A Letter from Attorney General James
Dear Friends,
For my office, 2024 marked another year of fighting for New Yorkers’ rights, wallets, homes, environment, and health. I have kept the same focus I’ve always had as your attorney general: to protect you and your community.
Over the past 12 months, my office took on powerful organizations to stand up for you – from workers cheated out of their wages, to consumers swindled out of their savings, to small businesses plagued by predatory lenders. I combated price gouging, fought unfair practices, and won back millions of dollars for New Yorkers. I helped stop illegal polluters and clean up contaminated wetlands, and proudly saw ancestral lands returned to the great Onondaga Nation.
My office kept you and your families and neighbors safe by busting dangerous crime networks, suing sellers and distributors of deadly ghost guns, and improving our gun laws. We strengthened laws to prevent deed theft and shut down rent abuses. I fought for your equity and just treatment, ensuring that you can love, work for, and vote for whomever you wish. I stopped discrimination against immigrant, senior, and transgender communities.
To protect our kids and teenagers, I called out reckless and harmful practices in social media, coauthored a new law to stop them, and sued big tech for its harmful practices. To keep your personal data secure, I held big corporations to account. To keep you informed as artificial intelligence (AI) explodes, I carefully monitored developments that promise to change the way we live, work, and play. To safeguard your money, I sued cryptocurrency wrongdoers for defrauding investors and victimizing vulnerable New Yorkers. To battle alarming national trends that could harm us here at home, I joined my fellow attorneys general to fight inequity in sports, voter suppression, and dangerous emergency medical procedures.
Defending you and your fellow New Yorkers is what you elected me to do. As attorney general, that will always remain my North Star. Whether you live in Buffalo, Herkimer, Massena, or Rockaway Beach, know that I am here to protect you, your interests, and your peace of mind.
Funds recovered for New York state
In 2024, Attorney General James collected over
$1.22 billion
on behalf of New York state, including:
over
$601 million
for localities
over
$67 million
from negotiated settlements
and judgments
over
$58 million
in civil recoveries and
unpaid debts to the state
over
$35 million
for nonprofit organizations
over
$31 million
recovered for Medicaid
over
$29 million
in restitution to individuals
and businesses
In addition, Attorney General James secured up to
$289 million
to turn the tide on the opioid epidemic.
These funds will be collected and distributed in the years ahead.
Safeguarding the rights and interests of New York’s consumers
While the vast majority of businesses operate ethically and fairly, there are bad actors that try to take advantage of unwary consumers. Attorney General James is always on alert to advance economic justice and protect New Yorkers from fraudulent, deceptive or illegal conduct. She actively seeks out companies and individuals that try to prey on vulnerable consumers, bringing them to account to get justice for their victims. Whether she is suing a price-gouging business, demanding compensation for defrauded customers, protecting consumers from false advertising that takes their hard-earned dollars, or protecting consumers from hidden charges and fees, Attorney General James is vigilant in her protection of consumers.
SAFEGUARDING THE RIGHTS AND INTERESTS OF NEW YORK'S CONSUMERS
Defending small businesses from predatory practices
In March, Attorney General James sued over 30 companies and people who were cheating small businesses with fake loans disguised as cash advances, including Yellowstone Capital, Delta Bridge Funding, and others. These lenders charged incredibly high interest rates — up to 820% per year — on short-term loans they claimed were merchant cash advances (MCAs). By December, Attorney General James had reached a huge $1 billion settlement with Yellowstone and two of its leaders. As a result of her lawsuit, Yellowstone canceled over $500 million in debt owed by small businesses, paid over $16 million to be returned to those businesses, and can no longer offer MCAs. For years, these lenders had been tricking businesses, forcing many of them to close – including a popular Manhattan bakery, City Bakery, which closed in 2019 because they had been paying more than $2,000 every day to these lenders. Before filing the lawsuit, Attorney General James negotiated settlements with five individuals, requiring them to pay $3.37 million to return to the businesses they harmed.
Attorney General James also successfully recovered over $4.6 million for small businesses from a company that victimized them with equipment leases. Her efforts go back to 2020, when she won a lawsuit against Northern Leasing for trapping small businesses, like flower shops and restaurants, into overpriced leases that they could not cancel. Northern Leasing also victimized customers with lawsuits. Later in 2020, Attorney General James sued two other companies associated with Northern Leasing, NLS Equipment Finance and Leasing Expenses Company, for continuing the same deceptive businesses practices. She won that second lawsuit in 2021, when a court ordered these companies to stop their fraudulent activities. In September of this year, Attorney General James secured an additional $2.6 million from the Northern Leasing companies, adding to the $2 million collected in previous years. These funds further support small businesses harmed by these schemes.
SAFEGUARDING THE RIGHTS AND INTERESTS OF NEW YORK'S CONSUMERS
Putting a stop to a nationwide swindler
In January, Attorney General James sued a financial company for running a fake debt-relief operation to swindle consumers out of more than $100 million. The company, StratFS, promised legal services to help consumers negotiate lower debts. In reality, StratFS created a network of shell companies that it directed consumers to, ultimately tricking consumers to make most of their payments to company fees rather than creditors. In many cases, most of their payments – as much as 93.5 percent – went to paying fees. Attorney General James brought the lawsuit with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and a coalition of U.S. attorneys general.
SAFEGUARDING THE RIGHTS AND INTERESTS OF NEW YORK'S CONSUMERS
Taking on corporate giants to protect consumers
In May, Attorney General James sued Live Nation Entertainment and its subsidiary Ticketmaster for monopolizing the entertainment industry and harming consumers. She joined the U.S. Department of Justice and a bipartisan group of 30 attorneys general in suing the companies for controlling almost every aspect of live events – from promotions to venues to ticket sales. The lawsuit alleges that the companies abuse their market dominance to overcharge consumers, hamper artists’ ability to choose venues, and prevent some venues from working with competing ticketing vendors. The companies own or control of hundreds of venues and handle nearly 80 percent of the ticketing for live events. They have been using this power to edge competitors out of the market; limit consumers’, venues’, and artists’ options; and force consumers to pay higher prices. New York is seeking to end Live Nation’s unlawful conduct and have the company compensate New Yorkers for its unjust gains and consumer damages.
Later in May, Attorney General James and a coalition of 50 attorneys general won more than $10 million from several wireless companies for false advertising. Of this amount, New York will receive $520,000. AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile USA, and Verizon Wireless and their subsidiaries had made false claims about “unlimited” data plans that were actually limited. Among other misleading claims, the companies advertised “free” phones that came at a cost and claimed that customers could switch easily among service carriers. In addition to the financial penalty, the companies must also ensure that their advertisements are truthful, accurate, and not misleading. They must clarify the limits on data, the conditions for receiving “free” devices or services, and the requirements for switching among carriers. In addition, they must explain the details behind any “savings” claims.
In August, a district court found that Google has maintained an illegal monopoly of online search engines. The court sided with Attorney General James and a coalition of attorneys general that sued the company for its monopolistic practices. For years, the company used its influence and wealth to prevent other companies from competing with it for search capabilities. The district court is now considering the appropriate remedy for Google’s illegal conduct. A trial on remedies will be held in 2025.
SAFEGUARDING THE RIGHTS AND INTERESTS OF NEW YORK'S CONSUMERS
Catching an art auctioneer for cheating on sales tax laws
Sotheby's, a major art auction house, was involved in a scheme to help clients cheat on their taxes. They helped clients avoid paying sales tax, sometimes on art purchases worth millions of dollars, by falsely claiming the art was for resale.
In November, Attorney General James secured $6.25 million from Sotheby’s for this fraudulent and illegal conduct. In addition to making the payment, Sotheby’s also agreed to train its employees not to break tax laws.
SAFEGUARDING THE RIGHTS AND INTERESTS OF NEW YORK'S CONSUMERS
Reforming National Rifle Association’s governance and transparency
Attorney General James achieved significant victories in her efforts to secure justice for NRA members who had been misled by the organization's misuse of their donations. After exposing how NRA leaders, including Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre, misappropriated funds for personal expenses, Attorney General James sued and her victory in court made the NRA take accountability measures that transformed the organization for the better. LaPierre resigned in January 2024 but faced a court order in February to pay $4.3 million in damages, and Chief Financial Officer Wilson “Woody” Phillips was ordered to pay $2 million. Both were barred from nonprofit leadership for a decade. Additionally, Executive Director Joshua Powell agreed to pay $100,000 for his role in mismanagement. In December, a court required the NRA to implement sweeping reforms, including improved transparency, election oversight, and the appointment of an independent consultant. These measures are aimed at protecting members and ensuring that the organization operates ethically moving forward.
SAFEGUARDING THE RIGHTS AND INTERESTS OF NEW YORK'S CONSUMERS
Giving New Yorkers a reason to smile
In December, Attorney General James recovered $4.8 million for more than 28,000 consumers nationwide, including 2,265 New Yorkers, who were improperly charged by the bankrupt dental company SmileDirectClub. The company filed for bankruptcy in September 2023 and shut down permanently in December 2023. However, it told consumers to continue paying for services – even if they had not completed their treatments. Attorney General James warned SmileDirectClub to stop billing the consumers for services they could no longer receive. The company’s secured lenders and payment processor agreed to refund patients who were wrongfully charged.
