GOVERNMENT SERVICES CASES

JND’s CEO Jennifer Keough oversaw the administration of the largest Government class action settlement in U.S. history. In Cobell v. Salazar, No. 96 CV 1285 (TFH) (D. D.C.), which settled for $3.4 billion, Ms. Keough worked with the U.S. Government to implement the administration program responsible for identifying and providing notice to the two distinct but overlapping settlement classes. As part of the notice outreach program, Ms. Keough participated in multiple town hall meetings held at Indian reservations located across the country. Due to the efforts of the outreach program, over 80% of all class members were provided notice. Additionally, Ms. Keough played a role in creating the processes for evaluating claims and ensuring the correct distributions were made. Under Ms. Keough’s supervision, the processing team processed over 480,000 claims forms to determine eligibility. Less than one half of one percent of all claim determinations made by the processing team were appealed. Ms. Keough was called upon to testify before the Senate Committee for Indian Affairs, where Senator Jon Tester of Montana praised her work in connection with notice efforts to the American Indian community when he stated: “Oh, wow. Okay… the administrator has done a good job, as your testimony has indicated, [discovering] 80 percent of the whereabouts of the unknown class members.” Additionally, when evaluating the Notice Program, Judge Thomas F. Hogan concluded (July 27, 2011): …that adequate notice of the Settlement has been provided to members of the Historical Accounting Class and to members of the Trust Administration Class…. Notice met and, in many cases, exceeded the requirements of F.R.C.P. 23(c)(2) for classes certified under F.R.C.P. 23(b)(1), (b)(2) and (b)(3). The best notice practicable has been provided class members, including individual notice where members could be identified through reasonable effort. The contents of that notice are stated in plain, easily understood language and satisfy all requirements of F.R.C.P. 23(c)(2)(B).

The EEOC has entered into an agreement with Yates Services, LLC regarding individuals who were subjected or medical inquiries or who were on medical restrictions and not allowed to return to work.

In the lawsuit, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC") alleged that Alorica Inc. engaged in unlawful employment practices by subjecting employees to a sexually hostile work environment and/or retaliation in violation of federal and state laws. The lawsuit asked the Court to require Alorica, Inc. to provide monetary damages and provide potential reinstatement to eligible claimants. The lawsuit also sought to compel Alorica Inc. to update its policies and procedures on discrimination, harassment and retaliation. Alorica Inc. denies all of the allegations.

The federal government seeks individuals who were denied employment or the opportunity to apply for work at Champion Fiberglass, Inc. at any time from January 1, 2013 to the present, as part of its lawsuit against Champion. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued Champion in 2017, alleging that the company discriminated against Black, White, and Asian applicants because of their race (or because they could not speak Spanish) when the company did not hire them or refused to give them a job application. Champion is a manufacturing company located at 6400 Spring Stuebner Road, Spring, TX 77389. In the lawsuit, the EEOC is seeking back pay and other monies for victims of this discrimination.

The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reached a settlement with Patterson-UTI Drilling Company LLC (Patterson-UTI Drilling). The settlement provides a $12.26 million fund for payments to minority employees who were subjected to discrimination or harassment based on race, color, or ethnicity, or retaliation for complaining about such discrimination or harassment at any time during the period from January 1, 2006, through April 17, 2015.

The FTC reached a settlement with companies and individuals responsible for 8 Figure Dream Lifestyle. According to the FTC’s complaint, 8 Figure Dream Lifestyle used a combination of illegal robocalls, live telephone calls, text messages, internet ads, emails, social media, and live events to market and sell bogus money-making opportunities. 8 Figure Dream Lifestyle falsely claimed that those who joined the program would make tens of thousands of dollars within 60 to 90 days. Refund payments totaling nearly $1.1 million were sent to people who lost money to this bogus money-making scheme.

The FTC reached a settlement with A.S. Research. According to the FTC’s complaint, A.S. Research made misleading health claims and used phony testimonials to promote Synovia, a supplement advertised and sold by A.S. Research. Refund checks totaling $774,755 were mailed to consumers who bought Synovia.

At the FTC’s request, a U.S. District Court permanently halted a New York-based office supply scam operated by a business known as A1 Janitorial. The FTC charged A1 Janitorial with charging small businesses and other organizations for supposedly free samples of cleaning supplies and other products. Refund checks totaling more than $2.6 million were mailed to small businesses who lost money to this scam in December 2019. Because there was still money in the fund after the first distribution, the FTC mailed an additional 21,775 checks totaling more than $643,000 in March 2021. All checks have been distributed and are now void. 

The FTC reached a settlement with AAFE Products related to the marketing of cooking gadgets, golf equipment, and other related products and services. According to the FTC, the company claimed that these products were “free” and “risk-free,” but did not tell customers that they would be charged monthly fees if they did not cancel a related subscription service. Full refunds totaling $488,629 were mailed to consumers who bought these products.

