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☆ Google reaches tentative settlement in US Play Store lawsuit
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Steve Marcus/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 6 (Reuters) - Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) Google on Tuesday tentatively settled a class action suit alleging that its U.S. Play Store had violated U.S. federal antitrust rules by overcharging customers, according to a court filing. Google, which had denied wrongdoing, declined to comment on the proposed settlement. Google is facing similar lawsuits which allege that it has generated enormous profit margins from its Play Store by engaging in illegal tactics to preserve monopolies in selling Android apps and in-app goods. The case is In re Google Play Store Antitrust Litigation, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No.

Persons: Steve Marcus, Tim Sweeney, Anirudh, Mike Scarcella, Kanjyik Ghosh, Jamie Freed, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: REUTERS, Google, U.S, District of Columbia, Epic, Court, Northern District of, Thomson Locations: Las Vegas , Nevada, U.S, Utah, Northern District, Northern District of California, Bengaluru

The insurer said the rule, which would apply retroactively, was "arbitrary and capricious," and threatened "unpredictable consequences for Medicare Advantage organizations and the millions of seniors who rely on the Medicare Advantage program for their healthcare." Close to half of the approximately 65 million Medicare enrollees sign up for Medicare Advantage. Medicare Advantage plans differ from traditional Medicare because private companies offer them, and are reimbursed by the government for care. Though Humana is based in Louisville, Kentucky, it filed its lawsuit with the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Texas. The case is Humana Inc et al v Becerra et al, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas, No.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Humana, Biden, Xavier Becerra, District Judge Reed O'Connor, Becerra, Jonathan Stempel, Leroy Leo, Richard Chang Organizations: Humana Inc, REUTERS, U.S, overcharges, Medicare, Services, Jan, U.S . Department of Health, Human Services, CMS, Northern District of Texas, District, Fort, Affordable, Court, Northern District of, Thomson Locations: Queens , New York City, U.S, Louisville , Kentucky, Northern District, Northern District of Texas, New York, Bengaluru

☆ Direct Line faces $38 million redress bill for overcharging customers
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Signage for the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority), the Britain's financial regulatory body, is seen at their head offices in London, Britain March 10, 2022. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Sept 1 (Reuters) - British insurer Direct Line (DLGD.L) has agreed to review overcharging of existing home and motor customers totalling about 30 million pounds ($38 million) for policy renewals, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said on Friday. "Direct Line Group will carry out a review to identify all instances where a customer has been overcharged and provide appropriate redress," the FCA said in a statement. "As a result, those customers have paid a renewal price higher than they should have," Direct Line said. Earlier this week, Direct Line named a new CEO as it seeks to reset after profit fell by 95% in 2022.

Persons: Toby Melville, Huw Jones, David Goodman, David Evans Organizations: FCA, Financial, Authority, REUTERS, British, Direct, Thomson Locations: London, Britain

☆ US judge set to decertify Google Play class action
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —A US judge plans to free Google from having to defend against a class action by 21 million consumers who claimed it violated federal antitrust law by overcharging them in its Google Play app store. Monday’s decision by US District Judge James Donato in San Francisco could significantly reduce damages that Google, a unit of Alphabet, might owe over the distribution of Android mobile applications. The judge said he couldn’t decertify the class immediately because Google had been appealing his November order. The class action included consumers from 12 US states and five territories, who were not part of a similar case against Google brought by various state attorneys general. The case is In re Google Play Store Antitrust Litigation, US District Court, Northern District of California, No.

Persons: overcharging, James Donato, Donato, couldn’t Organizations: CNN, Google, US, Consumers, District of Columbia, Epic, Court, Northern District of Locations: San Francisco, Northern District, Northern District of California

[1/2] Wells Fargo Bank branch is seen in New York City, U.S., March 17, 2020. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Aug 25 (Reuters) - Wells Fargo (WFC.N) has agreed to pay a $35 million civil penalty to settle U.S. charges that the company overcharged advisory fees, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said on Friday. The SEC said it charged Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC and Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network LLC for overcharging more than 10,900 investment advisory accounts more than $26.8 million in advisory fees. Wells Fargo settled without admitting or denying the charges, the SEC said in a statement. Wells Fargo paid affected account holders about $40 million, including interest, to reimburse them for the overcharging, according to the statement.

