Attorney General Pam Bondi today presented a Florida Cabinet resolution recognizing January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month and commending law enforcement, local governments, advocates and communities for efforts in combating this horrible crime. As part of Human Trafficking Awareness Month, Attorney General Bondi and the Department of Education are also encouraging students and school faculty to keep their eyes open in order to spot a victim of human trafficking.
“I want to thank our local and state leaders, law enforcement officers, experts and survivors. I look forward to continuing working together to fight human trafficking and help those victimized by it,” said Attorney General Bondi. “Awareness is a powerful tool and it is especially important for teens and educators to be aware of human trafficking and how to spot it. Students and faculty are uniquely positioned to notice changes in behavior that may be related to human trafficking. Working with DOE, we will provide students with the information they need to identify the signs and quickly report suspected human trafficking.”
“The safety of Florida’s students is our top priority, and the education community plays a significant role in preventing and identifying human trafficking,” said Education Commissioner Pam Stewart. “Because of this, we offer ongoing training to school personnel to ensure that teachers, administrators, counselors, school nurses, school resource officers, and afterschool and transportation staff have the information and resources necessary to protect students.”
Knowing how to spot human trafficking and recognize a victim are key in helping stop the crime. If someone suspects human trafficking, they should report the crime to local law enforcement or call 911. Attorney General Bondi encourages Floridians, especially school faculty and students, to know the signs of human trafficking and how to report it by visiting YouCanStopHT.com and downloading the new infographic.
Below are a few common signs students and teacher can spot in a human trafficking victim:
· Unexplained absences;
· Sudden change in usual attire, behavior or relationships;
· Chronically runs away; and
· Abrupt increase in material possession.
To view a copy of the resolution Attorney General Bondi presented recognizing January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month during today’s meeting of the Florida Governor and Cabinet, click here.
Attorney General Pam Bondi
Attorney General Bondi’s Statement on Passage of SB 8 by the Senate Committee on Health Policy
Attorney General Pam Bondi today issued the following statement on the unanimous approval of SB 8 by the Senate Committee on Health Policy:
“Our fight against the national opioid crisis claiming lives in Florida continues, and this legislation would help bolster state efforts and save lives. I want to thank Senator Lizbeth Benacquisto for sponsoring this important legislation and each member of the Senate Committee on Health Policy for voting in favor of these legislative reforms. We look forward to continue working with the House and Senate to ensure the passage of this legislation.”
Attorney General Bondi’s Statement on Passage of HB 21
Attorney General Pam Bondi today issued the following statement on the unanimous approval of HB 21 by the House Health Quality Subcommittee:
“Our fight against the national opioid crisis claiming lives in Florida continues, and this legislation would help bolster state efforts and save lives. I want to thank Representative Jim Boyd for sponsoring this important legislation and each member of the House Health Quality Subcommittee for voting in favor of these legislative reforms.”
Attorney General Bondi’s Statement on the State of the State
Attorney General Bondi today issued the following statement on Governor Rick Scott’s last State of the State:
“Under Governor Rick Scott’s leadership, the state of our state is stronger than it has ever been. On his last State of the State address, I want to congratulate the Governor and thank him for his leadership in creating jobs, supporting our law enforcement, battling the national opioid crisis and helping us make Florida a zero-tolerance state for human trafficking. Although I am out of the country today continuing our efforts to eradicate human trafficking, I look forward to working with the Governor and the Legislature this session to continue to make Florida the best state in our country.”
Attorney General Enters Multistate Mortgage Servicing Settlement
Attorney General Pam Bondi, 48 other state attorneys general, the District of Columbia, and more than 45 state mortgage regulators, today announced a $45 million settlement reached with PHH Mortgage Corporation, a New Jersey based mortgage lender and servicer. This is the ninth mortgage servicing settlement reached by Attorney General Bondi since 2012. The settlement resolves allegations of PHH’s servicing misconduct during the housing crisis when PHH was one of the larger non-depository mortgage servicers.