SAFEGUARDING THE RIGHTS AND INTERESTS OF NEW YORK'S CONSUMERS
Recovering millions in unclaimed gift card funds for New Yorkers
In December, Attorney General James won nearly $4.4 million for New Yorkers from a gift card company. The company, Card Compliant LLC, had knowingly helped retailer H&M illegally keep millions of dollars of unused gift-card funds. H&M had been withholding unused gift-card funds for years – money that should have been turned over to the state’s Office of Unclaimed Funds. Instead, H&M gave the impression that Card Compliant, an out-of-state company, was handling the money and did not have to follow New York laws. In 2022, Attorney General James also recovered more than $36 million from H&M.
SAFEGUARDING THE RIGHTS AND INTERESTS OF NEW YORK'S CONSUMERS
Busting fraud in consumers’ leasing contracts
In August, Attorney General James sued a company for misleading consumers about “leased” products and services. Acima deceived more than 100,000 New Yorkers by leasing items that could not be returned, charging more than the legal maximum, and misleading people about the cost of financing. Many New Yorkers signed contracts that charged them more than double the price of items they were trying to buy. Acima, which contracts with retailers to offer financing for products like furniture, eyeglasses, appliances, and tires, tricked consumers into thinking that they were getting a loan or credit. Instead, Acima’s contracts were so-called “leases” that charged consumers interest rates of 100% or more.
In addition to charging consumers much more than they should have for items, Acima “leased” items like tires and mattresses that could never be returned. This violated the terms of a leasing agreement. Acima also charged customers for merchandise that was never delivered or that arrived damaged, threatened to sue consumers and repossess items, and debited bank or credit card accounts even after consumers had revoked the authorization to do so. The company used many other ruses to hide markups and fees and omit legal disclosures.
SAFEGUARDING THE RIGHTS AND INTERESTS OF NEW YORK'S CONSUMERS
Halting an Ivy Leaguer’s Ponzi scheme
Attorney General James stopped a fraudster who had been using his business-school connections to lure investors into an illegal Ponzi (pyramid) scheme. Vladimir Artamonov used his standing as a graduate of Harvard Business School (HBS) to trick HBS alumni into giving him their investments. He promised investors unrealistic returns. He claimed to have advance knowledge of investments made by Berkshire Hathaway, a powerful multinational company led by renowned investor Warren Buffett. Artamonov, who had no such knowledge, invested in short-term options that had no relation to Berkshire Hathaway. To cover up his losses, Artamonov repeatedly took money from new investors to pay his old investors. In February, Attorney General James obtained a court order stopping Artamonov and the scheme from further hurting victims. The court order prevented Artamonov from depleting his bank and brokerage accounts. Since Artamonov began his scam in 2021, he had defrauded at least 29 investors of more than $2.9 million. The scheme came tragically to Attorney General James’ attention when one of the victims took his own life after losing more than $100,000 to Artamonov.
SAFEGUARDING THE RIGHTS AND INTERESTS OF NEW YORK'S CONSUMERS
Recovering more than $2.25 million for defrauded car buyers
This year, Attorney General James recovered more than $2.25 million from seven Nissan dealerships in New York City and Long Island that defrauded their customers. In March, Attorney General James recovered more than $1.9 million from car dealers for cheating more than 1,100 consumers who wanted to buy cars they had leased. At five Nissan dealerships in New York City and Long Island, the customers were told they could purchase their leased cars for a specified price after their leases ended. But, at the end of their leases, they were given inflated prices or prices loaded with bogus “administrative” fees. Some dealers illegally inflated government fees – for example, charging $300 for a $37 state-inspection fee, or $500 for a $50 title fee. Some customers were overcharged as much as $7,000 on an $18,000 car. The dealerships agreed to pay more than $1.6 million to the customers plus a penalty of $340,000.
In addition, Attorney General James secured more than $350,000 in June from two other Long Island Nissan dealerships that similarly overcharged New Yorkers who wished to buy their leased cars. When the consumers asked to purchase the cars after their leases ended, the dealerships added junk fees or inflated the purchase prices.
SAFEGUARDING THE RIGHTS AND INTERESTS OF NEW YORK'S CONSUMERS
Returning funds to a defrauded cemetery
Former leaders of Lutheran All Faiths Cemetery in Queens stole millions of dollars of charitable donations to the cemetery. In November, Attorney General James secured nearly $1.6 million from former All Faiths’ leaders and returned the funds to the cemetery. Over the past few decades, these leaders had allowed the cemetery to fall into disrepair, while pocketing charitable funds for themselves. Attorney General James had previously secured more than $187,000 from other cemetery leaders for their illegal activities.
SAFEGUARDING THE RIGHTS AND INTERESTS OF NEW YORK'S CONSUMERS
Protecting consumers from price gouging nationwide
In October, Attorney General James led a coalition of 15 attorneys general in urging Congress to ban price gouging nationwide. Price gouging is already illegal in New York and most other U.S. states, but a national ban would allow states to work together more easily. In addition, national regulations would allow the federal government to address price gouging in nationwide supply chains.
This year, Attorney General James went after two companies that illegally raised prices of baby formula – an essential for many New York families. Walgreens and Marine Park both increased the price of baby formula, lining their own pockets at the expense of families trying to feed their infants. As a result of Attorney General James’ actions, the companies paid $125,000 in penalties and donated nearly 8,000 cans of baby formula to families in need throughout New York.
SAFEGUARDING THE RIGHTS AND INTERESTS OF NEW YORK'S CONSUMERS
Preventing unlicensed cannabis sales
Continuing to crack down on unlicensed cannabis stores, Attorney General James won $15.2 million from the owner of seven unlicensed cannabis dispensaries. In May, she secured the settlement against the owner, who had been selling products without a license at dispensaries in Cayuga, Oswego, and Wayne counties. The businesses had also been selling cannabis products to underage customers.
In October, Attorney General James secured a $9.5 million judgment against an Ontario County cannabis dispensary that was operating without a license. In June 2023, the Office of Cannabis Management ordered the dispensary’s owner to stop operating illegally. The dispensary ignored the warning and continued to operate until Attorney General James shut it down in November 2023. The judgment includes more than $1 million in illegal profits that the owner must pay for selling cannabis without a license, plus $8.4 million in penalties for continuing to operate after being ordered to stop.
SAFEGUARDING THE RIGHTS AND INTERESTS OF NEW YORK'S CONSUMERS
Holding a bank responsible for illegally freezing accounts
Pathward Bank illegally froze hundreds of customer accounts and turned over tens of thousands of dollars to debt collectors. In April, Attorney General James collected more than $700,000 from the bank in customer refunds and penalties. Pathward had violated the Exempt Income Protection Act, which forbids banks from freezing some accounts that contain certain government benefits or that include protected wages. The bank also illegally took money out of customers’ accounts to pay debt collectors. Pathward agreed to refund nearly $80,000 to 88 New York account holders and paid $627,000 to the state for breaking the law. It will also correct its policies to comply with the law.
SAFEGUARDING THE RIGHTS AND INTERESTS OF NEW YORK'S CONSUMERS
Protecting consumers from debt collectors’ harassment
Attorney General James recovered more than $650,000 from a debt-collection law firm that had been harassing vulnerable New Yorkers with frivolous lawsuits. The firm had sued hundreds of tenants on behalf of New York City landlords for issues that had already been resolved in court. The firm, Tromberg, Morris, & Poulin, and its subsidiary, Stephen Einstein & Associates, had also pursued New Yorkers for debts they had already fully or partially paid. In February, Attorney General James secured the funds for more than 4,000 New Yorkers and stopped the firm’s predatory behavior.
SAFEGUARDING THE RIGHTS AND INTERESTS OF NEW YORK'S CONSUMERS
Asking “How sick is that doggie in the window?”
Attorney General James won $300,000 in March from a Long Island pet store chain that knowingly sold diseased and dying puppies. Shake A Paw obtained puppies from puppy mills, or breeders that prioritized profits over the animals’ welfare, and kept the puppies in inhumane conditions. When customers took their sick puppies to the vet at their own expense, the stores refused to reimburse them. Many of the dogs died within days of being brought home. In reviewing the veterinary records of about 400 puppies, OAG investigators found that more than half had respiratory infections or were infected with parasites. Nearly 10 percent had pneumonia, which can be fatal. In addition to paying $300,000 to nearly 200 customers, the company must improve the living conditions for its puppies. It must stop all misleading marketing, including claiming that its dogs are “the healthiest” and from the “most trusted breeders.” It must also get its dogs from reputable breeders.
Fighting to keep New Yorkers safe every day
While the vast majority of businesses operate ethically and fairly, there are bad actors that try to take advantage of unwary consumers. Attorney General James is always on alert to advance economic justice and protect New Yorkers from fraudulent, deceptive or illegal conduct. She actively seeks out companies and individuals that try to prey on vulnerable consumers, bringing them to account to get justice for their victims. Whether she is suing a price-gouging business, demanding compensation for defrauded customers, protecting consumers from false advertising that takes their hard-earned dollars, or protecting consumers from hidden charges and fees, Attorney General James is vigilant in her protection of consumers.
FIGHTING TO KEEP NEW YORKERS SAFE EVERY DAY
Taking down deadly crime and drug rings across New York
This past year, Attorney General James’ Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF) continued its work of dismantling violent criminal organizations. Over the course of the year, OCTF broke up nine gun and drug trafficking rings in 14 counties throughout New York state, secured the indictments of 62 individuals, and convicted more than 119 individuals for their crimes. As a result of Attorney General James’ work with law enforcement partners around the state, significant amounts of illegal drugs and guns were seized over the course of the year: 383 firearms, 2.3 kilograms of heroin, 8.5 kilograms of fentanyl, approximately 24,000 fentanyl pills, 24 kilograms of cocaine, 18 kilograms of methamphetamine, and assets worth approximately $300,000 seized for forfeiture.