The FTC reached a settlement with Career Education Corporation (CEC). According to the FTC, CEC bought sales leads from companies that used deceptive websites to collect people’s contact information. Refund checks totaling nearly $30 million were mailed to consumers.

The FTC reached a settlement with Brookstone Law, Advantis Law, and others for running a mortgage relief scam. The defendants tricked homeowners into paying large upfront fees to participate in "mass joinder" lawsuits by falsely promising that these lawsuits would save them from foreclosure. A federal court ordered the defendants to pay money to provide refunds. Refund checks totaling more than $164,000 were mailed to people who were harmed by this mortgage relief scam.

The FTC reached a settlement with Digital Altitude, LLC. According to the FTC, the defendants behind Digital Altitude convinced people to pay tiered membership fees by promising them substantial income from an online business. Refund checks totaling nearly $4.7 million were mailed to consumers who lost money as a result of the Digital Altitude business coaching scheme in February 2021. Because there was still money in the fund after the first distribution, the FTC sent out a second round of payments totaling more than $1.1 million to people who accepted their first payment in March 2022.

The FTC reached a settlement with Educare Centre Services. According to the FTC’s complaint, Educare falsely promised to lower credit card interest rates and illegally charged upfront fees for debt relief services. Refund checks totaling nearly $2.3 million were mailed to people who lost money to this credit card debt relief scheme.

The FTC reach a settlement with FBA Stores. FBA Stores falsely claimed that people could use its “Amazing Wealth System” to create a profitable online business selling products on Amazon. FBA Stores had no affiliation with Amazon, and most people who bought the “Amazing Wealth System” lost money. Refunds totaling more than $9.1 million were sent to consumers who bought these products in August 2020. Because there was still money in the fund, the FTC sent out a second round of payments totaling $669,533 to people who accepted their first payment and paid the defendants more than $7,000 in February 2022.

The FTC reached a settlement with the companies that sold the dietary supplements Geniux, Xcel, EVO, and Ion-Z. According to the FTC, these companies falsely claimed their products would improve memory, increase focus, prevent memory loss, and increase IQ. The FTC also charged the companies with using sham news sites, phony clinical studies, and fake celebrity endorsements to market their products. Refund checks totaling over $551,000 were mailed to consumers who purchased these supplements.

The FTC reached a settlement with Helping America Group. According to the lawsuit, the defendants sold phony debt relief services, including fake loans. Refund checks totaling more than $16 million were mailed to consumers who bought these services in July 2020. Because the agency recovered additional funds from the defendants, the FTC sent a second round of checks totaling more than $6.5 million to people who cashed their first check in December 2021.

The FTC and the New York Attorney General reached a settlement with Hylan Asset Management, and others for operating an abusive debt collection scheme. According to the FTC’s complaint, Hylan sold fake debts to several collection agencies, including Worldwide Processing Group, who then used abusive and illegal practices to collect. Refund checks totaling $772,512 were mailed to people who were targeted by this scheme for debts that they did not owe.

The FTC reached settlements with I Works and its owner, Jeremy Johnson. According to the FTC’s lawsuit, I Works promoted bogus government grants and money-making products on its websites, and offered "free" information at no risk. When people gave their credit or debit card numbers to pay for shipping and handling, I Works charged them recurring monthly fees without their consent. Full refunds totaling more than $12 million were sent to consumers who were lured into I Works’ deceptive schemes.

The FTC reached a settlement with J. William Enterprises, LLC, which also used the name Pro Timeshare Resales. According to the FTC, the company collected up to $2,500 from timeshare owners by promising to sell or rent their timeshares quickly. The FTC alleged that the company did not deliver on its promises, and frequently refused to provide refunds. Refund checks totaling nearly $2.7 million were mailed to people who paid J. Williams Enterprises or Pro Timeshare Resales to sell or rent their timeshare in October 2019. Because there was still money in the fund, the FTC mailed 5,126 additional checks totaling more than $460,000 to people who cashed their first check in December 2020.

The FTC reached a settlement with Bronx Honda. According to the lawsuit, Bronx Honda charged car buyers fees and inflated the final sales price without customers’ knowledge, and also engaged in other illegal activities that caused many customers to pay more than they expected. In addition, Bronx Honda allegedly charged many African American and Hispanic car buyers higher financing markups and fees. Refund checks totaling nearly $1.5 million were mailed to victims of Bronx Honda’s practices in November 2020. Because there was still money in the fund, the FTC sent a second round of checks totaling nearly $200,000 to people who cashed their first check in March 2022.

The FTC reached a settlement with NatureCity, LLC related to its products TrueAloe and AloeCran. According to the FTC, NatureCity claimed that these aloe vera supplements could treat many health conditions, including chronic pain, ulcerative colitis, diabetes, high cholesterol, and acid reflux. The FTC says that these claims were false. Refund checks totaling more than $470,000 were mailed to people who bought these products.