This settlement follows national settlements with the mortgage servicing entities of Bank of America, Chase, Citi, Wells, GMAC/Ally, Ocwen, HSBC and Suntrust. To date, from the previous eight settlements, Floridians received more than $139.5 million in cash payments, more than $10.2 billion in other relief such as mortgage forgiveness and $334 million in penalties to Florida. The PHH settlement is estimated to bring potentially $2.8 million in additional cash payments to Floridians.
According to the complaint filed by the state attorneys general, PHH threatened foreclosure and conveyed conflicting messages to certain borrowers engaged in loss mitigation. PHH also allegedly charged unauthorized fees for default-related services. Specifically, the complaint alleges that PHH, among other things, failed to:
- Maintain adequate documentation to determine whether PHH had standing to foreclose;
- Appropriately respond to certain borrowers’ complaints and reasonable requests for information and assistance;
- Timely and accurately apply payments made by certain borrowers;
- Properly oversee third party vendors retained for servicing and foreclosure operations;
- Preserve accurate account statements; and
- Adequately process borrowers’ applications for loan modifications.
As part of the settlement, PHH agrees to adopt new servicing standards revised from the National Mortgage Settlement and provide monetary relief. PHH will pay more than $30 million nationally for payments to borrowers who lost their homes to foreclosure or were referred for foreclosure between 2009 and 2012. PHH borrowers who lost their homes to foreclosure during the eligible period will qualify for a minimum $840 payment, and borrowers who faced foreclosures that PHH initiated during the eligible period, but did not lose their home, will receive a minimum $285 payment. Approximately 5,400 Florida borrowers will be eligible for a payment from this fund. A settlement administrator will contact eligible payment recipients at a later date.
Florida borrowers comprise more than 10 percent of the national population of eligible PHH borrowers. The borrower payment amount is dependent on how many borrowers file claims.
The $45 million total PHH settlement includes the $30.4 million in payments to borrowers, $1 million for claims administration, an additional $5 million to the lead states who headed up the investigation and negotiations, including $390,000 to Florida, and a separate $8.8 million payment to state mortgage regulators.
To view a copy of the consent judgment, click here.
Court Orders Tobacco Company to Honor Florida’s Historic Tobacco Settlement
Attorney General Pam Bondi today announced a major ruling in a case involving Florida’s historic tobacco settlement agreement. The litigation centers around R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company’s sale of three iconic cigarette brands, Winston, Kool and Salem, along with a legacy Lorillard Tobacco Company brand, Maverick, to Imperial Tobacco Group in June 2015 for $7 billion.
From the time of the tobacco settlement in 1997 through 2015, RJR paid the state tens of millions of dollars annually for these cigarette brands in compliance with the historic settlement. After the June 2015 sale, RJR stopped making payments on these brands, costing the state an estimated $30 million a year in perpetuity.
“Today’s ruling will ensure Florida’s landmark tobacco settlement is honored and our state receives the money it is owed,” said Attorney General Bondi. “My office is committed to pursuing all appropriate remedies when companies try to evade their monetary obligations to the State of Florida.”
RJR’s refusal to pay the agreed to settlement money led to Attorney General Bondi filing an enforcement motion on Jan. 18, 2017. The enforcement motion was the subject of a three-day bench trial before the Honorable Jeffrey Dana Gillen on Dec. 18-20. Judge Gillen today ruled that “Reynolds is still obligated to make the payments pursuant to the Florida Agreement.”
After the entry of the order requiring RJR to make all of the payments to Florida for the past and future sales of these cigarettes, the next step in the lawsuit will involve RJR and ITG providing the necessary information to accurately calculate the amounts owed pursuant to reporting requirements under the settlement agreement.
To view a copy of the trial court’s order granting the enforcement motion, click here.
The historic 1997 settlement resolved Florida’s landmark 1995 lawsuit against RJR and the other major tobacco companies seeking relief from decades of past unlawful actions relating to the marketing and sale of cigarettes. The annual, perpetual payments compensate Florida for the past and future public health care expenses from its citizens’ consumption of the settling defendants’ cigarettes.