Persons: Wells, Wells Fargo, Ismail Shakil, Nupur Anand, Susan Heavey, Mark Potter Organizations: Wells, REUTERS, Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, Services, Financial, Advisors, Thomson Locations: Wells Fargo Bank, New York City, U.S, Wells Fargo, Wells, Ottawa, New York

☆ Wells Fargo overcharged nearly 11,000 investment accounts with advisory fees, SEC alleges
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —For years, Wells Fargo overcharged almost 11,000 investment advisory accounts about $27 million in fees, federal regulators alleged on Friday. Wells Fargo agreed to pay a $35 million civil penalty to settle the matter, without admitting or denying the SEC charges. The agency said Wells Fargo also paid account holders about $40 million — including interest — to reimburse customers who’d been overcharged. The SEC also said Wells Fargo overcharged some clients who opened accounts prior to 2014 through the end of 2022. Wells Fargo spokesperson Caroline Szyperski said Wells Fargo Advisors conducted a “thorough review” of accounts and has fully reimbursed affected customers.

Persons: Wells, Wells Fargo, “, ” Gurbir Grewal, Edwards, Caroline Szyperski, “ We’re Organizations: New, New York CNN, Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC, Wells Fargo Advisors, Wachovia, Advisors Locations: New York, Wells Fargo overcharged, Wells, Wells Fargo

☆ Jim Cramer takes issue with Wolfe Research's 'very gutsy call' on this financial stock
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Morgan Chittum | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Discover Financial Services (DFS) stock surged 1.82% Thursday morning following an upgrade from Wolfe Research, to trade around $90 apiece. If you like this story, sign up for Jim Cramer's Top 10 Morning Thoughts on the Market email newsletter for free. CNBC's Jim Cramer took issue with Wolfe's "very gutsy call," citing reports of Discover overcharging merchants for more than a decade. In the meantime, if you want a bargain, take advantage of Nvidia (NVDA) if the stock is down." The artificial-intelligence chipmaker, an Investing Club stock, reported another blowout quarter on Wednesday.

Persons: Jim Cramer's, CNBC's Jim Cramer, there's Organizations: Discover Financial Services, Wolfe Research, Discover, Nvidia, Club Locations: Discover overcharging

☆ British water companies face $1 bln lawsuits over pollution - law firm
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Environmental and water consultant Carolyn Roberts, who plans to bring the claims, says water companies would have faced penalties if they had properly reported pollution incidents. The firm said it will also be filing cases against five other companies – Thames Water, United Utilities, Anglian Water, Yorkshire Water and Northumbrian Water – in the coming months. Water companies have pushed back against the proposed claims, describing them as "highly speculative". A Thames Water spokesperson said the company was aware of the potential claim, which they said was without merit. Water companies have avoided being penalised by regulator Ofwat for "serial and serious under-reporting" of pollution incidents, she said in a statement.

Persons: Trent, Darren Staples, Carolyn Roberts, Roberts, Leigh Day, Severn, Sam Tobin, Bernadette Baum Organizations: REUTERS, Severn Trent, United Utilities, Yorkshire Water, Environment Agency, Water, Thomson Locations: Cropston, England, British, United, Water, Yorkshire, United States

☆ Chains Overcharging Medicare for Drugs Can Be Sued for Fraud, Supreme Court Rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Jess Bravin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/chains-overcharging-medicare-for-drugs-can-be-sued-for-fraud-supreme-court-rules-1c549661

Persons: Dow Jones

☆ Matt Onofrio made $35 million helping everyday people invest in real estate. Then he was indicted. Was it all a scam?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Daniel Geiger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +21 min

The MMA fighter Michael Chandler, pictured with his wife, Brie Willett, bought a $16 million property from Matt Onofrio in 2021. Then, in November 2022, federal prosecutors indicted Onofrio on charges involving three deals he'd arranged in Minnesota the year before. The federal complaint doesn't involve the property Onofrio sold to Chandler. Unbeknownst to Hermann, Onofrio had already tied up the warehouse in contract for $4.75 million. "Matt was finding a deal for $4 million and selling it for $5 million," Stageberg said.

