Tag: Enforcement Actions

Rite aid used facial recognition at stores

FTC Bans Rite Aid from Using Facial Recognition for Five Years

The Federal Trade Commission has prohibited Rite Aid from using facial recognition technology for surveillance purposes for five years as part of a settlement of charges that the retailer used the technology improperly. The FTC had accused Rite Aid of failing to implement reasonable procedures and prevent harm to consumers Read More

Southwest to Pay $140 Million for Failures During 2022 Holiday Meltdown

The consequences for a scheduling and operational meltdown by Southwest Airlines during the 2022 holiday travel season, which stranded millions of travelers, continue to mount. In the latest development, The U.S. Transportation Department has ordered Southwest to pay a $140 million civil penalty, part of a broader consent order, after Read More

Activision Blizzard to Pay $54 Million to Settle Discrimination Suit

The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) announced it has reached a $54 million settlement agreement to resolve allegations that gaming company Activision Blizzard discriminated against women at the company. Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Blizzard is known for many popular video game franchises, including “Call of Duty,” “World of Read More

CFPB Fines Bank of America $12M for Reporting False Data

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has ordered Bank of America to pay a $12 million penalty for submitting false mortgage lending information to the federal government under a long-standing federal law. For at least four years, hundreds of Bank of America loan officers failed to ask mortgage applicants certain Read More

TracFone to Pay $23.5M for Violations of FCC Subsidy Program Rules

Verizon subsidiary TracFone Wireless has agreed to a settlement with the Federal Communications Commission to resolve charges that the telecom company violated the rules of a program intended to help low-income consumers purchase Internet access and phone services at a discount. TracFone has agreed to compliance measures and will pay Read More

CafePress_data_security

HHS Reaches First Settlement with Health Care Firm Involved in Ransomware Attack

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced a $100,000 settlement with Doctors’ Management Services for failures to determine the potential risks and vulnerabilities to electronic protected health information after a cyberattack exposed the information of more than 200,000 patients. It is notable in that it is the first Read More

SolarWinds

SEC Charges SolarWinds and Its CISO with Fraud, Control Failures

The Securities and Exchange Commission announced charges against Austin, Texas-based software company SolarWinds and its chief information security officer, Timothy G. Brown, for fraud and internal control failures relating to allegedly known cybersecurity risks and vulnerabilities. The complaint alleges that, from at least its October 2018 initial public offering through Read More

SEC Hits 10 More Financial Firms for Recordkeeping Violations

The Securities and Exchange Commission has announced charges against five broker-dealers, three dually registered broker-dealers and investment advisers, and two investment advisers for widespread failures to maintain and preserve electronic communications and for off-channel communications. The firms admitted the facts set forth in their respective SEC orders and acknowledged that Read More

Bribery and FCPA charges by Clear Channel

SEC Charges Clear Channel with FCPA Violation at China Unit

The Securities and Exchange Commission has filed charges against Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings Inc. for violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Clear Channel Outdoor agreed to pay more than $26 million to resolve the charges that it bribed Chinese government officials to obtain outdoor advertising contracts. The SEC’s Read More

SEC Whistleblower program

SEC Charges CBRE Unit with Wistleblower Protection Violation

The Securities and Exchange Commission has settled charges against CBRE Inc., a Dallas-based commercial real estate firm, for using an employee release that violated the SEC’s whistleblower protection rule. CBRE agreed to pay a civil penalty of $375,000 as part of the settlement. According to the SEC’s order, between 2011 Read More