News ReleasesFilter
Rutledge: Lowe’s to Allocate 10,000 Face Masks to Arkansans in Nursing Homes and Grocery Store Employees
Thu, May 21, 2020Says, ‘Thank you, Lowe’s, for working with my office to make sure Arkansans have essential resources’
LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge is proud to announce home improvement retailer Lowe’s will deliver 10,000 N95 face masks to nursing homes and grocery store employees throughout Arkansas. Lowe’s will deliver 8,000 face masks to the Arkansas Health Care Association and 2,000 to the Arkansas Grocers & Retail Merchants Association who will distribute the masks throughout the State.
“Many Arkansans continue to work in high-risk environments to protect our most vulnerable loved ones and ensure our State’s daily needs are met, but they are also putting their own health and safety on the line,” said Attorney General Rutledge. “Thank you, Lowe’s, for working with my office to make sure Arkansans have essential resources to protect themselves.”
"We are thankful to Lowe's for their commitment to supplying protective face masks," said Rachel Bunch, executive director at AHCA. "Our staff has remained dedicated to providing the best care to our residents. These face masks will allow our staff to continue to stay protected while caring for the states most vulnerable. We appreciate the recognition of our vulnerable population and workers by General Rutledge."
Since the COVID-19 public health emergency declaration on March 11, Rutledge has allocated $1 million to the State to acquire personal protective equipment for medical personnel, $3 million to the Arkansas Economic Development Commission’s Quick Action Loan Program for small businesses and facilitated the donation of thousands of N95 facemasks to law enforcement and first responders. Rutledge has worked with Walmart, Amazon, eBay and Facebook to combat price gouging and the Attorney General’s Office has received almost 19,800 phone calls on price gouging and related scams.
Arkansans needing to report price gouging or scams should visit the Attorney General’s Office at ArkansasAG.gov or call (800) 482-8982.
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Rutledge Files Lawsuit against Dentist Stealing From Medicaid and Performing Unnecessary Procedures on Children
Thu, May 21, 2020Says, ‘appalling for anyone, especially for someone in the medical field working with children’
LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge filed a lawsuit today against Brian C. Moore of Maumelle and Brown-Stingfellow, D.D.S., a dental practice in North Little Rock known as Capital Dental Center, for engaging in a long-running scheme to fraudulently bill the Medicaid program and violating the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act by performing unnecessary and bogus procedures on susceptible Arkansas children and young adults ages 2 to 21. In January 2019, Rutledge announced Dr. Moore was arrested on Medicaid fraud charges for making false statements on billing records to the Arkansas Medicaid Program.
“Moore’s actions are appalling for anyone, especially for someone in the medical field who works with children,” said Attorney General Rutledge. “I urge Arkansans who observe questionable Medicaid billing for health services to contact my office immediately in order to stop this type of corruption and help our most vulnerable.”
Moore only treated children eligible for Medicaid whose caregivers had been misled regarding the treatment their children would receive. The dental work was often unnecessary and involved invasive work such as drilling on the children’s teeth. Additionally, in some cases, children who needed dental procedures were seen by Moore who billed Medicaid for the procedures, but the children’s dental work never happened.
The dental practice also employed van drivers, who served to recruit patients in exchange for a share of the profits and drove the children to and from appointments. The van drivers presented consent forms to schools that allowed the children to be checked out of school. At least one parent reports that her signature was forged. Neither the dental practice nor Moore appropriately notified parents when their children were being transported by these unlicensed and unregulated van drivers.
These allegations, along with multiple others listed in the complaint, are violations of the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (ADTPA). The Attorney General’s Office is seeking an injunction, restitution for consumers, civil penalties and other relief against Moore and Brown-Stringfellow. They face up to a $10,000 fine for each violation.
For more tips to help avoid falling victim to bad actors, or to file a consumer-related claim with the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office, call (800) 482-8982, email consumer@arkansasag.gov or visit ArkansasAG.gov. Medicaid fraud occurs when providers use the Medicaid program to obtain money to which they are not entitled. To report Medicaid fraud or abuse or neglect in residential care facilities, contact the Attorney General’s Medicaid fraud hotline at (866) 810-0016 or oag@arkansasag.gov.
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Rutledge Facilitates 10,000 Face Masks to Arkansas Ambulance Association
Wed, May 20, 2020Says, ‘Thank you, Lowe’s, for working with my office to make sure Arkansans have essential resources’
LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge is proud to announce home improvement retailer Lowe’s will deliver 10,000 N95 face masks to nursing homes and grocery store employees throughout Arkansas. Lowe’s will deliver 8,000 face masks to the Arkansas Health Care Association and 2,000 to the Arkansas Grocers & Retail Merchants Association who will distribute the masks throughout the State.
“Many Arkansans continue to work in high-risk environments to protect our most vulnerable loved ones and ensure our State’s daily needs are met, but they are also putting their own health and safety on the line,” said Attorney General Rutledge. “Thank you, Lowe’s, for working with my office to make sure Arkansans have essential resources to protect themselves.”
Since the COVID-19 public health emergency declaration on March 11, Rutledge has allocated $1 million to the State to acquire personal protective equipment for medical personnel, $3 million to the Arkansas Economic Development Commission’s Quick Action Loan Program for small businesses and facilitated the donation of thousands of N95 facemasks to law enforcement and first responders. Rutledge has worked with Walmart, Amazon, eBay and Facebook to combat price gouging and the Attorney General’s Office has received almost 19,800 phone calls on price gouging and related scams.