Persons: Matt Onofrio, anesthetist, who'd, Onofrio, Michael Chandler, Chandler, Brie Willett, Rick Diamond, Michael didn't, Matt, Brendan Johnson, he'd, fraudster, who's, Matthew Hermann, Hermann, he's, —, Anthony Vicino, unburden, Hermann countersued, Let's, Nick Stageberg, Stageberg, Vicino, couldn't, wasn't, Zacari Pennington, Brandon Turner, David Greene, Pennington, Brad Lea's, Ryan Pineda's, Alec McElhinny, Onofrio's, Greene, Ed Mylett, Mylett, Lily Ro Onofrio, Lea, Brittany Arnason, BiggerPockets, Cameron Cropsey, Scott Trench, Nicholas Perrone, Wild Organizations: Onofrio, CMT, Chandler, Wild Moose Ventures, Finance & Commerce, Mayo Clinic, Moose Ventures, Wild, Ventures Locations: Wisconsin, California, Sauk Rapids , Minnesota, Minnesota, Onofrio, Minneapolis, Mexico City, Mayo, Denver, Nashville, Church, Golden Valley , Minnesota, Macon , Georgia, Pennington

☆ I paid a stranger on Facebook $1,545 for tickets to Taylor Swift's 'Eras Tour.' Here's how I avoided getting scammed.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Joni Sweet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

But like many Swifties, I never got access to Ticketmaster's disastrous presale for the Eras Tour. I posted on a Taylor Swift ticket-selling Facebook groupI turned to Facebook after I didn't hear back from several sellers on Twitter. Joni SweetMy search for Taylor Swift tickets started on Twitter. I had come across @ErasTourResell, an account which connects hopeful concertgoers with people selling their Eras Tour tickets for face value. I searched for terms like "Taylor Swift resell" and "Eras Tour tickets" and joined a few groups that came up.

And so whenever I get one of those notifications, I know I’m going to have a good time there. kevin roose[LAUGHS]: I actually don’t think I could’ve told you what IBM stood for. kevin rooseSo I’ve thought a lot and written a lot about how and when AI actually is a threat to jobs. The third category is just the jobs that I think are going to be protected, the jobs that we won’t let AI do. But I don’t actually think the speed of it matters at all.

☆ Atlanta DA Fani Willis loves using a law designed for going after the mob. She may use it to charge Trump.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

The law — designed for going after the mob — makes sense for her investigation into Donald Trump, experts say. In her time in the district attorney's office, Willis has aggressively used Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization statute. One sprawling 56-count RICO case, against the rapper Young Thug's alleged gang, is in its second month of jury selection ahead of what's expected to be a nine-month trial. But if she were to bring a case, experts believe RICO charges are likely. Rahmani cautioned that a RICO case may make Willis look too aggressive.

☆ Prosecutors in Alec Baldwin 'Rust' shooting case are getting heat over apparent missteps
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

The charges stem from the October 2021 shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during the filming of independent film "Rust." She won the race in November but stayed on the "Rust" case. In September, Torraco donated $250 to Reeb's campaign, assuming that if Reeb won the legislative race, she would automatically recuse herself frocrat, andm the "Rust" case. Media circusThe case has received significant media attention, which has persisted due to Baldwin and the prosecutors' press communication. Beyond that, Heather Brewer, the DA's spokesperson specifically hired for the "Rust" case, has made several heated statements about Baldwin and his attorneys on behalf of the DA's office.

☆ Twitter hit back at a private jet company suing it over an $197,000 unpaid bill, saying it was overcharged for 2 flights that weren't properly authorized
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Private Jet Services filed a lawsuit against Twitter over an unpaid bill of nearly $200,000 last December. On Tuesday, Twitter said that the jet company overcharged it and the flights were unauthorized. It also frequently referred in the documents to being billed $194,000 by Private Jet Services, but did not explain the discrepancy in figures. Twitter says that it believes the jet company breached this agreement over "designated representatives," and as such the lawsuit should be dismissed. Private Jet Services and Twitter did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Insider.

☆ Industry vs. Regulator - aviation heavyweights spar in Dublin
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Joanna Plucinska | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Willie Walsh, outspoken head of the world's biggest airline trade body, IATA, joined the European Union's top permanent transport official Henrik Hololei on stage at the Airline Economics conference in the world's aviation finance capital. But Walsh wanted to know what could be done to lift that closure, which threatens to penalise some Western airlines at the expense of Chinese and other carriers that continue to fly over Russia. He added there would be no "business as usual" if Russian airspace did reopen. Airlines accuse airports of overcharging carriers, while airports say they have to fund huge capital investments. "We allowed those who wanted to find the poster child for environmental damage to pick on aviation," he said.

