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Growth Cave, LLC
As a result of a Federal Trade Commission lawsuit, a federal court has temporarily halted the operations of a wide-ranging business opportunity and credit repair scam that has operated under the name “Growth Cave” since at least 2020.
The FTC’s complaint against the operation and its owners and officers, Lucas Lee-Tyson, Osmany Batte (also known as “Ozzie Blessed”), and Jordan Marksberry, alleges that the Growth Cave operation has taken approximately $50 million from consumers using false promises of huge income.
In May 2025, the FTC filed an amended complaint in this case, adding two defendants based on information the FTC learned after the original filing.
The amended complaint names LLT Research as a new defendant in the case and adds as a relief defendant Friendly Solar, Inc.
FTC Takes Action to Stop Sprawling ‘Growth Cave’ Business Opportunity and Credit Repair Scam
Cognosphere, LLC, U.S. v.
Cognosphere has agreed to pay $20 million and to block children under 16 from making in-game purchases without parental consent to settle FTC allegations the company violated a children’s privacy law and deceived children and other users about the real costs of in-game transactions and odds of obtaining rare prizes.
Genshin Impact Game Developer Will be Banned from Selling Lootboxes to Teens Under 16 without Parental Consent, Pay a $20 Million Fine to Settle FTC Charges
FTC Order Requires Online Retailer GOAT to Pay More than $2 Million to Consumers for Mail Order Rule Violations and to Honor Its Buyer Protection Policies
GOAT, FTC v.
In December 2024, the FTC announced a court order requiring GOAT, a leading online marketplace for sneakers, apparel, and accessories, to pay more than $2 million for violating an agency rule requiring companies to have reasonable shipping practices.
FTC Sends Nearly $1.9 Million in Refunds to Customers Harmed by Hey Dude’s Violations of the Mail Order Rule
FTC Order Will Ban NGL Labs and its Founders from Offering Anonymous Messaging Apps to Kids Under 18 and Halt Deceptive Claims Around AI Content Moderation
FTC Issues Report to Congress on Collaboration with State Attorneys General
Response Tree, LLC
On January 2, 2024, the Department of Justice on referral from the FTC filed a complaint alleging that California-based lead generator Response Tree LLC and its president, Derek Thomas Doherty operated more than 50 websites designed to trick consumers into providing their personal information for supposed mortgage refinancing loans and other services. These telemarketing campaigns, which made robocalls and calls to numbers on the DNC Registry, were illegal, as the telemarketers did not have consumers’ consent to be called.
Under a proposed order settling the FTC’s charges, Response Tree and Derek Thomas Doherty will be banned from making or assisting anyone else in making robocalls or calls to phone numbers on the FTC’s Do Not Call (DNC) Registry.
FTC, California DFPI Case Leads to Ban Against Operators of Mortgage Relief Scam Home Matters USA
Home Matters USA
The Federal Trade Commission and the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) are taking action against various companies doing business as Home Matters USA, Academy Home Services, Atlantic Pacific Service Group, and Golden Home Services America, and the owners of the companies, Dominic Ahiga and Roger Scott Dyer, for operating a sham mortgage relief operation that misled consumers and cost them millions. In the first case brought jointly by the two agencies, the FTC and DFPI allege that the companies charged consumers thousands of dollars with false promises they would negotiate with consumers’ mortgage lenders to alter their loans, at times even representing they were affiliated with government COVID-19 relief programs. A federal court has temporarily shut down the operation and frozen the assets of the defendants in the case.
The court’s orders bar the individuals and their companies from directly or indirectly engaging in telemarketing, debt relief services, and making any misrepresentations or unsubstantiated claims about any product or service.