Attorney General James secured the sentencing of nine car thieves in March. The nine individuals operated as a coordinated ring to steal 45 cars over six months in 2020. They targeted cars in New York City and Westchester County. Using key-code information from illegal websites, the thieves created keys that allowed them to access the vehicles. They disabled the cars’ alarms, drove off with the vehicles, and resold them in the Dominican Republic. Teaming with the New York City Police Department (NYPD), OCTF led an intensive two-year investigation that involved the work of many law enforcement offices in New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Florida, as well as federal agencies.
Attorney General James secured the convictions of 12 people for flooding the Hudson Valley and Capital Region with illegal drugs. In April, after an 11-month investigation, Attorney General James recovered more than $1.3 million in heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine, some of which was disguised as prescription drugs. The investigators also recovered 39 firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and $120,000 in cash. The 12 people had been operating an illegal drug network throughout Ulster, Dutchess, and Saratoga counties. All 12 pleaded guilty to felony charges. Some received prison sentences of up to 10 years.
In June, Attorney General James secured indictments for 17 members of an alleged crime organization. The individuals, some of whom are alleged to be “soldiers” and associates of the Gambino crime family, were arrested for illegal gambling and loan sharking. The gambling operation involved more than $22.7 million in illegal bets and the loan-sharking operation involved more than $500,000 in illegal loans. Four of the individuals were also charged with operating an illegal mortgage-fraud scheme to buy a $600,000 house in New Jersey. The individuals conducted much of their business in shopping centers on Staten Island. The OAG worked with the NYPD, the New York Waterfront Commission, and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of the Inspector General. The investigation used a number of investigative tools, including court-authorized wiretaps and bugs, video surveillance, and search warrants.
In July, Attorney General James took down a trafficking ring that sold dozens of ghost guns and other firearms in Queens. Five individuals were charged in a 625-count indictment for illegally possessing and selling the weapons. The OAG’s investigators recovered 86 firearms that the individuals were selling in various locations around Queens, including at a playground and in the parking lot of a mall. The weapons included 3D-printed ghost guns assembled in Nassau County and firearms the traffickers had bought in Indiana, which has less restrictive gun laws than New York. The investigation, led by OAG, included Homeland Security Investigations New York and NYPD.
Also in July, Attorney General James took down a New York City trafficking ring that sold assault weapons, ghost guns, and cocaine. The OAG arrested 13 people and recovered 74 firearms, more than 2,100 rounds of ammunition, and 500 grams of cocaine with a street value of $15,700. The OAG and the U.S. Department of Justice had been investigating the crime ring since August 2023. The trafficking network arranged for firearms from a number of sources, including an individual in Florida, who would customize some of the firearms for sale. Other firearms were sourced in New Jersey, transported to New York City, and sold in Washington Heights. Altogether, the traffickers were charged with 358 crimes.
In October, Attorney General James took down a ring that was trafficking and selling firearms in Queens. Three individuals were charged with conspiring with each other and others to source firearms from North Carolina and transport them to New York for resale. They are facing maximum sentences of 25 years in prison. The OAG recovered 184 guns, including assault weapons, semiautomatic pistols, and revolvers, as well as high-capacity magazines and hundreds of ammunition rounds.
In November, Attorney General James secured the arrests of eight people who sold counterfeit oxycodone. The investigation resulted in the recovery of more than 5,000 counterfeit pills and over a kilogram of cocaine, three guns, and a high-capacity magazine. One of the people was also charged for a separate incident in March, in which they shot someone in Canarsie.
FIGHTING TO KEEP NEW YORKERS SAFE EVERY DAY
Promoting gun safety statewide with buybacks
To keep our communities safe, Attorney General James held gun buybacks all over New York state this year. These buybacks included events in Amsterdam, Saranac Lake, Kingston, Watervliet, Rochester, Peekskill, and Bohemia. Since taking office in 2019, she has removed more than 8,700 unwanted guns from New York communities.
FIGHTING TO KEEP NEW YORKERS SAFE EVERY DAY
Advocating for safer gun laws
Attorney General James is continuing her ongoing lawsuit against 10 sellers of ghost guns. In February, she won a major decision in February holding that these weapons are “firearms” under federal law and that the laws prohibiting them do not implicate anyone’s Second Amendment rights. In March, a court awarded Attorney General James a $7.8 million judgment against Indie Guns, one of the defendants in the lawsuit that operates from Florida. Indie Guns is also banned from selling unfinished frames and receivers in New York.
In addition to blatantly breaking the law by distributing these illegal gun components in New York, this company had boasted in its marketing that its products allowed customers to defy state laws. Attorney General James had previously obtained a preliminary court order preventing all of the companies in the lawsuit from selling ghost guns into New York. Indie Guns is the first company to receive a judgment.
In a major Second Amendment case, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a key federal law that prohibits people from owning guns if they are under a restraining order related to domestic violence. Attorney General James and a coalition of attorneys general had urged the court to uphold the law in United States v. Rahimi, pointing out that striking it down would put domestic-violence survivors in increased danger. The coalition pointed out that researchers had found that a domestic abuser is five times more likely to murder their intimate partner if there is a gun in the home. The attorneys general also reminded the court that 80 percent of these murder victims are women. An overwhelming number of victims are pregnant women and women of color.
In May, Attorney General James defeated an attempt to prohibit New York’s law requiring background checks for ammunition purchases. The U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York upheld each of the laws Attorney General James defended. The court found that the laws were “consistent with the well-recognized historical tradition of preventing dangerous individuals from possessing weapons.” Background checks are an important commonsense defense against dangerous weapons falling into the wrong hands.
In September, Attorney General James led a coalition of 22 attorneys general to support a rule that helps prevent illegal gun trafficking. The rule, from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), implements the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to expand when sellers must have a license and perform background checks on potential gun buyers. Attorney General James and the coalition argued that the rule is an important safeguard in preventing domestic abusers and other dangerous people from illegally getting guns.
Protecting access to safe and affordable homes
Deed thieves, predatory landlords, and fraudulent businesspeople are some of the bad actors eager to prey on New Yorkers. Attorney General James took important actions to get justice for cheated renters, sued landlords for endangering tenants with unsafe living conditions, and went after a home contractor who never delivered the services he’d promised. She also secured the convictions of deed thieves who stole people’s cherished homes and helped author stronger new laws to make it easier to prosecute these crimes.
PROTECTING ACCESS TO SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOMES
Returning affordable housing to New York City
In September, Attorney General James partnered with New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) to return more than 300 affordable-housing units to New York City. Back in 2022, Attorney General James had secured more than $4 million from the apartments’ previous owners to protect affordable housing. The former owners, who were affiliated with Sentinel Real Estate, had either illegally removed the units from rent regulation or illegally raised their rents. In addition, they had fraudulently inflated renovation costs for some rent-stabilized apartments so they could deregulate them. Since then, Attorney General James has worked with HCR and the new owners of the units to move these apartments back into rent regulation.
PROTECTING ACCESS TO SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOMES
Safeguarding New Yorkers’ homes against deed theft
As deed thieves grow in boldness and creativity, Attorney General James continues to bring them to account for stealing people’s precious homes.
Attorney General James coauthored a new law strengthening New Yorkers’ protections against deed theft. The law, which went into effect in July, makes deed theft a crime, and expands OAG’s ability to prosecute deed thieves. The new law seeks to prevent the theft of generational wealth from longtime homeowners and return stolen homes to its rightful owners. This new law, which makes deed theft a form of grand larceny, extends the statute of limitations to provide investigators more time to identify and investigate cases. In addition, OAG can prosecute deed theft alongside district attorney offices in New York.
Attorney General James secured the conviction and sentencing of two members of a deed theft ring that stole three homes in Queens. The thieves targeted homes with seniors and vulnerable owners and made more than $1 million in illegal profits from selling the houses. After a sale, they funneled the money from the sale into bank accounts and corporations that they set up and controlled. The ringleader created false identification documents, recruited imposters to appear at real estate closings and contract signings, and laundered the stolen proceeds from the deed thefts. He was sentenced in July to three to nine years in state prison. The other member, a disbarred attorney, forged documents and stole other attorneys’ identities. She was sentenced in September to one and a half to three years in state prison. Later in the year, OAG successfully moved to have two of the stolen properties returned to their rightful owners after the sentencing of the ringleaders.
In October, Attorney General James secured the arrest and indictment of deed thieves who stole a Bronx resident’s childhood home and scammed other consumers. The thieves tricked the homeowner into transferring her home to a shell company they controlled. One thief promised to transfer ownership to the owner’s sister, but never did. The thieves took out a mortgage on the property and now the property is in foreclosure. One of those deed thieves also victimized a vulnerable immigrant with special-needs children, and another immigrant family who just wanted to buy their first homes. The thief tricked them into giving their life savings to the thief. In a separate incident, the individual tricked another victim into lending her money for a fake real estate investment which was never repaid. The thief stole more than $250,000 from these victims.
