CFPB, Federal Agencies, State Agencies, and Attorneys General
A debt collector company, Blackstone Legal, its associated companies and its owners, Ryan and Mitchell Evans, are facing a permanent ban from the debt collection business as a result of an FTC lawsuit charging that they deceived and harassed consumers to collect debts the consumers did not owe.
In February 2025, the FTC charged Blackstone Legal and its associated companies and owners with convincing consumers to pay fake debts.… Continue Reading
The FTC has recently taken action against two student loan debt relief companies and their owners.
In the first case, a federal judge has permanently banned Florida-based Start Connecting LLC and Colombia-based Start Connecting SAS (doing business as USA Student Debt Relief (USASDR)), and their owners and operators Douglas Goodman, Doris Gallon-Goodman, and Juan Rojas from the debt relief industry as well as from participating in any telemarketing.… Continue Reading
Alleging that Global Circulation, Inc. (GCI) threatened consumers with jail time, lawsuits, and wage garnishments to pressure them into paying debts they did not owe, the FTC entered into a stipulated order with GCI and its owner, Kenneth Redon III, to permanently ban them from the debt collection industry.
The defendants were also enjoined from making misrepresentations to consumer about legal obligations, making false statements to obtain payment information, and impersonating other businesses.… Continue Reading
In a move that could have ramifications for lawsuits filed by former FTC and NCUA board members, by a vote of 6-3 the Supreme Court has issued a stay that prohibits the Democratic members of the National Labor Relations Board and the Merit Systems Protection Board who were fired by President Trump from continuing to serve while challenging the legality of their removal.… Continue Reading
Our podcast show being released today is part 2 of a repurposed interactive webinar that we presented on March 24 featuring two of the leading journalists who cover the CFPB – Jon Hill from Law360 and Evan Weinberger from Bloomberg.
Our show begins with Tom Burke, a Ballard Spahr consumer financial services litigator, describing in general terms the status of the 38 CFPB enforcement lawsuits that were pending when Rohit Chopra was terminated.… Continue Reading
The two Democratic FTC members who were fired by President Trump have filed suit in federal court challenging their dismissal.
Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Slaughter filed suit in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia contending that their dismissals were illegal since the FTC is supposed to be an independent agency.… Continue Reading
President Trump on Tuesday fired the remaining two Democratic members of the FTC, leaving only two Republicans on the commission.
The commissioners, Alvaro Bedoy and Rebecca Slaughter, announced their dismissals on social media. Both called their dismissals illegal, since the FTC is supposed to be an independent agency. Both of them called their firings illegal and Bedoy already has said he would challenge his dismissal in court.… Continue Reading
A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction against Seek Capital and its founder and CEO, Roy Ferman, barring the company from making false claims and forbidding the company from contacting any consumers whose information the company obtained before February 20, 2025.
U.S. District Judge G. Gary Klausner of the Central District of California, issued the injunction at the request of the FTC.… Continue Reading
The Justice Department is asking a federal court to issue a permanent injunction against cash advance firm Dave Inc. and its CEO Jason Wilk, alleging that the company uses misleading marketing tactics to deceive consumers about the amount of its cash advances, charges consumers undisclosed fees, and charges so-called “tips” to consumers without their consent.… Continue Reading
A federal judge has issued a temporary injunction against Superior Servicing and its operator Dennise Merdjanian, following FTC allegations that the company claimed to be affiliated with the Department of Education, collected illegal advance fees and made other deceptive claims.
Judge Gloria M. Navarro of the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada also froze the company’s assets and agreed to the appointment of a receiver.… Continue Reading
