Penalty Amount
$40,000
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced settlements with four hearing aid companies for marketing their products as 'FDA-approved' when no such approval exists. The companies will collectively pay $40,000 and cease such marketing practices. The investigation underscores that over-the-counter hearing aids are not FDA-approved and consumers should be wary of such claims.
The companies must stop marketing their hearing aids as FDA-approved and pay monetary penalties totaling $40,000 to the state of Connecticut.
In-house legal teams should review vendor, customer, and marketing agreements for clauses addressing product representations, regulatory compliance, and advertising accuracy. Specifically, examine any warranties or statements regarding FDA approval or registration, marketing materials clauses, and compliance with consumer protection laws. Updates may be needed to remove 'FDA-approved' language, add clear disclaimers about regulatory status (e.g., 'FDA-registered but not approved'), and include covenants prohibiting false or misleading claims about government endorsement or product approvals.
Entity
Lively Hearing Corporation, Widex USA, Inc., Hark Wellness, Inc., Wonder Ear, Inc.
Also known as: Lively Hearing, Widex USA, Hark Wellness, Wonder Ear
Industry
Healthcare$625K
Connecticut reached a $625,000 settlement with Frontier Communications Parent Inc. over an April 2024 breach in which compromised employee and vendor credentials were used to access internal systems and exfiltrate unencrypted personal information of 58,841 Connecticut residents. The settlement requires Frontier to strengthen its security program, implement specific safeguards and training, and obtain an independent third-party assessment.
$2.6M
Connecticut and New York found that Boston Children’s Health Physicians and its security vendor, XTIUM, failed to use reasonable safeguards, resulting in hackers accessing sensitive personal, medical, and employee information. The companies agreed to pay penalties totaling $2.64 million and implement enhanced cybersecurity measures.
Connecticut joined a coalition of state attorneys general filing a notice in Character Technologies, Inc.’s bankruptcy proceedings, raising concerns about the company’s safety and privacy practices and the sensitive information it holds. The states seek protections for children and consumers if the company’s business or assets are sold or transferred; the filing does not impose a fine or other remedy.
Attorney General William Tong and Consumer Counsel Claire Coleman petitioned PURA to review how Connecticut public utilities use artificial intelligence, citing potential data privacy and cybersecurity risks, algorithmic errors, and misleading outputs. The petition asks PURA to examine utility AI systems, safeguards, vendors, and data security practices; it does not report a finding of violation or an imposed penalty.
$2.0M
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced a settlement with RZ Smoke, Inc. over allegations that it distributed and sold high-potency cannabis products without a state license. The stipulated judgment is $2 million, with $375,000 payable to the State and $1.6 million suspended to ensure compliance; the company is barred from specified cannabis activities in Connecticut unless licensed.
$13.7M
Connecticut joined a coalition of states and the federal government in settling allegations that Takeda paid healthcare providers speaker honoraria and provided meals to induce prescriptions of Trintellix, leading to allegedly false claims to government healthcare programs. Takeda agreed to pay $13,670,921 plus accrued interest, with portions allocated to federal and state programs.