PROTECTING ACCESS TO SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOMES
Protecting New Yorkers from the danger of lead paint
In March, Attorney General James announced a $310,000 settlement to reduce lead paint hazards in rental housing owned by a prominent Syracuse landlord, Todd Hobbs. The settlement also establishes a tenant-relief fund for families harmed by lead poisoning. The fund will compensate families whose children suffered lead poisoning while living in the landlord’s properties. The funds will also be used to identify and remediate lead hazards in these buildings. The OAG identified 413 lead-safety violations across these properties between 2015 and 2023, which contributed to at least 11 children being poisoned by lead. Most of the affected tenants were low-income families, predominantly from neighborhoods and communities of color.
In December, Attorney General James held Lilmor Management and its principal, Morris Lieberman, accountable for decades of poor conditions and dangerous lead paint in their 2,500 rent-stabilized apartments. Partnering with the Southern District of New York, Attorney James secured $6.5 million from Lilmor. More than $2.9 million of the funds will go to harmed tenants. In addition, Lilmor must improve all living conditions, including using a process more stringent than that required by local law to abate all lead paint in its residences.
PROTECTING ACCESS TO SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOMES
Suing a mobile park for endangering residents
In October, Attorney General James sued a mobile home park in Sullivan County for making renters live in dangerous conditions and charging illegal rent increases. Residents had raw sewage flowing into their homes, polluted drinking water, and sometimes no water at all. Some became sick from drinking contaminated water. Others had to drive long distances just to get clean water. One resident who suffered frequent sewage backups was told to simply push the sewage down a nearby drain. In addition, the park owners charged illegal fees and illegally raised rents. Attorney General James is seeking to have the park repair its infrastructure. She is also seeking $2.3 million in restitution for residents and $295,000 in penalties. On December 31, 2024, the Sullivan County Supreme Court issued a preliminary order preventing the park owner from raising rents while the case was proceeding.
PROTECTING ACCESS TO SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOMES
Convicting a fraudulent contractor
In September, Attorney General James secured the conviction of a residential contractor for stealing more than $230,000 from homeowners in Western New York. The contractor had promised to build barns, garages, and decks for consumers, but failed to build or deliver anything and refused to issue refunds. He even created fraudulent invoices to cover his misdeeds. Instead of buying construction materials, he used the money to pay his own residence and car bills, make child support payments, buy miscellaneous items for his own use, send money to family members, and fund his own personal investments. He was convicted of grand larceny and fraud, fined more than $450,000, and received a sentence of four to eight years in state prison.
PROTECTING ACCESS TO SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOMES
Getting security deposits back for Plattsburgh renters
In December, Attorney General James recovered nearly $124,000 for renters from a landlord in Plattsburgh. In addition, the landlord must pay $100,000 in penalties to New York state. The landlord withheld security deposits from 150 tenants between June 2019 and May 2024. The landlord broke the law by not returning the tenants’ security deposits to them within 14 days of their vacating the rentals.
Defending the next generation
Attorney General James knows that young people are our future – and that they are vulnerable to all sorts of online dangers. That’s why she works hard every day to keep them safe. Whether its deadly TikTok “challenges” the promotion of unrealistic ideals of beauty and accomplishment, or intentional addictive feeds, social media is full of hidden hazards that can harm kids’ physical and mental health. Too often, young people do not have the experience and perspective to understand what is real and what isn’t, or to reject unrealistic ideals they see in their online role models. Worse yet, irresponsible businesses take advantage of kids’ vulnerability just to make money. Whether she is investigating a company for deliberately addicting children to news feeds or calling for national warning labels on social media, Attorney General James is constantly on the alert for anything that can harm our young people’s health and happiness.
DEFENDING THE NEXT GENERATION
Safeguarding kids’ mental health online
Attorney General James co-authored two new laws to protect children and teens online. The Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act and the New York Child Data Protection Act were both signed into law this year.
The SAFE Act, sponsored by Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymember Nily Rozic, requires social media companies to restrict the addictive content they provide to people under 18 years of age. The New York Child Data Protection Act, also sponsored by Senator Gounardes and Assemblymember Rozic, prevents companies from collecting, using, sharing, or selling the personal data of anyone under 18 without permission or unless the information is strictly needed to operate the company’s website. These laws allow New York to provide the strongest protections in the U.S. to defend young people from the dangers of social media.
DEFENDING THE NEXT GENERATION
Suing out TikTok for lying about protecting kids
Attorney General James led a coalition of 14 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against TikTok for harming young people’s mental health. The lawsuit, filed in October, allege that the social media giant makes false and misleading claims about protecting children and teens. The platform’s unrealistic standards of popularity and beauty harm many young users’ self-esteem, leading to spiraling anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and self-harm. TikTok adopted addictive features to encourage young people to stay on the site for hours, viewing increasingly harmful content. In addition, the complaint alleges that young users can easily bypass TikTok’s “safety measures” that supposedly protect children and teens. The platform also targets young children and captures their personal information. In her lawsuit, Attorney General James seeks to recover financial penalties and stop the platform’s addictive and dangerous practices.
DEFENDING THE NEXT GENERATION
Ensuring clean air for school children
Four New York City bus companies agreed to stop illegally idling their school buses in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color in the outer boroughs. Attorney General James secured agreements in June that require the companies to invest up to $2 million to upgrade their fleets. Idling vehicles produce dangerous emissions that are the largest contributor to the city’s air pollution. The children of these communities already experience high levels of asthma and other respiratory illnesses. The bus companies will purchase new electric vehicles or electrify part of their existing fleets. They will also install automatic-shutoff mechanisms for idling on their existing buses and will train drivers to avoid idling.
DEFENDING THE NEXT GENERATION
Demanding transparency from the Catholic Church
In April, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn committed to reforms and will now be overseen by an independent, secular monitor after an investigation by Attorney General James. For years, the diocese mismanaged cases of sexual abuse by clergy and did not properly investigate or respond to abuse complaints. For example, when a priest admitted to abusing children, the diocese kept his confession secret and did not remove him from the priesthood for 15 years. The diocese allowed another priest who had abused children since the 1980s to continue working unmonitored until 2018. The independent, secular monitor will oversee the diocese’s policies and procedures and report annually on its handling of sexual abuse. The diocese will have stronger policies and procedures for handling sexual-abuse cases. It will create new offices and positions devoted to the safety of minors and other vulnerable people. In addition, it will hire a clergy monitor with experience in law enforcement or counseling to oversee plans for priests accused of sexual abuse.
Providing digital security for New Yorkers
Our lives are more intertwined with technology than ever before. We rely on smartphones, computers, and the internet for work, communication, and entertainment. Our personal information is constantly collected and stored, making it a valuable target for hackers and other malicious actors and making us more vulnerable to cybercrimes. Attorney General James never stops her pursuit of cybercriminals and negligent companies that fail to protect their customers’ data. In 2024, Attorney General James secured over 13.1 million from 13 data breaches. Whether she is demanding accountability from businesses that compromise New Yorkers’ personal information, helping consumers and businesses understand how technology keeps them safe online, or getting free credit monitoring for consumers, Attorney General James is always on the watch to keep New Yorkers safe.
PROVIDING DIGITAL SECURITY FOR NEW YORKERS
Preventing cybercriminals from taking up residence in hotel databases
A Marriott International subsidiary let cybercriminals invade its customer database for four years. In October, Attorney General James and a coalition of 50 attorneys general settled with Marriott for $52 million. Of this amount, New York received $2.29 million. Between 2014 and 2018, intruders were able to access and stay on the Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide databases. The criminals accessed more than 131.5 million customers’ sensitive information, including contacts, birth dates, passport numbers, and payment-card information. In addition to the settlement amount, the agreement requires Marriott to strengthen its information security and practices, as well as increase its oversight of vendors and franchise owners.
PROVIDING DIGITAL SECURITY FOR NEW YORKERS
Protecting consumers’ personal information with auto insurers
Attorney General James, working with the Department of Financial Services, secured $11.3 million in November from two auto insurers for failing to protect New Yorkers’ personal data. GEICO’s and Travelers’ poor data-security measures allowed hackers to steal consumers’ personal information from online insurance-quoting applications. In addition, the hackers used the GEICO information to file fraudulent claims for unemployment insurance during the COVID-19 pandemic. The OAG’s investigation found that the companies had not used sufficient data-security controls to defend consumers’ information. About 116,000 GEICO consumers and 4,000 Travelers consumers had their data compromised. In addition to paying the penalties, the companies will strengthen their cybersecurity practices.
In December, Attorney General James won $500,000 from an auto insurer, Noblr, that failed to protect consumers’ data. Scammers exposed the personal information of more than 80,000 New Yorkers. They were trying to steal driver license numbers and birth dates from online auto-insurance apps. The scammers used some of the information to file fraudulent unemployment claims during the COVID-19 pandemic.
PROVIDING DIGITAL SECURITY FOR NEW YORKERS
Holding an ENT to account for endangering patient data
Attorney General James secured $2.75 million in October from an Albany health care provider that failed to protect its patients’ personal information. Albany ENT & Allergy Services was subject to two cyberattacks that compromised the data of more than 200,000 patients. The OAG’s investigation found that the business did not adequately safeguard the data or respond to the attacks. In addition to a $500,000 penalty, it will invest $2.25 million to improve its information-security practices.
