Attorney General Kathy Jennings released the following statement Thursday after the Division of Civil Rights & Public Trust secured a jury conviction against a Dover man for two violent felonies.  Originally indicted in October 2020 after removing and pointing a handgun toward others during a counter-protest, Michael Hastings was convicted today of Reckless Endangering 1st […]

Today we lost one of the most remarkable women our State has ever known: former Governor Ruth Ann Minner. By the time Ruth Ann Minner broke her second glass ceiling as Governor — she was also our first female Lt. Governor — she had already recorded decades of public service. From the House of Representatives […]

Attorney General Jennings today joined a nationwide investigation into Meta Platforms, Inc., formerly known as Facebook, for providing and promoting its social media platform – Instagram – to children and young adults despite knowing that such use is associated with physical and mental health harms. Attorneys General across the country are examining whether the company […]

Chancery filing seeks invalidation of illegal fetal tissue ordinance After twice warning the City of Seaford that it was considering an anti-choice ordinance that was contrary to State law, Attorney General Kathy Jennings has filed suit against the City of Seaford over the ordinance.  The ordinance, passed on December 14 and scheduled to become effective […]

Closing out Human Trafficking Awareness Month, Attorney General Kathy Jennings joined advocates, State and local partners, and prosecutors Monday to announce the formation of the Delaware Department of Justice’s first dedicated Human Trafficking Unit (HTU). “Human trafficking is among the direst human rights crises of this century,” said Attorney General Jennings. “Awareness has grown by orders of magnitude in recent years, […]

Guns used in Dover homicide, New Castle County suicide; many remain unrecovered Attorney General Kathy Jennings joined law enforcement and prosecutors Wednesday to announce that the DOJ has secured 87 felony charges against five defendants who are collectively charged with illegally purchasing and providing to others more than 60 firearms, including guns recovered at the […]

Defendant faces eight charges, including assault, misconduct, and multiple felonies Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Monday that the DOJ’s Division of Civil Rights & Public Trust (DCRPT) secured an indictment against a former Wilmington police officer for two excessive force cases that took place in September 2021, including one incident that came to DCRPT’s attention […]

Attorney General Kathleen Jennings urges all Delaware residents who believe they were impacted by the data breach announced by T-Mobile in August 2021 to take appropriate steps to protect their information from identity theft. On August 17,  T-Mobile reported a massive data breach compromising the sensitive personal information of millions of current, former, and prospective […]

Jennings successfully appealed from original deal, more than doubling Delaware’s recovery with up to $25 million extra Institutions may remove Sackler name from buildings, scholarships; Sacklers to be banned from opioid business and Purdue to dissolve Attorney General Jennings announced today a tentative settlement worth as much as $6 billion with Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family […]

Three illicit massage establishments (IMEs) were shut down in February, the first full month of operation for the DOJ’s first Human Trafficking Unit (HTU), Attorney General Jennings announced Thursday. “These investigations highlight a continuing pattern that we’ve seen time and time again: human trafficking often happens in plain sight,” said Attorney General Jennings. “These were […]

“It speaks volumes of our neighbors that so many Delawareans have taken action to help the Ukrainian people,” said Attorney General Jennings.  “Unfortunately, scammers are shameless and see a crisis as an opportunity. To protect yourself, and to ensure that your donations reach people in need, everyone should take steps to ensure that their contributions go to legitimate causes.  My office will do its part in ensuring that those who seek to profit from the pain and suffering of the Ukrainian people are investigated and brought to justice.”

The Delaware Department of Justice’s Division of Civil Rights & Public Trust (DCRPT) has secured two convictions against William Freeborn, the former Executive Director of the Wilmington Neighborhood Conservancy Land Bank (WNCLB). “If you abuse the public’s trust we will hold you accountable,” said Attorney General Jennings. “The defendant used a position of public confidence to […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings released the following statement today regarding the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization: “Just one day after dramatically curtailing states’ rights to regulate guns, the Supreme Court has upended a half-century of legal precedent by permitting states to regulate women’s most basic freedom — control over […]

Chancery ruling invalidates illegal fetal tissue ordinance A fetal tissue ordinance enacted by Seaford City Council late last year has been overturned following a successful legal challenge by Attorney General Kathy Jennings and the Delaware Department of Justice. The ordinance, enacted on December 14 with an original effective date of January 22, would have forced […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings released today the following statement regarding the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency: “The Supreme Court’s ruling is the latest in a dangerous, disgraceful pattern of decisions that risk the health of our neighbors, of our state, and now the very fate of our planet. The […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings released the following statement today after a jury convicted State Auditor Kathleen McGuiness of Official Misconduct, Structuring, and Conflict of Interest: “From the moment I took office, I promised that no one would be either above the law or beneath justice. Today’s guilty verdict confirmed that. After weeks or grueling trial […]

Jewelry chain defrauded thousands of servicemembers and veterans Attorney General Kathy Jennings, through the Fraud Division’s Consumer Protection Unit and in connection with 17 other states and the FTC, has secured a recovery of $34.2 million for more than 46,000 servicemembers and veterans nationwide who were deceived and defrauded by jewelry retailer Harris Jewelry. Harris […]

