State AG News: Online Safety, Consumer Fraud, And Antitrust (May 21-June 3, 2026)

Each week, Crowell & Moring’s State Attorneys General team highlights significant actions that State AGs have taken. See our State Attorneys General page for more insights. Below are the updates from May 21-June 3, 2026:

Multistate

• A bipartisan coalition of 34 attorneys general filed a remedies proposal in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York seeking to require Live Nation to divest Ticketmaster and certain Live Nation-owned amphitheaters. The proposal follows a jury verdict finding Live Nation/Ticketmaster liable for anticompetitive conduct that harmed consumers and the live music industry. The coalition argues that these structural remedies are necessary to end Live Nation’s illegal monopoly, prevent it from continuing to use its amphitheater ownership to exclude rival promoters and pressure artists, and protect consumers because prior behavioral remedies failed to stop the company’s unlawful conduct.

• A bipartisan coalition of 44 attorneys general opposed the Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act (KIDS Act), H.R. 7577, in a letter to U.S. congressional leadership. The proposed legislation introduces measures regarding online harm to children, online obscenity, social gaming platforms, and AI chatbots. The coalition argues that the proposed legislation would weaken, rather than strengthen, protections for minors in digital spaces by preempting existing state laws in each category. The coalition also argues that the “Kids Online Safety” provision of the legislation disavows a duty of care by disclaiming any age verification obligation for covered online platforms.
• A coalition of five attorneys general submitted a comment letter to the Federal Trade Commission and U.S. Department of Justice supporting stronger premerger reporting requirements under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act. The agencies requested public input on how to improve the federal government’s review of major mergers after a federal court struck down revised merger reporting requirements, leaving the older reporting framework in place. The coalition argues that expanding premerger notice and submission requirements, including requiring greater disclosure of serial acquisitions and narrowing passive investor reporting exemptions, would help regulators identify anticompetitive deals before they are completed and better protect competition in healthcare, housing, and other essential sectors.
• A coalition of 23 attorneys general and the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry submitted a comment letter to the U.S. Department of Labor opposing a proposed rule changing how 401(k) plan managers are judged when choosing investments for workers’ retirement savings. The Department proposed the change under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), which requires plan managers to act carefully and skillfully, and acknowledged that the change could cause fiduciaries to move retirement savings into riskier options such as cryptocurrency and private credit. The coalition argues that the rule would create a loophole limiting courts’ ability to assess whether fiduciaries acted prudently and would shift more financial risk onto workers and retirees.

• New York Attorney General James and New Jersey Attorney General Davenport subpoenaed FIFA as part of an investigation into allegedly deceptive ticketing practices for the 2026 World Cup. The investigation focuses on reports that fans were misled about seat locations and that FIFA’s ticket release schedule, creation of new premium seating categories, and variable pricing practices may have driven ticket prices sharply higher. The attorneys general are seeking information to determine whether FIFA’s conduct violated state consumer protection laws.

Arizona

• Attorney General Mayes secured a $1.95 million consent judgment against White Tanks Group LLC, doing business as VetLink Solutions, and its principals for allegedly misleading veterans seeking increases in disability benefits, in violation of the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act. The settlement resolves allegations that the company misrepresented its authority to assist with Veterans Affairs benefits claims, used a prohibited contingency-fee structure, and charged veterans thousands of dollars for services that accredited VA representatives could not charge for. The judgment provides $1.2 million in restitution to veterans, $700,000 in civil penalties, and permanently prohibits the defendants from misleading consumers about their affiliation with the VA or their authority to handle VA benefit claims without accreditation.

California

• Attorney General Bonta secured a $2.5 million settlement with MV Realty, a real estate brokerage. The agreement resolves claims that MV Realty violated several provisions of the California Business and Professions code, including the False Advertising Law and the Unfair Competition Law, by operating predatory schemes and misleading homeowners in agreements. The company allegedly recorded liens that prevented homeowners from transferring their homes unless they paid substantial termination fees and misled homeowners into long-term brokerage agreements. The settlement voids all homeowner contracts, requires MV Realty to individually terminate all liens, bars MV Realty and its CEO and COO from engaging in any California business that requires a real estate license for five years, and requires payment of restitution.
• Attorney General Bonta sued Chrome Holding Co., formerly known as 23andMe, alleging that the company failed to protect consumers’ sensitive personal and genetic data and misled consumers about a 2023 data breach, in violation of California’s Genetic Information Privacy Act, Consumer Privacy Act, and False Advertising Law. The lawsuit alleges that 23andMe ignored known security vulnerabilities, failed to take reasonable steps to guard against credential-stuffing attacks, and allowed a threat actor to access customer data for months undetected.