PROVIDING DIGITAL SECURITY FOR NEW YORKERS
Safeguarding biotech patients’ personal data
In August, Attorney General James secured $4.5 million from biotechnology company Enzo for neglecting the safety of patient data. Enzo, which offers diagnostic testing, did not take proper precautions to protect its patients’ health information. Cyberattackers took advantage of the company’s poor data-security practices to carry out a ransomware attack that breached the data of about 2.4 million patients, including more than 1.4 million New Yorkers. The compromised information included names, addresses, birth dates, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, and medical information. The cyberattackers broke into the company’s networks in 2023, using login credentials that had been unsafely shared among multiple Enzo employees. In addition to letting employees unsafely share logins, the company also allowed them to use passwords that had not been changed for more than 10 years. Because it had no way to monitor or flag suspicious activity, the company did not even notice the ransomware attack for several days. The attorneys general of Connecticut and New Jersey worked with Attorney General James on the settlement with the company.
PROVIDING DIGITAL SECURITY FOR NEW YORKERS
Enforcing data-security laws against a health care provider
In January, Attorney General James reached an agreement with Refuah Health Center Inc., which will pay $450,000 in penalties and costs and will also invest $1.2 million to strengthen its data protection. A health care provider in the Hudson Valley, Refuah was subject to a ransomware attack in 2021. Attorney General James found that the business had failed to protect its patients’ private information. This failure to protect compromised the information of about 250,000 New Yorkers.
PROVIDING DIGITAL SECURITY FOR NEW YORKERS
Demanding responsibility for neglected patient data
Attorney General James recovered $550,000 in December from a health care company for endangering New Yorkers’ personal and medical data. HealthAlliance failed to address a vulnerability in its system pointed out by one of its vendors. This weakness allowed cyberattackers to compromise the personal and medical information of over 240,000 HealthAlliance patients. Between September and October 2023, cyberattackers were able to infiltrate the vulnerability in HealthAlliance’s system and steal sensitive information, including patient records, employee data, and other sensitive information. In addition to paying the penalty, the company agreed to strengthen its cybersecurity practices.
PROVIDING DIGITAL SECURITY FOR NEW YORKERS
Suing Citibank for failing to protect and reimburse victims of electronic fraud
Attorney General James sued Citibank in January for failing to protect its clients from fraud. Because of the bank’s conduct, New York consumers have lost millions of dollars to scammers and hackers. Attorney General James’ investigation found that the bank did not use strong online protections to defend its customers’ accounts. In addition, Citibank disregarded clients’ concerns that their accounts had been hacked. Some customers lost their life savings. When they asked the bank for help, Citibank denied their fraud claims and refused to reimburse them as required by law. Attorney General James seeks to have Citibank pay back defrauded customers with interest, pay penalties, and increase its online protections.
Helping New Yorkers navigate the future of artificial intelligence (AI)
Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere – helping people conduct web searches, develop content, and run automated processes. With the explosive growth of this transformative technology, Attorney General James is working to ensure that New Yorkers understand the opportunities and risks of AI. In August, Attorney General James published a report about AI’s benefits and risks. This report summarized symposium presentations that her office hosted, when academics, policymakers, advocates, and industry experts discussed the present and future of AI. They spoke about potential uses of AI, such as enhancing health care services, helping consumers quickly access important information, generate computer code, and automate data-intensive tasks. At the same time, using AI can introduce big risks, such as making programs biased against certain types of people, unintentionally manufacturing misinformation, and creating deepfake media that could be especially dangerous during elections or times of crisis. In addition to safeguarding the public by promoting and enforcing industry regulations, OAG aimed to raise New Yorkers’ awareness of AI’s promises, limitations, and drawbacks.
Cracking down on cryptocurrency fraud
Cryptocurrency is a growing new market that claims to be the future of the financial system. Currently, however, its promise is untested and it can be dangerous with few regulations and safeguards. Attorney General James supports innovation in this market, while remaining watchful of any cryptocurrency developments that harm New Yorkers. She tirelessly goes after bad actors who try to defraud investors out of their hard-earned savings and advocates for stronger laws to help safeguard New Yorkers who buy and trade cryptocurrencies.
CRACKING DOWN ON CRYPTOCURRENCY FRAUD
Securing landmark settlements that resulted in billions in recoveries for investors
In May, Attorney General James secured a settlement worth $2 billion with cryptocurrency firm Genesis. At least 29,000 New Yorkers invested more than $1.1 billion with Genesis through the Gemini Earn program. The companies hid more than $1.1 billion in losses from hundreds of thousands of investors across the country. When the program collapsed, investors were unable to retrieve their money. Attorney General James secured a landmark settlement with Genesis Global Capital, Genesis Asia Pacific, and Genesis Global Holdco to establish a victims fund for the investors. In addition to having to pay the victims, Genesis is banned from operating in New York.
Attorney General James also recovered about $50 million from Gemini Trust for violations related to the Gemini Earn program. The program allowed people to invest in another company, Genesis. Gemini portrayed its Earn program as having a low level of risk. When the program collapsed, investors were unable to retrieve their money. In addition to paying people back their money, Gemini is barred from operating any cryptocurrency lending program in New York.
CRACKING DOWN ON CRYPTOCURRENCY FRAUD
Suing a fraudulent crypto company for victimizing immigrants
In June, Attorney General James sued two cryptocurrency companies, their founders, and their promoters for defrauding thousands of investors of more than $1 billion. She sued the companies, AWS Mining and NovaTech, for using illegal pyramid schemes and targeting immigrant communities, particularly Haitians. Attorney General James seeks to have NovaTech’s founders banned from doing business in New York and from using multilevel marketing schemes. The lawsuit also aims to recover money for the investors and pay them damages.
Advancing equity and fairness for all
Attorney General James always fights for fair and equal treatment of all New Yorkers. No matter your race, gender, ethnicity, or religion, Attorney General James will always fight for your equal protection under the law.
PROTECTING ACCESS TO SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOMES
Stopping discrimination against low-income renters
In February, Attorney General James stopped a New Rochelle real estate broker and his companies from discriminating against low-income renters. The broker had been refusing to rent to people who received financial assistance under Section 8, a federal program that provides low-income individuals financial aid for decent, safe housing. Under the settlement negotiated by Attorney General James, the broker and his staff must undergo antidiscrimination training. In addition, he must pay $40,000 to New York and rent to nine tenants with Section 8 or other government assistance.
In August, Attorney General James secured $400,000 from a New York City company for prospective renters it had harmed. The company, Shamco Management, violated human rights laws by refusing to rent to or ignoring applicants with housing vouchers. It also artificially inflated rents above voucher thresholds, lied to voucher holders that an apartment was already rented, and used other discriminatory practices. Refusing to rent to a family because of their source of income is illegal in New York. In addition to paying the prospective renters, the company also agreed to rent at least 65 units to tenants with housing vouchers and offer them at least one renewal lease.
ADVANCING EQUALITY AND FAIRNESS FOR ALL
Ending discrimination against workers with criminal backgrounds
In May, Attorney General James reached a settlement with a food delivery business for its discriminatory practices. In 2022, DoorDash rejected about 3,000 job applicants because of their previous convictions. It is illegal to refuse to hire a job applicant because of their criminal history without a valid reason. DoorDash agreed to pay $75,000, which will be returned to the rejected applicants. The company will also change its hiring policies to prevent discriminating against applicants for their past records.
ADVANCING EQUALITY AND FAIRNESS FOR ALL
Protecting voting rights and combating voter intimidation
Two conspiracy theorists must pay $1 million or more to New York state for trying to discourage Black New Yorkers from voting in the 2020 general election. Under the agreement that Attorney General James secured in April, Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman have to pay up to $1.25 million if they miss the deadline to pay $1 million by the end of 2024. The conspiracy theorists targeted Black voters with robocalls full of false information. The robocalls threatened the voters with persecution by police, debt collectors, and others if they tried to vote. As a result of the threats, at least one New Yorker suffered severe anxiety and distress, and canceled his voter registration.
Attorney General James defended the New York Early Mail Voter Act, which provides for mail-in voting. In August, she won a court ruling that upheld the law after opponents sued to severely limit voters’ ability to vote by mail in New York. Under the law, all eligible New York voters can vote by mail in multiple elections, including presidential primaries and special elections to fill vacancies in state government.
Attorney General James operated the election protection hotline during primary and general elections in 2024, fielding over 1,000 complaints and questions from voters.
Championing environmental protection across New York
New Yorkers’ health and environment are constantly under attack – whether by pollution from industries, illegal dumping and construction, lead-contaminated housing and food, dangerous emissions from truck and auto traffic, fouling of our waterways from plastic waste, or increasing heat and extreme storms caused by climate change. Attorney General James works tirelessly to hold the powerful accountable for breaking environmental laws and harming our health, protect and enhance our natural areas and communities, and eliminate unfair pollution burdens borne by our most vulnerable residents.
CHAMPIONING ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACROSS NEW YORK
Stopping illegal pollution in Saugerties
Attorney General James secured $8 million in May from Saugerties property owners who broke waste-disposal laws. Joseph and Rachel Karolys accepted unauthorized construction and demolition waste from New York City at one of their sites. They then transported the waste to two other sites they owned. Waste from urban sites like New York City is more likely to contain petroleum and other hazardous materials, compared to more rural areas like Saugerties. The Karolys’ sites were not equipped to handle these higher levels of contaminants. In addition, they had been operating their sites without required water and pollution-control permits from the state. Over three years, they had illegally accepted about 100,000 cubic yards of this waste. In addition to paying the penalty, they must completely clean up the sites.