Arkansans needing to report price gouging or scams should visit the Attorney General’s Office at ArkansasAG.gov or call (800) 482-8982.
MORE
Rutledge Announces Over $550 Million Settlement with Nation’s Largest Subprime Auto Financing Company
Tue, May 19, 2020Affected Arkansans to Receive $30 Million in Direct Payments and Debt Relief
LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge today announced a settlement with Santander Consumer USA Inc. (Santander) that includes approximately $550 million in relief for consumers with more relief in additional deficiency waivers expected. The settlement resolves an investigation conducted by a coalition of 34 attorneys general into allegations that Santander violated consumer protection laws by knowingly placing subprime consumers into high-risk auto loans who had a great probability of default. This settlement, filed in Pulaski County Circuit Court, provides close to $30 million in direct payments and debt relief for over 13,000 Arkansas consumers harmed by Santander’s illegal conduct.
“Santander’s predatory actions targeted Arkansans for high risk auto loans, and now it will pay handsomely for its deceptive practices,” said Attorney General Rutledge. “The standards set by this settlement should serve as a warning to other bad actors who take advantage of financially vulnerable Arkansans: we will do the fighting for consumers and there will be severe consequences for illegal actions.”
A coalition of states began investigating Santander in March 2015. Following the investigation, the states determined that Santander, the largest subprime auto financing company in the country, used credit-scoring models designed to target consumers who were likely to default and subsequently failed to acknowledge dealer-falsified income amounts on consumer loan applications. Under the settlement, Santander will pay $65 million to the states for consumer restitution and will waive up to $433 million for consumers who still owe on their loans.
For Arkansas, there are 10,837 Arkansas consumers who are eligible to submit a claim to receive a direct restitution payment of $224.84 each, which totals $2,436,611.87 if all who are eligible submit claims. Additionally, there are 1,288 loans to Arkansas consumers in default that qualify under this settlement owned by Santander for which Santander will immediately waive the deficiency balance, totaling $15,966.00 in debt forgiveness. There are another 1,336 defaulted loans to Arkansas consumers for which Santander will attempt to buy back and then waive the deficiency balance, which could potentially forgive an additional $10,814,000 in debt relief. Overall, approximately 13,461 affected Arkansas consumers will receive or be eligible to receive restitution in the form of direct payments or debt forgiveness potentially totaling $29,216,611.90. Additionally, Santander will pay $30,000 to the state.
Among the modifications to its business practices required under the settlement, Santander will cease extending loans to consumers with negative available incomes and will monitor loan applications for false income reporting. Santander will also cease from requiring its dealers to sell vehicle service contracts and other products and will maintain policies and procedures for deferments, forbearances, modifications and other collection matters.
Joining Rutledge in the settlement led by Illinois Attorney General are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Rutledge urges anyone affected by Santander or has a consumer complaint to visit the Attorney General’s Office website at ArkansasAG.gov or call (800) 482-8982.
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Rutledge Files Lawsuit Against Little Rock Roofing Company
Tue, May 12, 2020Says, ‘Five Arkansas consumers lost a total of almost $90,000 to Greenhagen for roofing and other home improvement work’
LITTLE ROCK - Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge announced today that she has filed a lawsuit against Chance and Samone Greenhagen and their company Greenhagen Exteriors, LLC for violations of the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (ADTPA). Greenhagen required large deposits and upfront payments for roofing and other home improvement projects that they did not have the intent or ability to perform as agreed.
“Five Arkansas consumers lost a total of almost $90,000 to Greenhagen for roofing and other home improvement work for which they failed to complete or provide refunds,” said Attorney General Rutledge. “I strongly advise Arkansans to contact my office any time a contractor fails to complete a project as agreed without providing a refund for all unearned payments.”
Consumers have also filed complaints with the Arkansas Contractor’s Licensing Board, which revoked Greenhagen’s contractor’s licenses and issued a cease and desist order.
Rutledge is now seeking restitution for harmed consumers, civil penalties, an injunction and other costs and fees incurred by the State of Arkansas in resolving this matter.
If you are a consumer who has been impacted by the actions of Greenhagen or any other contractor, Rutledge encourages you to contact the Attorney General’s Office at (800) 482-8982.
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Rutledge’s Defense of Elective Surgery Directive Protects Public During COVID-19 Pandemic
Thu, May 7, 2020Says, ‘no exemptions for surgical abortions during this pandemic’
LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge issued a statement following the U.S. District Court Judge Brian Miller’s denial of abortion provider Little Rock Family Planning’s latest request for a temporary restraining order. The Arkansas Department of Health issued a directive on April 27, 2020, permitting elective surgeries, including surgical abortions, upon satisfaction of COVID-19 related precautions. The directive requires that all patients test negative for COVID-19 within 48 hours prior to any elective procedure.
“Today’s decision ensures that there are no exemptions for surgical abortions during this pandemic,” said Attorney General Rutledge. “Arkansas’s reasonable directive sets standards to protect the health and safety of patients, healthcare professionals, and the public during the COVID-19 emergency.”
The April 27 directive superseded ADH’s previous April 3, 2020 elective-surgery moratorium. Little Rock Family Planning had previously obtained a temporary restraining order from U.S. District Court Judge Kristine Baker against that April 3 moratorium. Attorney General Rutledge immediately appealed Judge Baker’s order, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit reversed Judge Baker’s temporary restraining order and allowed the April 3 moratorium to go into effect.