Troutman Pepper Locke State Attorneys General Monitor – April 9, 2026

State attorneys general increasingly impact businesses in all industries. Our nationally recognized State AG team has been trusted by clients for more than 20 years to navigate their most complicated state AG investigations and enforcement actions.

State Attorneys General Monitor analyzes regulatory actions by state AGs and other state administrative agencies throughout the nation. Contributors to this newsletter and related blog include attorneys experienced in regulatory enforcement, litigation, and compliance. Also visit our State Attorneys General Monitor microsite.

Contact our State AG team at StateAG@troutman.com.

Michigan Federal Court Narrows Roku Privacy Suit to COPPA Claims

By Troutman Pepper Locke State Attorneys General Team and Shelby Dolen

A federal court in Michigan significantly narrowed Michigan AG Dana Nessel’s privacy and consumer protection case against Roku, Inc. (Roku) dismissing all non-Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) claims for lack of standing while allowing the state’s privacy claims under COPPA to proceed. The decision highlights COPPA’s utility as a vehicle for state AGs to bring enforcement actions in federal court, while also underscoring the jurisdictional limits on bringing companion state privacy and consumer protection claims in the same forum.

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California AG Files Lawsuit Against Individuals and Charities for Allegedly Operating and Profiting from Fraudulent Fundraising Opportunities

By Troutman Pepper Locke State Attorneys General Team

On March 26, 2026, California AG Rob Bonta filed a complaint in state court against six individuals and three organizations for allegedly creating and operating sham charities. According to the complaint, the defendants used the organizations to raise approximately $3.8 million, which they used for personal expenses. The complaint alleges that these actions resulted in violations of various state laws, including California’s Charitable Supervision Act.

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Center for Vein Restoration Enters Into $4M False Claims Act Settlement With States and Federal Government

By Troutman Pepper Locke State Attorneys General Team and Sydney Goldberg

Connecticut AG William Tong announced on March 20, 2026, that Connecticut has joined with other states and the federal government to reach a settlement with CVR Management, LLC, the entity that manages the Center for Vein Restoration (CVR), resolving allegations that the company billed government health programs for medically unnecessary procedures. The settlement requires CVR Management to pay $4 million, which will be distributed among the Medicaid programs of eight states, the District of Columbia, the federal government, and the relators of the original lawsuits.

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AG of the Week

Stephen Cox, Alaska

Stephen J. Cox is the 28th AG of Alaska. As the state’s chief legal officer, he oversees Alaska’s legal affairs, including supervision of district attorneys, representation of the state in civil and criminal matters in state and federal courts, and counsel to the governor and executive branch agencies.

Before his appointment, he was senior vice president, chief legal and strategy officer of Bristol Bay Industrial — an investment platform of the Bristol Bay Native Corporation — acting as the chief legal officer for the industrial services portfolio on behalf of the Alaska Native shareholders in the Bristol Bay region. In that role, he led legal, compliance, and strategic planning for major energy, infrastructure, and utility projects across the state and in the Lower 48.

Earlier, he served as in-house counsel at Apache Corporation, acting as principal attorney for Apache Alaska on new ventures and exploratory work in Cook Inlet.

At the federal level, Cox held senior leadership roles at the U.S. Department of Justice, including deputy associate AG and U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Texas, where he oversaw prosecutions and civil litigation across 43 counties.

He previously practiced complex litigation at an international law firm, served as counselor to the director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and helped lead the William H. Webster Commission’s review of FBI counterterrorism activities following the Fort Hood attack.

Cox clerked for Judge J. L. Edmondson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. He holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Texas A&M University and a law degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Houston Law Center. He and his wife, Cristina, live in Anchorage with their three children.

Alaska AG in the News:

• Cox announced an $800,000 settlement (with $200,000 suspended) resolving Alaska’s consumer protection lawsuit against Swickard car dealerships over alleged unfair and deceptive sales practices and violations of state law related to undisclosed add-ons and failure to obtain required written disclosures when purchasing used vehicles from consumers.  
• Cox announced that the state has settled its consumer protection lawsuit against Soni Inc. over allegations that the Ketchikan jewelry retailer misrepresented low-purity, California-sourced gold products as high-purity, Alaska-mined gold nuggets and gold quartz jewelry.  
• Cox has warned more than 1,500 Alaska tobacco retailers and distributors that most imported vapes and oral nicotine pouches lack required FDA authorization and cannot be legally sold, alleging their youth-appealing packaging, serious health risks to children, and the need to treat and dispose of these products — including lithium battery-containing vapes — as hazardous waste.

Upcoming AG Events

• April: NAAG | Annual Meeting | Charleston, SC  
• April: AGA | International Delegation | TBD  
• May: RAGA | ERC Retreat | Sea Island, GA  

For more on upcoming AG events, click here.

Troutman Pepper Locke’s State AG team combines legal acumen and government experience to develop comprehensive, thoughtful strategies for clients. Our attorneys handle individual and multistate AG investigations, proactive counseling and litigation, and manage ancillary regulatory issues. Our successful approach has been recognized by Chambers USA, which ranked our practice as a leader in the industry.