AUGUSTA ? Attorney General William J. Schneider is warning consumers about a scam that claims a new federal government assistance program, sometimes described as a bailout authorized by President Barack Obama?s administration, will pay your utility bills.
AUGUSTA ? Attorney General William J. Schneider announced that Robert W. Baylor, 35, of Lewiston, pled guilty to one count of Class C theft by deception and was sentenced on June 28, 2012 for stealing $2,800 in benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food Stamps).
Androscoggin County Superior Court Justice Clifford sentenced Baylor to one year in jail, all but 30 days suspended, and one year probation with the requirement that he pay full restitution.
$3 Billion Total to Resolve Drug Marketing and Pricing Claims
AUGUSTA ? Attorney General William J. Schneider announced today that Maine, various other states and the federal government reached an agreement for the largest healthcare fraud settlement in U.S. history. Under the terms of the settlement, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has agreed to pay $3 billion to resolve allegations of unlawful promotion of certain prescription drugs, failure to report certain safety data, and false price reporting practices.
AUGUSTA ? Attorney General William J. Schneider is warning schools, businesses, municipalities and other government agencies about a mailing that appears to be a bill for services rendered but is a disguised solicitation that may mislead recipients to pay for services that were neither ordered nor received.
AUGUSTA ? Attorney General William J. Schneider announced that David R. Burns, 44, of Alfred was sentenced today following his pleas of guilty to three counts of forgery and three counts of theft, all misdemeanors.
York County Superior Court Justice Paul Fritzsche sentenced Burns to 364 days incarceration, all but six months suspended, and one year administrative release following his release from jail. Burns must pay $2,384 in restitution.
AUGUSTA ? Attorney General William J. Schneider announced that a complaint was filed on May 29, 2012 in Androscoggin County Superior Court under the Maine Civil Rights Act against Joshua Drew, age 27, for using violence or the threat of violence against multiple women based on his bias against their gender. Drew is currently incarcerated at the Cumberland County Jail.
AUGUSTA ? Attorney General William J. Schneider is warning consumers about a sham political robo-call that disguises a vacation timeshare sales pitch as election poll questions.
A group called Political Opinions of America uses an automated voice to ask a three-question ?poll?. After answering, Caribbean Cruise Lines comes on the line and offers the consumer a free cruise for taking the survey. The free offer requires a ?port fee or tax? to be paid by credit card over the phone. Allegedly, the cruise is designed to expose people to sales pitches for vacation timeshares.
Foreclosure Prevention and Legal Assistance to Homeowners Programs to Benefit
AUGUSTA ? Attorney General William J. Schneider announced that Maine has received the state portion of settlement funds from the landmark $25 billion joint federal-state agreement over foreclosure abuses, fraud and unacceptable nationwide mortgage servicing practices.
The state received a direct payment of $6.9 million for continued funding of state foreclosure prevention programs, legal assistance to homeowners in foreclosure, and compensation to the state?s general fund.
AUGUSTA ? Attorney General William J. Schneider announced that Ryan J. Byther, age 36, of Scarborough, was sentenced yesterday for stealing $50,000 from the American Legion Post 56 of York. York County Superior Court Justice O?Neil sentenced Byther to five years of incarceration with all but six months suspended; three years of probation; and restitution in the amount of $50,000.
After a two day trial last February, a jury returned a guilty verdict on a one-count indictment that charged Byther with Class B Theft by Deception.
AUGUSTA ? Attorney General William J. Schneider announced today that Maine has received payment of more than $1.1 million in a nationwide settlement with pharmaceutical manufacturer Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. (Merck) involving allegations of off-label marketing and failure to disclose potential adverse health effects of the painkiller Vioxx.