Federal Trade Commission
Protecting America's Consumers
Operation Eraser
List of Law Enforcement Actions
| Case Name | Office | Case Status | Type of action | Where filed | Contact |
Federal Trade Commission Cases |
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| G. Andrew Watson & Midwest Management Associates | FTC | Filed; court order granted 2/26 | Action for injunction and restitution; CROA/FTCA §5 | US District Court, Chicago, IL | Media contact: Howard Shapiro, (202) 326-2176; staff contact: C. Steven Baker or Mary Tortorice, (312) 960-5634 |
| Nathaniel Harrell, Jr., d/b/a Compass Northeast Credit Service | FTC | Filed; court order granted 2/26 | Action for Injunction and restitution; CROA/FTCA §5 | US District Court, Columbia, SC | Media contact: Howard Shapiro, (202) 326-2176; staff contact: Chris M. Couillou, (404) 656-1399 |
| Brian Dale Prater, d/b/a Pathfinder Research Company and Choice Credit Systems | FTC | Filed; court order granted 2/27 | Action for Injunction and restitution; CROA/FTCA §5 | US District Court, Los Angeles, CA | FTC media contact: Howard Shapiro, (202) 326-2176; staff contact: Raymond E. McKown, (310) 824-4343 |
| Donald Quaite, d/b/a Quaite & Associates and The Credit Solver | FTC | Filed; court order granted 3/2 | Action for Injunction and restitution; CROA/FTCA §5 | US District Court, Dallas, TX | FTC media contact: Howard Shapiro, (202) 326-2176; staff contact: W. David Griggs, (214) 979-0213 |
| John Mancini, d/b/a Credit Services | FTC | Filed; court order granted 3/2 | Action for Injunction and restitution; CROA/FTCA §5 | US District Court, Ft. Worth, TX | |
| Dixie W. Cooley, d/b/a DWC | FTC | Filed; court order pending hearing | Action for Injunction and restitution; FTCA § 5 | US District Court, Phoenix, AZ | Media contact: Howard Shapiro, (202) 326-2176; staff contact: Russell Damtoft, (312) 960-5634 |
| Fighting Back, Inc. and William S. Licata | FTC | Filed; court order granted 2/27 | Action for Injunction and restitution; CROA/FTCA §5 | US District Court, New York, NY | Media contact: Howard Shapiro, (202) 326-2176; staff contact: Denise Tighe, (212) 264-1207 |
| Keith H. Gill, d/b/a Law Office of Keith Gill and Richard Murkey | FTC | Filed; court order pending hearing | Action for Injunction and restitution; CROA/FTCA §5 | US District Court, Los Angeles, CA | FTC media contact: Howard Shapiro, (202) 326-2176; staff contact: Jennifer Larabee, (310) 824-4300 |
Joint Federal Trade Commission and State Attorney General Cases |
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| National Credit Management Group, LLC, d/b/a YES-CREDIT, Glen Buzzetti, and Joseph Ferguson | FTC and New Jersey Attorney General | Filed; court order granted 3/3. Separate FTC and NJ actions were consolidated by the court. | Actions for injunction and restitution; CROA and Telemarketing Sales Rule (FTC and NJ); FTCA §5 (FTC) and state law (NJ). | US District Court, Newark, NJ | FTC media contact: Howard Shapiro, (202) 326-2176; staff contact: Russell Damtoft, (312) 960-5634.
