Google is arguing in Virginia federal court the government has no right to a jury trial in a case accusing the company of monopolizing key digital advertising technology, especially after Google issued a check for the money enforcers could be awarded if they won.

$5M Candy Recall Coverage Dispute Moved To Texas Court

An insurer's lawsuit disclaiming coverage for a candy manufacturer over a near $5 million recall over metal fragments found in certain gummy candies belongs in Texas, a New York federal judge has ruled, finding that the action was "filed preemptively to deprive the natural plaintiff of its choice of forum."

Industry Emboldened After Justices Galvanize Agency Attacks

In the year since the U.S. Supreme Court said "extraordinary" and "far-reaching" attacks on administrative enforcers can skip agency tribunals and go straight to federal district court, ambitious challenges to regulatory powers are rapidly gaining traction, and the high court is poised to put them on an even firmer footing.

Day After High Court Win, 'Full Strength' CFPB Sues Fintech

Fresh off its landmark victory at the U.S. Supreme Court, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Friday filed its first contested enforcement action in months while its director separately pledged to push full-speed ahead with the agency "firing on all cylinders."

Buckle Up: CFPB's High Court Win Will Thaw Frozen Docket

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is walking away from the U.S. Supreme Court with its funding and rulebook intact, a victory that caps off years of constitutional wrangling over how the agency was set up and will usher in a wave of activity that has financial services attorneys bracing for impact.

9th Circ. Won't Let Alexa Users Revive Voice Data Privacy Row

The Ninth Circuit on Thursday refused to reinstate a proposed class action alleging Amazon's Alexa software illegally collects voice data to target users with advertisem*nts, agreeing with the lower court that the e-commerce giant had clearly disclosed the practice and the plaintiffs hadn't shown they were harmed.

$2B Default Recommended For Making Fair Trial 'Impossible'

Years of lies should put a pair of Chinese electronics companies on the hook for over $2 billion in default judgment, a special master told a California federal judge, adding that their yearslong no-show and disregard of U.S. counsel advice to retain documents have rendered a fair trial "impossible."

Albertsons Sued Over 'Naturally Flavored' Fruit Bar Labels

Albertsons Cos. Inc. was hit with a proposed class action Wednesday in California federal court by a shopper who alleges the grocer falsely labels its breakfast cereal bars as containing natural flavors even though they're made with artificial ingredients derived from petrochemicals.

Thomas, Alito: Two Originalists, Two Takes On CFPB Case

U.S. Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito — often birds of a feather — butted heads Thursday over the original meaning and purpose of the U.S. Constitution's appropriations clause in a decision upholding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's unique funding scheme, highlighting what experts describe as the pair's different approaches to originalism.

FCC Told Rural Aid Can't Lean Too Much On Broadband Maps

Wireless providers are calling out flaws in the Federal Communications Commission's national broadband map, telling the agency to require more certification from providers to verify that they can actually serve areas they say they can before allocating broadband deployment funding.

Bitcoin ATM Operator Ran Illegal Money Transmitter, Jury Says

A New York state jury has convicted the operator of a network of bitcoin kiosks that allegedly catered to criminal activity of operating an unlicensed money transmitter and tax fraud, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office said Thursday.

FTC Can't Make Albertsons, Kroger Produce Divestiture Docs

An administrative law judge on Thursday denied the Federal Trade Commission's "premature" bid to compel Kroger and Albertsons to fork over documents related to negotiations for the companies' expanded divestiture plan amid the commission's in-house challenge to the grocers' merger.

BofA Customers Get Final OK For $8M Deal In ACH Fee Suit

A North Carolina federal judge has granted final approval to an $8 million settlement for Bank of America customers who claim they were unfairly charged fees for Automated Clearing House transfers.

BIC Hit With Class Action Over PFAS-Containing Razors

The makers of BIC razors intentionally use so-called forever chemicals in several of their products but failed to mention that to customers, who say they wouldn't have bought the razors if they'd known they were exposing themselves to toxic chemicals.

Judge Questions Colo.'s Power Over Out-Of-State Banks

A Colorado federal judge on Thursday asked U.S. banking regulators why the state should be able to cap interest rates for loans made to residents by out-of-state financial institutions, questioning why it was "consistent with federalism" to let an individual state have that far of a reach.

Stubhub, Attys Face Sanctions Bid Over 'Strategy Of Evasion'

Counsel for consumers seeking StubHub refunds for events canceled or rescheduled due to COVID-19 urged a California federal magistrate judge Thursday to sanction the online ticket platform and its lawyers, saying they've "engaged in a strategy of evasion, denial and distortion" to avoid producing hyperlinked documents despite a court order.

EPA Doctor Not A Whistleblower For Slamming Lead Plan

A former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency pediatrician and epidemiologist who publicly criticized the EPA's plan to reduce lead in drinking water as inadequate is not protected by federal whistleblower law, the Federal Circuit said Thursday.

FCC To Pull Phone Co.'s Authorization To Operate In US

The Federal Communications Commission said Thursday it plans to revoke a telecom company's authorization to operate in the U.S. after the business failed to comply with an agreement with federal agencies stemming from a security review.