CHAMPIONING ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACROSS NEW YORK
Returning ancestral lands to the Onondaga Nation
In October, Attorney General James helped return more than 1,000 acres of ancestral lands in Central New York to the Onondaga Nation, one of the largest land returns by a state to an indigenous people. The resource-rich land includes the headwaters of Onondaga Creek, wetlands, floodplains, and forests that are key to preserving the environment in the Tully Valley. After being used for underground salt mining for industrial use for generations, the land will be cared for by the Onondaga Nation. The land transfer was a collaboration between Attorney General James and Governor Kathy Hochul, DEC, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Tadodaho Sidney Hill of the Onondaga Nation in the land transfer.
CHAMPIONING ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACROSS NEW YORK
Cleaning toxic waste from soil and groundwater in Queens
In July, Attorney General James secured an agreement with four companies to clean up a Queens scrap yard they had polluted and pay $210,000 in penalties. LSM Auto Parts & Recycling, BGN Real Estate, and two related companies had been releasing toxic automobile fluids at a vehicle scrap yard. For years, the companies ignored regulations for proper disposal of the waste. Employees spilled gas, oil, and antifreeze repeatedly onto the street, where it ran into storm drains that empty into New York waterways. Employees also drained vehicle fluids directly onto the ground instead of using waste containers, allowing chemicals to contaminate soil and groundwater. The companies ignored warnings about their illegal practices and even paved over the site to hide the pollution. The site is near low-income communities and communities of color.
CHAMPIONING ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACROSS NEW YORK
Saving precious wetlands from illegal construction damage
In November, Attorney General James secured $121,000 from a contractor who illegally built on protected wetlands in Long Island. Anthony Labriola and his companies built a construction-vehicle parking lot and storage facility in West Babylon. He built on land that provides valuable wildlife habitat and flood protection to New Yorkers. Labriola, in addition to paying the money, must restore the area to its former natural state.
CHAMPIONING ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACROSS NEW YORK
Restoring the Long Island Pine Barrens
In April, Attorney General James reached an agreement with a landscaping supplier who destroyed acres of protected land on Long Island. Stephen Affatato cut down trees, bulldozed and excavated soil, and cleared natural ground cover in the Long Island Pine Barrens. The Pine Barrens, Long Island’s last remaining wilderness, is located on top of the region’s largest source of drinking water. It is home to many endangered or threatened animals and plants. Affatato agreed to fully restore the site and pay $100,000 to New York.
Healing the ravages of the opioid crisis
The makers, distributors, and sellers of opioids have caused irrevocable damage to New Yorkers. Attorney General James has secured billions of dollars to heal those harmed by the opioid crisis. She has been bringing this money to communities to fund treatment and prevention efforts. Through her relentless pursuit of negligent and abusive pharmaceutical companies and retailers, Attorney General James finds and retrieves funds to ensure that New York’s communities get the help they need to heal.
HEALING THE RAVAGES OF THE OPIOID CRISIS
Making an advertiser answer for its role in opioids
In February, Attorney General James led a national coalition of attorneys general to secure $350 million from advertiser Publicis Health for fueling the opioid crisis. Publicis developed dangerous marketing strategies for Purdue Pharma and other pharmaceutical companies. To increase sales of OxyContin and other addictive drugs, Publicis designed deceptive, predatory marketing campaigns that claimed the drugs were safe and could not be abused. New York received more than $19 million from the settlement to fund programs for treatment and prevention of opioid use. This is the first settlement with an advertising firm for its role in the epidemic.
HEALING THE RAVAGES OF THE OPIOID CRISIS
Penalizing a drug manufacturer for its part in the opioid epidemic
In May, Amneal Pharmaceuticals agreed to pay up to $270 million for its part in the opioid crisis. Amneal was one of the country’s largest producers between 2006 and 2019. Attorney General James and a national coalition of attorneys general alleged that Amneal had failed to report suspicious orders placed by its customers. Such reporting is required by federal law. Over 10 years, the company will pay $92.5 million and provide $180 million in naloxone to state and local governments.
In July, opioid manufacturer Indivior agreed to pay up to $86 million for its role in the national opioid epidemic. Indivior targeted its sales to dangerous prescribers who worsened the opioid problem, sometimes making it difficult for people with opioid use disorder to access the medication they needed. In addition, the company ignored suspicious orders that allowed the drugs to be inappropriately prescribed. The $86 million will go to New York and several other states that participated in the lawsuit against Indivior.
Supporting the health and well-being of New Yorkers every day
Professional health care services are essential to ensure everyone’s health and well-being. Attorney General James’ work protects New Yorkers’ access to good, affordable health care. She is constantly on the alert for bad actors who defraud Medicaid, businesses that cheat patients out of services, products with false claims, and unlicensed providers. Her relentless efforts are all part of her dedication to keeping New Yorkers healthy.
SUPPORTING THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF NEW YORKERS EVERY DAY
Getting justice for consumers harmed by talc
In June, Attorney General James and a coalition of 42 attorneys general secured $700 million from Johnson & Johnson for deceptive marketing of talc, a dangerous product. Talc can cause cancer and often contains asbestos, a known carcinogen. Johnson & Johnson had advertised that its baby powder and deodorant powder could safely be used in the genital area. Consumers who used these products in the genital area may have developed ovarian cancer as a result. The company specifically targeted communities of color in its marketing and continued to sell the talc-containing items until 2020. In addition to paying $700 million, Johnson and Johnson is required to stop manufacturing and selling products with talc in the United States.
SUPPORTING THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF NEW YORKERS EVERY DAY
Making drug companies take responsibility for manipulating prices
In November, Attorney General James and a coalition of 50 attorneys general secured $49.1 million from two drug companies that manipulated drug prices. Heritage Pharmaceuticals and Apotex Inc. artificially inflated prices by as much as 1,000 percent. They also reduced competition and limited trade for dozens of generic drugs essential to treat a wide variety of diseases, ranging from diabetes and cancer to ADHD. The companies connected with dozens of industry executives for years at industry dinners, cocktail parties, and golf outings to manipulate prices.
SUPPORTING THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF NEW YORKERS EVERY DAY
Stopping fraudsters who targeted HIV patients
In November, a former pharmacy owner was sentenced to prison time for stealing more than $11.5 million from Medicaid. The pharmacy owner preyed on low-income HIV patients who needed life-saving medications. In addition to stealing from Medicaid, he put the health of these vulnerable patients at risk. He and his associates paid kickbacks to the patients to use certain pharmacies in New York City and Westchester County. They offered to buy legitimate prescriptions from the HIV patients for cash. They then filled the patients’ prescriptions with unsafe medications they had bought from the black market or from other patients. The owner billed Medicaid more than $11.5 million for these drugs. He has been sentenced to two to six years in prison for his thefts.
SUPPORTING THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF NEW YORKERS EVERY DAY
Recovering money for patients decoyed with fake listings
In August, Attorney General James secured $1.5 million from a digital marketing company for deceiving tens of thousands of New Yorkers seeking mental health services. The company, 4K Apps Inc., displayed directories of health care facilities but listed phone numbers that went straight to its clients’ own websites instead. For example, a misleading website would list the Albany County Department of Mental Health with a phone number. Rather than reaching the facility they wanted, callers would be diverted to a 4K client company that offered limited services in a few locations and often accepted only cash or private insurance. To make matters worse, callers often were deceived into working with a company that did not meet their needs. In addition to paying the $1.5 million, the settlement requires 4K Apps to correct the misleading content on its websites.
SUPPORTING THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF NEW YORKERS EVERY DAY
Retrieving unfair pandemic charges and negotiating lower health care costs
In February, Attorney General James got refunds for patients who were wrongly charged for COVID-19 vaccines. Northwell Health-GoHealth Urgent Care clinics charged as many as 731 patients for vaccinations that should have been free. In addition, Northwell-GoHealth sent 72 of those patients to collection agencies. Because of Attorney General James’ actions, the company refunded the patients about $15,000 and will pay a penalty of $25,000.
In addition, Attorney General James obtained more than $1 million in April from Northwell Health for deceiving patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company advertised three of its emergency rooms in New York City and on Long Island as testing sites. However, patients who visited the sites only to get COVID-19 tests were billed for emergency visits. Northwell collected nearly $82,000 from more than 550 patients who received only COVID-19 tests at these locations. In addition, it charged other emergency-room patients for COVID-19 tests that should have been free. The company agreed to refund more than $400,000 to 2,048 patients. It will also pay $650,000 in fines to New York.
SUPPORTING THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF NEW YORKERS EVERY DAY
Retrieving Medicaid funds from an unlicensed provider
In September, Attorney General James recovered more than $7.6 million for Medicaid from an insurer that improperly paid an unlicensed practitioner with a criminal conviction. A social worker based in Central New York had been banned from the Medicaid program in 2017 after he was convicted of firing a BB gun at a child. However, Fidelis failed to implement the ban and continued to allow the social worker to receive Medicaid payments for services to its members for years afterward. Under the settlement that Fidelis reached with Attorney General James, the insurance company had to determine the Medicaid eligibility of all of its participating providers and subcontractors. Fidelis also had to terminate its provider agreements with any ineligible individuals and their companies.
