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Q&A

DCWP's proactive investigations and major case settlements

0:32:09

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93 sec

DCWP representatives discuss recent proactive investigations and major case settlements in the consumer protection sphere.

Major settlement with 26 Motors, a secondhand auto dealer, securing $1.8 million in restitution and penalties
Default judgment of $3.7 million against Dorm to Dorm, a moving company
$700,000 in restitution and penalties related to RG or Ts for deceptive business practices
Example of how the complaint process led to the Dorm to Dorm case and subsequent lawsuit

Julie Menin

0:32:09

And what types of proactive investigations has the agency done in this sphere?

0:32:09

I think

Carlos Ortiz

0:32:29

Yeah.

0:32:29

So I think, you know, last year, we we did have a number of major cases that we're able to resolve, that were certainly proactive instances of us, engaging with, with cert with violations that we were observing.

0:32:41

Last year, we did announce a major settlement with twenty six Motors, which is a secondhand auto dealer, that secured about 1,800,000 in restitution and penalties.

0:32:49

We also received the default judgment of 3,700,000.0 with respect respect to dorm to dorm, which is a moving company.

0:32:55

Was that right?

0:32:56

Moving and then, the last piece, we we announced, about 700,000 in restitution penalties related to RG or Ts for really deceptive and and terrible business activity too.

Julie Menin

0:33:07

Okay.

0:33:07

Yeah.

0:33:07

I would

Andrew Schwenk

0:33:07

I would just add, council member, on the dorm to dorm case, you know, I think that's a good example of of what Carlos just explained about our, complaints process.

0:33:15

Our, consumer services and and mediation team noticed a pattern, a kinda big jump in complaints about the specific business, And that was referred to, attorneys, within, my division, our agency, who took a closer look and found a real problem occurring there, contacted the consumers and was able to bring this case, and receive, you know, a large money judgment there.

0:33:36

And so I think it's a pretty good example of of kinda how that process works from complaint submission to a a a lawsuit.

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