New Jersey media contact: Pamela McClure or Genene Wiggins, (973) 504-6327 |
| Raymond J. Caluori d/b/a New England Financial | FTC and Massachusetts Attorney General | Filed; court order granted 3/2 | Joint action for injunction and restitution; CROA (FTC and MA); FTCA §5 (FTC) and state law (MA). | US District Court, Boston, MA | FTC media contact: Howard Shapiro, (202) 326-2176; staff contact: Pamela J. Wood, (617) 424-5960 Massachusetts Attorney General media contact: Marsha Cohen, (717) 727-2543 |
| Second Federal Credit, Inc., and Frank DeMaio | FTC and Massachusetts Attorney General | Filed; court order granted 3/2 | Joint action for injunction and restitution; CROA (FTC and MA); FTCA §5 (FTC) and state law (MA). | US District Court, Boston, MA | |
| Henry J. Frattaroli, Jr., D/b/a Credit Repair Network | FTC and Massachusetts Attorney General | Filed; court order granted 3/2 | Joint action for injunction and restitution; CROA (FTC and MA); FTCA §5 (FTC) and state law (MA). | US District Court, Boston, MA | |
| Allied Credit Services, Inc., and Howard S. Hall | FTC and Massachusetts Attorney General | Filed; court order granted 3/2 | Joint action for injunction and restitution; CROA (FTC and MA); FTCA §5 (FTC) and state law (MA). | US District Court, Boston, MA | |
Department of Justice/Office of Consumer Litigation Cases |
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| Credit Advisors, Credit Corp. of America, Inc., and Gregory J. Ruiz | Department of Justice | Filed | Action for civil penalties & injunction; CROA & FTCA § 5 | US District Court, New Orleans, LA | FTC media contact: Howard Shapiro, (202) 326-2176; staff contact: C. Steven Baker, (312) 960-5634. Department of Justice contact: Main Press Office: 202-616-2777 |
| Andrea L. Christie, d/b/a B & J Enterprises, Ltd., et al | Department of Justice | Filed | Action for civil penalties & injunction; CROA & FTCA § 5 | US District Court, Charleston, SC | |
| Cornerstone Wealth Corp., d/b/a Credit Finan. and Associates et al John Atchley | Department of Justice | Filed | Action for civil penalties & injunction; CROA & FTCA § 5 | US District Court, Dallas, TX | |
| Mark A. Reiber, d/b/a Credit Report Counselors | Department of Justice | Filed | Action for civil penalties & injunction; CROA & FTCA § 5 | US District Court, Cincinnati, OH | |
| Equity Funding Associates, Inc., and John Cini | Department of Justice | Filed | Action for civil penalties & injunction; CROA & FTCA § 5 | US District Court, Detroit, MI | |
| Jack Schrold | Department of Justice | Filed | Action for civil penalties & injunction; CROA & FTCA § 5 | US District Court, Ft. Lauderdale, FL | |
| Nationwide Credit Information Services, Inc., & Neil Angelicola | Department of Justice | Filed | Action for civil penalties & injunction; CROA & FTCA § 5 | US District Court, Newark, NJ | |
State Cases |
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| Wayne E. Johnson, d/b/a The Credit Doctor, et al | Arizona Attorney General | Filed | Order to show cause why subpoena should not be enforced | Arizona Superior Court, Maricopa Co., Phoenix, AZ | Karie Dozer, (602) 542-8019 |
| Glenn Margelot d/b/a Credit Clearing Services | Connecticut Attorney General | Filed | Action for injunction, restitution and civil penalties; CROA and state law | Connecticut Superior Court, Hartford, CT | Cheryl Fialkoff, (860) 808-5324 |
| Credit & Debt Consultant Inst., Inc., et al and Ken Yarborough | Florida Attorney General | Filed; court order granted 3/3 | Action for injunction, restituion and civil penalties; CROA & state law | Circuit Court of 17th Judicial Circuit, Ft. Lauderdale, FL | Joe Bizzaro, (850) 487-0984 |
| Linda Foltz, d/b/a Action Credit Clearing, Inc., and Action Financial Services | Indiana Attorney General | Filed | Action for injunction, restitution and civil penalties; state law | Marion Circuit Court, Indianapolis, IN | Rich Schneider, (317) 232-6351 |
| Rex Bertram, d/b/a Credit Improvement Resources | Indiana Attorney General | Filed | Action for injunction, and restitution; CROA | US District Court, Indianapolis, IN | |
| Consumer Credit Relations Corp., d/b/a Credit Relations and Law Office, and Richard Porter | Indiana Attorney General | Filed | Action for injunction and restitution; CROA | US District Court, Indianapolis, IN | |
| American Home Buyers Ass'n, LLC, Michael A. Cimino, and Freshstart Financial Management | Missouri Attorney General | Filed; stipulated permanent injunction entered 2/24 | Action for injunction and civil penalties; CROA & state law | Circuit Court of Jackson County, Kansas City, MO | Scott Holste, (573) 751-8844 |
| United Credit Corp. and Cornelius G. Bell | North Carolina Attorney General | filed; court order pending hearing | Action for injunction, restitution and civil penalties; state law | Wake County Superior Court, Raleigh, NC | Amy Green, (919) 716-6412 |
| Cornelius Degefferd, d/b/a Degefferd Revised Credit Financial Services | Ohio Attorney General | Filed | Action for injunction, restitution, and civil penalties; state law | Franklin County Common Pleas Court, Columbus, OH | Jennifer Detwiler, (614) 644-3840 |
| Don Leask, d/b/a/ Advance Credit Consultanta | Oregon Attorney General | Signed | Assurance of Voluntary Compliance; state law | Circuit Court of Oregon; Multnomah County | Jan Margosian, (503) 378-4732 |
| John T. Detrick, d/b/a The Credit Guild | Orange Co., CA, District Attorney | Filed | Stipulated Action for Injunction and Civil Penalties; state law | California Superior Court, Orange County, Santa Ana, CA | Andrea Burke, (714) 568-1200 |