Illinois

• Attorney General Raoul announced an $8.25 million settlement with Mylan Inc., the company that sells the EpiPen, resolving allegations that the company engaged in anticompetitive conduct related to EpiPen products. The state alleged that Mylan used tactics including increasing prices, delaying generic competition, requiring consumers to buy EpiPens in two-packs, making misleading advertisements about competing products, and contracting with pharmacy benefit managers to block competitors, which caused Illinois to overpay for EpiPens through its Medicaid and employee health benefits programs. Under the settlement, in addition to paying the state $8.25 million, Mylan also agreed to increase its copay coupon for the authorized generic version of EpiPen from $25 to $40, reducing out-of-pocket costs for consumers.

Maryland

• Attorney General Brown announced administrative charges against MV Realty, alleging that the company violated the Maryland Consumer Loan Law, Consumer Debt Collection Act, and Consumer Protection Act by offering homeowners small cash advances in exchange for 40-year agreements that were recorded in land records and operated like liens on their homes. The charges further allege that MV Realty misrepresented or failed to disclose key terms of the agreements, including fees and provisions that bound heirs and successors.

Missouri

• Attorney General Hanaway sued GPD Holdings LLC, doing business as CoinFlip, for allegedly facilitating fraudulent transactions and charging excessive and inadequately disclosed fees through cryptocurrency kiosks in violation of the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act. The lawsuit alleges that CoinFlip’s Bitcoin ATMs, which are located across Missouri, are regularly used by scammers to defraud consumers, particularly seniors, through transactions that are difficult to trace and nonrefundable. The suit seeks injunctive relief barring CoinFlip from operating in Missouri, civil penalties of up to $1,826,000, and restitution for consumers.
• Attorney General Hanaway announced charges against Jacob Kaestner, alleging that he engaged in deceptive business practices and financially exploited elderly consumers, many of whom were victims of the March and May 2025 St. Louis tornadoes. The charges allege that Kaestner, through his business JK Exteriors, took upfront payments for home repair services and then abandoned or failed to complete the promised services.

New York

• Attorney General James secured an agreement shutting down Tenants Counsel Network, a New York law firm, for allegedly using deceptive marketing tactics to target New York City tenants facing eviction. The agreement resolves allegations that the firm misled tenants about its experience and services, trapped them in legal agreements requiring monthly subscription fees, and then failed to provide adequate legal representation, including missing court appearances. Under the agreement, the firm must dissolve, refund $172,257 to former clients, pay $35,000 in penalties, and its founding partner must resign from practicing law in New York.

Pennsylvania

• Attorney General Sunday announced a settlement with Curtis Total Service, Inc. and two of its employees. The agreement resolves allegations that the company violated Pennsylvania’s Consumer Protection Law and Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act by using deceptive and high-pressure sales tactics to push consumers into unnecessary HVAC repairs and replacements. The lawsuit alleged that the company also had consumers sign blank or incomplete contracts, misrepresented financing terms and consumers’ right to cancel, and threatened legal action against consumers who attempted to cancel contracts. Under the settlement, the defendants will pay $300,000 and change their business practices to comply with state consumer protection laws.

Texas

• Attorney General Paxton sued CAM Solar Inc., a Texas solar panel company, for alleged violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act arising from fraudulent and deceptive sales practices. The lawsuit alleges that CAM Solar misrepresented projected energy savings, system performance, tax-credit eligibility, and other terms of sale, while delivering defective or nonfunctioning systems, performing improper installations, and failing to respond to service requests. The suit seeks injunctive relief, restitution for affected consumers, and civil penalties.
• Attorney General Paxton secured a ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit staying a district court injunction that had blocked Texas’s App Store Accountability Act, S.B. 2420, which requires major app stores to verify users’ ages and link minors’ accounts to a parent or guardian account. The law also requires app store operators to use commercially reasonable methods to determine a user’s age and to provide notice and obtain parental approval before a minor downloads an app.

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