Dana's Dispatch: Human Trafficking Commission, Gift Card Scams, Public Integrity Updates & More!

--------------------------------------------------------------- Don't fall for these Gift Card Scams! Gift cards should be used exclusively for cat calendars, cat sweaters, and cat treats, not necessarily in that order. Anyone who demands payment by a gift card is a scammer, period. For tips on how to avoid gift card scams and other consumer alerts, watch this PSA & visit [www.michigan.gov/ag.]( Department of Attorney General (3 Feb, 2022) Don't fall for these Gift Card Scams! Retrieved from: [Don't fall for these Gift Card Scams!]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Attorney General Dana Nessel, CFTC, 26 State Regulators to Stop $68 Million Precious Metals Scheme It is so important to do your research before investing in anything. Investors must be diligent in asking about the fees, markups or spreads, risks, and potential returns. If the answers seem too good to be true or don’t make sense, that’s a sign it’s not worth your money. Attorney General Dana Nessel has joined with a consolidated enforcement action to stop a precious metals scheme that used misleading solicitations to gain over $68 million in retirement funds from at least 450 investors across the country. The Michigan Department of the Attorney General says the action was taken by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and 26 state securities regulators in filing a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, alleging that Safeguard Metals, LLC and Jeffrey Santulan, also known as Jeffrey Hill, solicited investors across the U.S. by, “touting precious metals at inflated prices that were not disclosed.” In Michigan, investors turned over in excess $2.8 million of their retirement funds to purchase the precious metals from Safeguard Metals in the execution of this scheme. Many state investors liquidated their existing retirement accounts, which contained securities, to obtain funds to buy the metals. [READ MORE]( 9 and 10 News Staff, 9 and 10 News (1 Feb, 2022) Attorney General Dana Nessel, CFTC, 26 State Regulators to Stop $68 Million Precious Metals Scheme Retrieved from: [Attorney General Dana Nessel, CFTC, 26 State Regulators to Stop $68 Million Precious Metals Scheme]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Attorney General Nessel Issues Report On Human Trafficking The Human Trafficking Commission is working hard to address a critical issue and I continue to be impressed their accomplishments. I will continue work with the Commission to fight vigorously against traffickers and to protect victims of this abhorrent crime. To conclude Human Trafficking Awareness Month, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel today is sharing the Michigan Human Trafficking Commission’s 2021 Annual Report, which is now available on the Department of Attorney General’s website. Earlier this month – for Human Trafficking Awareness Day – the Department highlighted resources available and important work being done to combat trafficking. The annual report is provided to the Governor and Legislature each year to summarize those efforts. Copies will be delivered today. [READ MORE]( Jack Hall, Radio Results Network (1 Feb, 2022) Attorney General Nessel Issues Report On Human Trafficking Retrieved from: [Attorney General Nessel Issues Report On Human Trafficking]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Nessel: Virtual participation in public meetings allowed for some under ADA Professionals who misappropriate the funds of their clients also exploit their trust and will be held accountable by this office. Photo courtesy of John L. Russell, Detroit News A Wayne County attorney convicted of embezzling money from a dead client's trust intended for the Michigan Humane Society has been sentenced, state officials announced Wednesday. State authorities reported that Semaan drafted the victim’s trust in 2011 and the client, who died two years later, had half allocated to the Michigan Humane Society, since renamed Michigan Humane. Since the assets were intended for a charity, the law required the Attorney General’s Office to be involved. [READ MORE]( Beth LeBlanc, The Detroit News (4 Feb, 2022) Nessel: Virtual participation in public meetings allowed for some under ADA Retrieved from: [Nessel: Virtual participation in public meetings allowed for some under ADA]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Judge binds over former Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith on all 10 counts When public officials fail to conduct themselves in accordance with the laws of our state, we must take swift action to restore the public's confidence. No one is above the law. The judge's decision today, sending this to trial on all charges. District Judge Cynthia Arvant has ruled former Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith will stand trial on 10 felony charges including running a criminal enterprise, embezzlement, and conspiracy. Smith faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted on the criminal enterprise charge. The evidence is Smith misused $600,000 in drug and drunk driving forfeiture funds and kept them in 4 off-book bank accounts over several years. Former Assistant Prosecutor Derek Miller is also charged with conspiracy and misconduct in office in the case. Judge Arvant also bound Miller over to trial as charged. Miller faces up to 5 years in prison. Circuit Court arraignments for both have been set for February 28 at 1:30. [READ MORE]( Jim Kiertzner, WXYZ Detroit (4 Feb, 2022) Judge binds over former Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith on all 10 counts Retrieved from: [Judge binds over former Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith on all 10 counts]( --------------------------------------------------------------- State attorney general races become litmus test for GOP election claims I campaigned on a promise to uphold the law and protect the people of our state. My opponents, like many Republicans across the county, are running a campaign on a promise to help one man upend the law. See the difference? In Michigan, where Attorney General nominees are chosen at state party conventions rather than primaries, former state House Speaker Tom Leonard is hoping for a rematch against Democratic incumbent Dana Nessel. But first, Leonard, who touts having been named the state’s most conservative lawmaker, has to defeat two GOP opponents in a party convention. One of them is Matthew DePerno, a lawyer who sued Michigan’s Antrim County claiming voting machines there recorded votes for Trump as being for Biden in the 2020 election. The claim was dismissed. While Leonard is focusing on issues such as reducing violent crime, DePerno sees election fraud as a driving issue – despite Republicans themselves finding no evidence of systemic fraud in the state. He has Trump’s support. “That says it all,” said David Dulio, a political scientist at Oakland University in Michigan. “He has certainly hitched his wagon to Donald Trump, counting on the fact that the Trump brand will have strength in this election.” [READ MORE]( Geoff Mulvihill, The Detroit News (6 Feb, 2022) State attorney general races become litmus test for GOP election claims Retrieved from: [State attorney general races become litmus test for GOP election claims]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you for being a part of Dana's re-election campaign! 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