Attorney General Bondi Warns Parents About Internet-Connected Toys this Holiday Season
As parents shop for children’s gifts this holiday season, Attorney General Pam Bondi urges caution when purchasing Internet-connected toys. Before purchasing smart toys, such as dolls that speak with children and smart watches that contain GPS tracking technology, consumers should ensure toys employ adequate security and privacy protections for children.
“When shopping for children’s presents, safety should be the top priority. I urge parents to be cautious of any toy that could collect and share a child’s sensitive information,” said Attorney General Bondi.
Smart toys may collect children’s personal information that can include address, age, location, name, pictures and voices data. Toys that lack adequate security protections may expose a child’s sensitive information, creating a risk of child identity fraud or exploitation. Additionally, without adequate privacy protections, children’s personal information may be sold to third parties for targeted advertising.
As an example, the My Friend Cayla doll uses an unsecured blue-tooth connection that can be accessed by individuals nearby. The product also fails to provide information regarding privacy policies required by federal law. Despite these security and privacy flaws, My Friend Cayla represents that it is kid safe. Although many retailers pulled the dolls from shelves and France and Germany issued warnings regarding this toy, online retailers continue to sell the doll.
There are steps consumers should take before purchasing smart toys this holiday season. Here are some recommendations from the Federal Bureau of Investigation to ensure safe purchases of Internet-connected toys:
- Research for reported security issues using online resources from sites that conduct cyber security research, consumer product reviews and child and consumer advocacy;
- Only connect and use toys in environments with trusted and secured Wi-Fi Internet access;
- Look into the toy’s Internet and device connection security measures. Check if the toy uses authentication when pairing the device with Bluetooth or uses encryption when transmitting data from the toy to the Wi-Fi access point and to the server or cloud;
- Find out if toys can receive firmware or software updates and security patches. If so, ensure the toys are running on the most updated versions and that any available patches are implemented;
- Check where user data is stored—with the company, third party services or both—and whether any publicly available reporting exists on the company’s reputation for cyber security; and
- Carefully read disclosures and privacy policies from company and any third parties.
For more information and tips about cyber safety, please visit SafeFlorida.net.
Attorney General Bondi Recognizes Anniversary of Pearl Harbor
Attorney General Pam Bondi today released the following statement recognizing the anniversary of the attack at Pearl Harbor:
“Today we remember all the brave members of our armed forces and innocent civilians lost during the attack at Pearl Harbor 76 years ago. The thousands of American lives taken that morning will always be remembered—as will the service members who answered the call of duty during WWII to defend the United States and safeguard our liberties, including my Uncle Raymond. While I did not have the chance to know my Uncle, who fought on D-Day and passed away just days later from a fatal wound, I will be forever grateful for his sacrifice and for the selfless actions of all the men and women of our military.”
Attorney General Bondi’s Statement Regarding Sexual Harassment Legislation
Attorney General Pam Bondi today issued the following statement regarding potential sexual harassment legislation for the 2018 Legislative Session:
“Weeks ago, I reached out to Speaker Corcoran and Senator Benacquisto to preserve a spot for potential legislation that could provide protections to victims of sexual harassment claims. Without hesitation, both were extremely supportive and eager to work together to protect women in state government.
“I encourage any woman who has been sexually harassed to come forward and allow their voice to be heard.
“Yesterday, I was astonished to learn that one of the victims of the recent allegations in Tallahassee is a woman who I’ve known and respected for years. My heart breaks for her. We must respect the investigation by the Florida Senate and the privacy of all parties involved.
“I look forward to working with the legislature this session to formulate laws that protect all women working in state government. It has been remarkable what women can do when we all stand together. FLORIDA MUST BE A LEADER IN THIS MOVEMENT.”
Attorney General Bondi’s Statement on Appointment of Mac McNeill as Interim Jefferson County Sheriff
Attorney General Pam Bondi today issued the following statement on Governor Rick Scott’s appointment of Mac McNeill to Interim Sheriff of Jefferson County:
“There is not a better person in this state to fill the very large void left by Sheriff Hobbs. I have known Mac McNeill for many years, and not only does he exemplify the highest ethics—but also will be a tremendous leader for the citizens of Jefferson County.”