The lawsuit, filed in California Superior Court in Los Angeles, targets Eli Lilly and Co , Novo Nordisk A/S (NOVOb.CO) and Sanofi SA (SASY.PA), which together make more than 90% of the insulin drugs sold globally. Insulin drugs are used to control blood sugar in patients with diabetes. Eli Lilly and Sanofi both previously announced that they would cap the cost of a 30-day supply of insulin at $35 for uninsured patients. California said that the companies' dominance in the market has allowed them to hike insulin prices at patients' expense, violating the state's Unfair Competition Law. Prices of top-selling insulin drugs have soared in recent years.

☆ Oath Keepers: Second seditious conspiracy trial against Oath Keepers begins with opening statements
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Hannah Rabinowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The Justice Department prosecuted the first Oath Keepers seditious conspiracy case earlier this fall with mixed success – two leaders, including Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, were convicted of the charge while three others were acquitted. That adjustment was on full display Monday, as prosecutor Troy Edwards delivered his opening argument to the jury. Prosecutors struggled at times during the first trial to explain whether Rhodes directly ordered his militia to enter the Capitol building. Rhodes told them it was now time to take their place in history,” Edwards said. When the Oath Keepers heard that the Capitol had been breached, Edwards said they hustled toward the chaos.

☆ JetBlue and American announced 11 all-new routes as the pair beefs up its controversial Northeast Alliance — see the full list
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

JetBlue Airways and American Airlines announced 11 new routes as part of their Northeast Alliance. Walter Bibikow/Getty ImagesJetBlue will start once-daily flights between New York and Hyannis near Cape Code in the spring of 2023. Just dance/ShutterstockJetBlue will start once-daily flights between New York and Bermuda in the spring of 2023. Aleenah AnsariJetBlue will start once-daily flights between Boston and Vancouver in the spring of 2023. American will start once-daily flights between New York and Knoxville on May 5.

☆ Popular Medicare Advantage plans have 'clear cases of overpayments and improper billing of US taxpayers,' advocates and analysts say
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Jason Lalljee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The original Medicare program is offered directly through the federal government. "There hasn't been enough of an indictment of Medicare Advantage plans," Mary Johnson, a Social Security and Medicare policy analyst at the Senior Citizens League, told Insider. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the share of all Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans will grow to 61% by 2032. The politics of Medicare AdvantagePoliticians, primarily Republicans, have done their part to promote Medicare Advantage over the original Medicare plans since President George W. Bush overhauled the program in 2003. Johnson said Medicare Advantage was so popular among conservatives because it shifted financial responsibility from the government to patients.

Companies Cigna Corp FollowNEW YORK, Oct 17 (Reuters) - U.S. prosecutors in Manhattan said on Monday they have filed a civil lawsuit against Cigna Corp (CI.N) accusing the health insurer of overcharging the government's Medicare Advantage program by making it appear patients were more ill than they actually were. Medicare Advantage is a program in which private insurers provide coverage to patients who opt out of the traditional Medicare program. Cigna this month announced it would expand its Medicare Advantage Plan next year. The two cases are among several Justice Department civil lawsuits against companies participating in Medicare Advantage. Enrollment in Medicare Advantage has doubled since 2013 to about 28.7 million, or approximately 49% of all eligible Medicare beneficiaries, government watchdog MedPac said in July.

Pros and cons of Bank of America auto loansPros Cons Lower interest rates than competitorsNo prepayment or origination feesSeveral different types of auto loans to choose fromInterest rate discount if you meet certain requirementsMobile app Discounts require high account balances with Bank of AmericaHigh minimum loan amountBank of America auto loansOne of the big draws of Bank of America auto loans are the low interest rates. Bank of America auto loans don't involve any prepayment or origination fees. How Bank of America auto loans workBank of America offers several types of auto loans, including loans for purchasing a car either new or used from a dealership, buying your current leased car, and buying a car from a private seller. This lender doesn't finance motorcycles or RVs with auto loans, nor commercial vehicles, though a separate small business auto loan is available. How Bank of America auto loans compareCompared to other lenders, Bank of America has some of the lower starting interest rates available for new cars and used cars bought from dealers.

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