The FTC reached a settlement with NoBetes Corporation over the company’s advertising and billing practices. According to the FTC, the defendants did not have scientific evidence to support their claims that NoBetes could treat diabetes and reduce the need for insulin. Refund checks totaling $60,791 were mailed to consumers nationwide who bought NoBetes.

The FTC reached a settlement with Pointbreak Media and related defendants for running an illegal robocall scheme that affected thousands of businesses nationwide. According to the lawsuit, the defendants, claiming to act on behalf of Google, told small business owners that their businesses would be removed from Google’s search results, unless they paid a fee. The defendants also falsely promised these businesses unique keywords that would make their listings appear more prominently in search results. Refund checks totaling more than $707,000 were mailed to small business owners who were deceived by this scheme.

The FTC reached a settlement with Position Gurus and Top Shelf Ecommerce. According to the FTC’s complaint, these companies targeted people who were starting new businesses online to sell them ecommerce websites and marketing assistance. The FTC says that these companies made high-pressure sales calls and falsely claimed that their marketing assistance would attract new customers and drastically increase sales and earnings. Refund checks totaling more than $1.5 million were mailed to people who were deceived by this deceptive scheme.

The FTC reached settlements totaling $60 million with the companies responsible for Suboxone, a prescription drug used to treat opioid addiction. The FTC says that these companies violated antitrust laws by preventing patients from choosing lower-priced generic versions of the drug. The Settlements provide payment for persons who were prescribed Suboxone film in the United States between March 1, 2013 and February 28, 2019 and file a timely claim.

The FTC reached a settlement with Seed Consulting, a company that also used the names Seed Capital and Foundation Funding. According to the FTC’s complaint, companies that sold business training and real estate investment programs referred people to Seed Consulting as a source of funding to pay for the costly, but often ineffective, training programs. Refund checks totaling more than $2 million were mailed to people who paid for these ineffective training programs.

The FTC reached a settlement regarding student loan debt relief and credit repair services offered by Strategic Student Solutions. According to the FTC, the defendants charged illegal upfront fees, and falsely promised that they would reduce or eliminate people’s student loan debt and improve their credit scores and histories. Refund checks totaling more than $3.1 million were mailed consumers who were victims of this scheme.

The FTC reached a settlement with Student Debt Relief Group and related companies. According to the FTC, these companies tricked people into thinking they were affiliated with the Department of Education, charged illegal upfront fees for free government programs, and collected monthly fees they falsely claimed would be credited toward student loans. Refund checks totaling nearly $1.7 million were mailed to consumers who lost money as a result of the debt relief scheme in February 2021. Because there was still money in the fund, the FTC sent out a second round of payments totaling $167,000 to people who accepted their first payment and paid the defendants more than $1,000 in March 2022.

The FTC reached a settlement with Teami. According to the FTC’s complaint, Teami made bogus health claims and paid for endorsements from well-known social media influences who did not adequately disclose that they were being paid to promote the defendant’s products. Refund checks totaling more than $930,000 were mailed to people who purchased Teami products.

The FTC and the New York Attorney General reached a settlement with Vantage Point Services and related defendants for running an illegal debt collection scheme. According to the lawsuit, the defendants used many different aliases, lied about who they were, and made false threats to pressure people to make payments. For example, the callers pretended they were calling from law firms or government offices and threatened to arrest or imprison people who didn't pay. Refund checks totaling more than $255,000 were mailed to people who were harmed by Vantage Point Services’ illegal debt collection practices.

The FTC reached a settlement with Vemma over its business practices. According to the FTC, Vemma misrepresented its business opportunity as a legitimate alternative to traditional employment and an easy path to financial freedom and a luxury lifestyle. The vast majority of affiliates lost money. Refund checks totaling more than $2.2 million were mailed to people who lost money to this alleged pyramid scheme in September 2019. Because there was still money in the fund, the FTC mailed 13,508 additional checks totaling more $430,000 to people who cashed their first check in January 2021.

The Order to Transfer Funds for Distribution dated August 18, 2021 established the dissemination of the Hope Advisors Fair Fund, in accordance with the terms of the Distribution Plan. JND Legal Administration was the Distribution Agent appointed by the Securities and Exchange Commission in the Order To Appoint A Distribution Agent dated November 26, 2019. Upon completion of its duties, JND Legal Administration worked with the appointed Tax Administrator to prepare a final report and accounting for the court.

The U.S. Department of Justice brought a lawsuit alleging that the City, through its Fire and Rescue Department, engaged in a pattern or practice of unintentional discrimination by administering, between 2004-2011, ten promotion examinations that had a disparate impact on African-American candidates. The Consent Decree requires that the City provide a Settlement Fund in the amount of $4,900,000.

Greyhound has agreed to compensate individuals who were harmed by Greyhound’s lack of accessible transportation or transportation-related services, or by a failure to make disability-related accommodations, between February 8, 2013 and February 8, 2016. If you believe you were harmed by these practices between those dates, then you may be eligible to receive compensation from Greyhound as a result of its agreement with the DOJ.