SUPPORTING THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF NEW YORKERS EVERY DAY
Expanding access to affordable care and reducing medical debt
In June, Attorney General James entered into a historic agreement with Northwell Health to get lower-cost or free care for millions of New Yorkers. The agreement applies to uninsured and under-insured New Yorkers who earn less than five times the poverty level ($75,300 for an individual and $156,000 for a family of four). For patients who earn less than twice the federal poverty level, medical care will be free. Patients earning three to five times the federal poverty level will receive discounts. In addition, Northwell is assigning more employees to help patients apply for financial assistance and reducing its debt-collection efforts.
SUPPORTING THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF NEW YORKERS EVERY DAY
Safeguarding New Yorkers from health-insurance scams
In the fall, scammers are on the prowl to steal from New Yorkers seeking insurance plans through the Affordable Care Act marketplace. In November, Attorney General James alerted consumers about common health insurance scams. She advised them to look out for warning signs, such as scammers using fear or threats, offering gift cards, mentioning the term “Obamacare,” using fake websites, or charging fees to renew a plan. She listed useful websites and phone numbers to help New Yorkers get help in finding and enrolling in a legitimate plan.
Attorney General James is constantly on the alert for anyone who defrauds Medicaid and takes advantage of patients to carry out their illegal schemes. Some of her actions this year:
In May, Attorney General James secured $10.2 million in May from RiverSpring Living Holding and ElderServe Health, two healthcare companies that billed Medicaid for services they never delivered. Between 2012 and 2017, the companies billed Medicaid for patients in their long-term care plans, but did not provide the services. This illegal billing of Medicaid is fraudulent. Of the $10.2 million, $6.1 will go to New York state’s Medicaid program. The rest will go to the federal Medicaid program and to an internal whistleblower who alerted OAG to the fraud.
In June, Attorney General James secured the indictments of five medical-transport providers for stealing more than $4.4 million from Medicaid. The providers, who own seven transport companies, defrauded New York taxpayers by billing for trips or tolls that never happened. They also paid illegal kickbacks to patients for agreeing to use their services. Each pleaded guilty in December and will be banned from being providers in government-funded health plans. They must pay back $2 million to New York. Two of the individuals will serve prison time, and one of them will serve jail and probation.
Also in June, Attorney General James secured the indictments of two individuals who illegally billed Medicaid by greatly falsifying the mileage claimed when transporting Medicaid patients in Rensselaer County. Between December 2021 and March 2021, the individuals stole more than $650,000 from Medicaid. They pleaded guilty in November. One of them is serving jail time and then probation, and the other has been sentenced to probation.
In July, Attorney General James obtained indictments of the owners and managers of a medical-transport company for stealing more than $2.1 million from Medicaid. The individuals from Orange County billed for fake trips and added fake tolls to trips. All three pleaded guilty in October. They will be banned from being providers in all government-funded health plans. Both of the managers must pay back $2.1 million to Medicaid. One of them will serve prison time, and both will serve probation time.
Also in July, Attorney General James secured the indictment of an individual from Tompkins County for stealing more than $1 million from Medicaid. The indictment alleges that, from January 2019 to August 2023, the individual illegally paid Medicaid patients to use his services. Then, he greatly inflated the mileage of trips he made and invented fake trips, overcharging Medicaid for the services he actually provided.
Protecting New York’s seniors from exploitation and abuse
Seniors are at heightened risk of exploitation, particularly from negligent nursing homes and financial predators. From facilities that fail to provide proper care to individuals who prey on seniors through fraud and theft, older New Yorkers are especially vulnerable to abuse. Attorney General James is unwavering in her commitment to protecting them. She will not rest until she brings bad actors to accountability and delivers justice for the victims.
PROTECTING NEW YORK'S seniors FROM EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE
Demanding accountability for neglect and fraud at nursing homes
This year, Attorney General James secured groundbreaking settlements and court orders with six nursing homes, bringing meaningful reforms to keep residents safe and cared for. The homes had been neglecting residents, understaffing operations, and defrauding customers. In 2022 and 2023, OAG had sued seven homes and their owners, as well as other companies controlled by the owners or their family members. This year, as a result of Attorney General James’ legal actions, over 2,000 residents are now living in homes overseen by independent healthcare monitors in the Bronx, Queens, White Plains, Buffalo, and Nassau County. These monitors are making recommendations to improve care and staffing that the homes are required to implement. Additionally, Attorney General James secured tens of millions of dollars into resident care funds at five nursing homes to improving staffing and resident care. Five of the nursing homes also have independent monitors in place to prevent financial fraud.
PROTECTING NEW YORK'S seniors FROM EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE
Making criminal professionals pay for robbing senior clients
Attorney General James secured almost $6.3 million in April from an attorney and a financial advisor who had defrauded their senior clients. Richard J. Sherwood, an attorney in Guilderland, and Thomas K. Lagan, a financial advisor in Cooperstown, tricked their clients into putting their money into a trust that Sherwood and Lagan robbed. Philanthropists Warren and Pauline Bruggeman had written wills directing that most of their money go to local charities. After the Bruggemans passed away, Sherwood and Lagan convinced Pauline’s surviving sister, Anne Urban, to create a trust that named Sherwood and Lagan as beneficiaries. After Anne’s death, the two men paid themselves more than $11.8 million from the trust. They also conspired to defraud a third sister, Julia Rentz, who suffered from dementia. The nearly $6.3 million secured by OAG has gone to pay the original intended charities. The OAG continues working to recover the remaining money for the intended beneficiaries.
PROTECTING NEW YORK'S seniors FROM EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE
Charging a crooked family that stole from a 92-year-old
A father-and-daughter team stole more than a quarter of a million dollars from a senior victim in Ulster County. In August, Attorney General James secured the team’s arrest and indictment for the theft. Starting in 2021, the individuals gained the 92-year-old victim’s trust by providing lawn maintenance and household help. They gained control of the victim’s checkbook and financial accounts. The father got power of attorney over the senior’s finances, then worked with his daughter to steal from the victim’s accounts. With the victim’s life savings, the scammers bought themselves a new pickup truck, frequented casinos, and spent thousands of dollars at restaurants and stores. In November, the father-and-daughter team pleaded guilty, forfeited a bank account seized by the Attorney General containing over $92,000, and must pay $100,000 in additional restitution to the victim; they are scheduled to be sentenced next March.
Preserving crucial reproductive rights
Throughout the U.S., people’s ability to make their own decisions about how and when to have children is increasingly under fire. New Yorkers enjoy some of the strongest protections for reproductive rights, thanks in large part to Attorney General James’ work. Her efforts included making sure that voters had the opportunity this past November to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment to the State Constitution – which they did. Steadfastly defending people’s rights to make decisions about their own bodies and families, Attorney General James takes on many righteous battles – from standing up for abortion seekers, helpers, and providers, to advocating for maternal health and justice and dignity in childbirth and other ways to help people grow their families.
PRESERVING CRUCIAL REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
Combating oppressive travel bans
In January, Attorney General James opposed an Idaho law that would make it a crime to help a minor get an abortion in another state without their parents’ consent. She joined a group of 19 attorneys general urging a federal appellate court to block the law. In addition to endangering the health of the patients, the law could chill health care providers in many states, including New York. It demands sentences of two to five years in prison for anyone who helps a minor in this way. It would also allow the minor’s guardians to sue the person.
PRESERVING CRUCIAL REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
Advocating for IVF to help families have children
In April, Attorney General James called on Congress to protect families’ access to important procedures that help families have children, such as in-vitro fertilization. She led a coalition of 21 attorneys general urging Congress to pass the Access to Family Building Act, which would guarantee the right to access these services. These vital services have been under fire across the country. Procedures like IVF and other forms of assisted reproductive technology help people to grow their families. These procedures can be crucial to those who are otherwise unable to have children, such as cancer survivors, patients suffering infertility, same-sex couples, and single people who wish to parent on their own.
PRESERVING CRUCIAL REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
Calling out false and misleading claims about “abortion reversal”
In May, Attorney General James sued an antiabortion group and 11 crisis pregnancy centers throughout New York for making false and misleading statements to advertise “abortion pill reversal.” This method has never been proven safe or effective and may pose risks to consumers. Some centers offer to perform the treatment onsite. Others direct New Yorkers to Heartbeat International, an anti-abortion organization. Attorney General James alleged that publicizing this unproven, possibly unsafe procedure is fraudulent and false advertising.
PRESERVING CRUCIAL REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
Ensuring insurers cover birth control
In June, Attorney General James secured $1 million from UnitedHealthcare for failing to cover birth control through its health plans. This violates the state’s Comprehensive Contraceptive Coverage Act, which requires insurance plans to cover prescribed contraceptives without copays, restrictions, or delays. In addition to the $1 million penalty, UnitedHealthcare will refund consumers who had to pay for their contraceptives out-of-pocket because the company did not cover the full cost of FDA-approved contraceptives, as it was required to do.
PRESERVING CRUCIAL REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
Condemning cruel, deadly practices in emergency care
In October, Attorney General James, as she has done in the past, co-led a coalition of 24 attorneys general to support providing emergency abortion care to patients in Idaho. She urged a federal appellate court to uphold a partial injunction against the state’s abortion ban, which does not allow for abortion care in an emergency, denying patients’ rights under the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). The attorneys general pointed out that, in addition to endangering pregnant patients’ lives and health, the abortion ban can quickly overwhelm demand for health care in Idaho and neighbor states. Idaho’s policy forces health care providers to work under unacceptably difficult conditions to save patients’ lives and health. It has already caused an unacceptable number of health care professionals to leave the state.
Advocating for fair and safe workplaces across New York
Most employers provide a safe work environment and fair pay for good work. But, whenever an employer breaks labor laws, Attorney General James is there to ensure that employees get the fair conditions and wages they deserve. If a business is cheating its workers out of pay or benefits, requiring them to work in unsafe circumstances, or preventing them from competing in a fair labor market, be sure that Attorney General James will be there to fight until workers get the rights they deserve.
ADVOCATING FOR FAIR AND SAFE WORKPLACES ACROSS NEW YORK
Winning wages and benefits for health care workers
Attorney General James secured more than $17 million for more than 25,000 home health workers who were cheated by their employment agencies. NAE Edison and Assistcare Home Health Services (doing business as Edison Home Health Care and Preferred Home Care of New York) failed to pay the workers wages and benefits. Many of the workers are immigrant women and people of color. Instead of paying the workers or providing them with benefits like paid vacation, the agencies pocketed the money themselves. In addition to cheating the workers, the agencies defrauded Medicaid. As part of the settlement they reached with OAG in September, the agencies will pay $7.5 million to more than 25,000 current and former employees. They will also pay Medicaid $9.75 million.
ADVOCATING FOR FAIR AND SAFE WORKPLACES ACROSS NEW YORK
Getting back hard-earned tips for alcohol-delivery workers
Drizly, a now-defunct alcohol-delivery platform, deceived customers about how it distributed tips to workers. It encouraged customers to tip for deliveries, giving the impression that the tips would go directly to the workers who delivered the orders. Instead, Drizly sent the tips to store owners, who decided how to distribute the money. In December, Attorney General James recovered $4 million from Drizly that will go to cheated delivery workers.
ADVOCATING FOR FAIR AND SAFE WORKPLACES ACROSS NEW YORK
Winning back pay for building services workers
In March, Attorney General James secured almost $230,000 for seven security guards who were not being paid the prevailing wage required by law. From 2016 to 2019, the guards, who worked at a Chelsea condominium, were cheated out of their wages by their contracting firm and the condo’s board. Because of a tax break the condo had received in 2011, its owners were required to pay service workers prevailing wage. Allied Universal Security Services, the contracting firm that provided the security guards, paid the employees less than that amount. Some workers were cheated out of nearly $30,000 in fair pay.
ADVOCATING FOR FAIR AND SAFE WORKPLACES ACROSS NEW YORK
Stopping hurtful noncompete practices at Valvoline
Unfair noncompete agreements hurt workers by forcing them to stay in jobs they want to leave or preventing them from accepting a new job after they leave. These agreements also harm consumers by eroding competition in what should be an open market. Attorney General James and a coalition of six attorneys general secured an agreement with Valvoline to reform its unfair noncompete practices, which shackled employees for one year after they stopped working for the company. Under the illegal agreements, nearly 150 New York workers had to agree not to work in the oil-change business at any store within 100 miles of their Valvoline site for a year after leaving the company. In addition, they had to agree not to solicit current Valvoline workers or customers for the same yearlong period. The company has stopped the unfair practices. If it violates any of the settlement terms, Valvoline could be required to pay a $500,000 penalty.
ADVOCATING FOR FAIR AND SAFE WORKPLACES ACROSS NEW YORK
Recovering funds for cheated cellphone employees
A cellphone retailer had been robbing its employees of their wages and punishing them for complaining. In September, Attorney General James recovered $750,000 from Best Wireless for its illegal labor practices in New York City, Long Island, and Rockland County. Under former owner Nishant Garg, the company had been illegally deducting workers’ pay for missing merchandise and refusing to pay overtime or provide breaks. When employees complained to management or Verizon, they were harassed or fired. Some were threatened with legal action even after being fired. Under the settlement with OAG, Best Wireless paid $750,000 to OAG to be distributed to former and current employees harmed by the illegal practices. Garg, who sold the company, must notify OAG if he ever becomes an owner or senior manager in another New York company. Best Wireless is no longer a Verizon business.
ADVOCATING FOR FAIR AND SAFE WORKPLACES ACROSS NEW YORK
Ending harmful no-poach arrangements in building services
In December, Attorney General James ended illegal no-poach arrangements at a company that provides services to buildings. In a no-poach agreement, companies agree not to hire each other’s employees. Guardian Service Industries Inc., which provides services like maintenance and security to buildings, used these no-poach arrangements with some of its client buildings. This illegal practice decreases workers’ opportunities for career advancement and limits their ability to find better jobs, wages, and benefits. Attorney General James worked with the attorney general of New Jersey to negotiate the settlement with Guardian. The settlement ends Guardian’s no-poach practices and requires Guardian to notify the attorneys general if any of its competitors tries to enforce or start a no-poach agreement.
ADVOCATING FOR FAIR AND SAFE WORKPLACES ACROSS NEW YORK
Convicting a workers’ compensation thief
In December, Attorney General James secured the conviction of a corrupt medical biller who stole more than $1.1 million from Brooklyn orthopedists treating injured workers between 2012 and 2019. The biller submitted false claims for workers’ compensation to the New York State Insurance Fund. He diverted payments meant for the doctors to himself and used stolen funds to pay for luxury vehicles and vacations. The biller was convicted of felony insurance fraud, sentenced to five years’ probation, and ordered to pay $300,000 in restitution to the victimized doctors.
In December, Attorney General James stood in solidarity with Amazon Labor Union IBT Local 1, emphasizing that every worker deserves fair wages and safe working conditions.
Helping the immigrant community stay safe and secure
Immigrants are the backbone of society, providing a vital workforce and an untold wealth of culture and customs. They face new challenges in today’s environment, from facing barriers in communication and labor opportunities, to being victimized by fraudsters and targeted by politicians. Attorney General James works tirelessly to protect and uplift immigrant communities. Whether she is investigating businesses that prey upon immigrants or denouncing practices that tear immigrant families apart, she will always stand up for our vulnerable, precious friends and neighbors.
HELPING THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY STAY SAFE AND SECURE
Working to keep families together
Attorney General James led a group of 20 attorneys general in supporting efforts to keep immigrant families together. The coalition filed an amicus brief in October in a federal district court in Texas. The attorneys general urged the court to allow certain undocumented spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens to apply for permanent U.S. residence. Allowing these family members to apply for residency would help preserve family unity, a cherished American value.
HELPING THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY STAY SAFE AND SECURE
Halting scams against immigrants
Attorney General James in January sued a Bronx immigration law office for scamming immigrants, charging them thousands of dollars for fraudulent services, and causing some to be deported. Lawyer Kofi Amankwaa and his staff took advantage of immigrants seeking green cards. The law firm devised an illegal scheme that exploited the Violence Against Women Act, which provides a path to legal U.S. residency for undocumented immigrants who are abuse victims. The law firm falsely claimed that its clients were being abused by their children, advising some to travel abroad to apply for green cards. When their applications were discovered to be fraudulent, some immigrants – even some who had lived in the U.S. for decades – were barred from the U.S. and deported.
In April, Attorney General James won an $811 million national judgment against a predatory company that victimized immigrants and their families. Libre by Nexus Inc., a bond-services company, deceived immigrants in federal detention centers into signing deceptive and abusive contracts. The company promised to obtain the immigrants’ release on bond while their immigration claims were processed. The company concealed the real nature and costs of its services. It collected thousands of dollars in fees above the bonds’ value and forced immigrants to wear painful, restrictive ankle monitors. Attorney General James worked with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and a coalition of 3 states to win the judgment, which orders the firm to pay $231 million to affected consumers and $580 million in penalties to CFPB, New York, Virginia, and Massachusetts. New York consumers will receive $13.7 million, and the state will receive $13.8 million in penalties.
Attorney General James in the community
Attorney General James is dedicated to being present in communities across New York, listening to residents, and addressing the issues that matter most. Whether attending cultural celebrations, joining neighborhood gatherings, or marching in parades, she remains committed to ensuring that every New Yorker’s voice is heard and their rights are protected.
Attorney General James marched alongside congressional and statewide elected officials in the 2024 New York City Saint Patrick’s Day Parade, the oldest and largest of its kind in the world.
Attorney General James attended Israel Day on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.
Attorney General James spoke at the West Indian American Day Carnival Association’s (WIADCA) Pre-Parade Breakfast, and marched alongside other local elected officials in attendance.
Attorney General James hosted a Lunar New Year celebration at the Flushing Town Hall in Flushing, Queens. She was joined by elected officials and hundreds of community members as they welcomed the Year of the Dragon.
Attorney General James visited the Nova Exhibition in Manhattan alongside law enforcement officials to pay tribute to the lives that were lost on October 7.
Attorney General James visited the New York State Fair, celebrating agriculture, culture, and community with New Yorkers from all across the state.
Attorney General James joined the Juneteenth celebration in Buffalo, honoring freedom, resilience, and community.
Attorney General James joined the Islamic Center of Melville on Long Island for its annual Iftar.
Attorney General James visited the Teen Empowerment Center, which provides incredible resources and opportunities for young leaders who are transforming our communities and creating social change across Rochester.
Attorney General James marched in the National Puerto Rican Day Parade to celebrate Puerto Rican culture and history.
Attorney General James visited Nassau County with kids and parents for a conversation about social media’s impacts on our kids and legislation to address this pervasive issue.
Attorney General James joined the celebration at the NY Liberty Victory Parade, honoring a season of hard work, resilience, and triumph.