Deal commits Trident Mortgage to pay for mortgage subsidies in minority neighborhoods, spurring hundreds of millions in lending Attorney General Jennings today announced a $20 million settlement with former top home mortgage lender, Trident Mortgage Company, to resolve allegations of “redlining” in the greater Philadelphia region, including New Castle County. The deal requires Trident to […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings applauded several policy changes implemented by the Criminal Justice Council as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen rights for survivors of sexual assault. The new policies establish timelines for the collection, documentation, processing and investigation of assault evidence “kits.” This policy is a result of funding received from the U.S. […]

Public-private-nonprofit initiative will provide free legal advice & information on reproductive health   Joined by reproductive health advocates, Attorney General Jennings announced Wednesday the launch of the Attorney General’s Abortion Legal Helpline, a collaborative initiative led by the Department of Justice with support from nearly a dozen partner law firms, and several nonprofit and advocacy groups including the […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings and fellow attorneys general have reached an agreement in principle with opioid maker Endo International plc and its lenders that would provide up to $450 million to participating states and local governments, ban promotion of Endo’s opioids, and require Endo to turn over documents related to its role in the opioid […]

Attorney General Jennings announced today a $438.5 million agreement in principle between JUUL Labs and 34 states and territories resolving a two-year bipartisan investigation into the e-cigarette manufacturer’s marketing and sales practices. In addition to the financial terms, the settlement would force JUUL to comply with a series of strict injunctive terms severely limiting their marketing and sales practices. […]

A Kent County couple has been indicted on 646 charges, including more than 80 felonies, for abusing their two children. Over a period of 20 months, Mary Vinson, 45, and Charles Vinson, 36, are alleged to have abused their children, including making them stand for long periods of time; withholding food; force feeding them; and […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings today announced that Delaware has reached a settlement with Walmart to resolve allegations that the company contributed to the opioid addiction crisis by failing to appropriately oversee the dispensing of opioids at its stores. The settlement will provide $3.1 billion nationally and will require significant improvements in how Walmart’s pharmacies handle […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Friday that the DOJ’s Fraud Division has secured revocations of the corporate charters or certificates of formation of multiple Delaware-registered business entities connected to criminal entities, including a Venezuelan cartel and a federally sanctioned online pharmacy based in Argentina. “Delaware’s central role in the business community is both a privilege and a responsibility,” said […]

A Magnolia man has pleaded guilty to two counts of Unlawful Sexual Conduct Against a Child and two counts of Human Trafficking a Minor. George Curtis, 31, was arrested following an investigation that found that he, while serving as the photographer for an illicit photoshoot prearranged on social media, repeatedly made unwanted sexual contact with […]

Together with prior deals, Delaware now expects to recover a quarter-billion dollars to combat opioid crisis Attorney General Kathy Jennings today announced that she has finalized settlement agreements with CVS and Walgreens, bringing the national amount from investigations and litigation against the pharmaceutical industry for its role in the opioid crisis to more than $50 billion. Delaware’s […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Tuesday that A.J. Roop will serve as the DOJ’s next Chief of Staff. A seven-year veteran of the DOJ, Roop has served as State Prosecutor throughout AG Jennings’ term, leading the DOJ’s largest Division, maintaining the Department’s high conviction rate in gun cases, and guiding the Criminal Division through a […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings last week secured a multi-year suspension and fines from a Wilmington based financial adviser for making false and misleading statements to her office’s Investor Protection Unit, the state securities regulator for Delaware, and for providing advisory services to clients while unregistered to do so. “Protecting investors from unscrupulous financial professionals is […]

Delaware’s bans on assault weapons, large capacity mags remain in effect  A federal judge hearing a right-wing challenge against two common-sense gun safety measures in Delaware has ruled against the gun lobby on a critical question in Delaware State Sportsmen’s Association, Inc. et al. v. Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security et al.  In an […]

Federal judge ensures mifepristone access in Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Friday that Judge Thomas O. Rice of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington has issued an order reiterating that his injunction protecting access to mifepristone in 17 states — including Delaware — and the District of Columbia remains in […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings and her colleagues have announced that a proposed settlement has been reached in the 2020 lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its failure to require Pennsylvania to develop and implement a plan to meet its commitments to reduce pollution under the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint. One-third of Delaware is […]

The legal debacle over mifepristone underscores how easily a small group of extremist plaintiffs can abuse the judicial system to force draconian, unscientific, and undemocratic laws on the nation. These questions should not even be up for debate: mifepristone has a safer track record than Viagra. But we live in an era where women once […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings today sued Avid Telecom for allegedly initiating and facilitating billions of illegal robocalls. Avid Telecom sent or transmitted more than 7.5 billion calls to telephone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry, and made 27 million calls to Delawareans.  “We often think of illegal robocalls as a nuisance, but they […]

Prosecutors have secured indictments against four defendants charged with multiple carjackings, along with kidnapping, rape, and theft.   On June 5, the Department of Justice secured indictments against Defendants Tonnaire McNair-Matthews, 24, of Wilmington; David Hinson, 21, of Bear; Mahkiya Powell, 20, of Wilmington; and Michael Caldwell, 21, of Wilmington. The charges stem from an April, […]

A suspended Delaware State Trooper has been arrested and charged for a domestic physical assault, Attorney General Kathy Jennings and Col. Melissa Zebley announced Friday. On March 14, officers from Delaware State Police Troop 9 responded to a residence in Townsend regarding a domestic violence incident involving the defendant, Trooper Anthony DiGati. Police learned that DiGati and the victim had […]

Delaware to receive nearly $70 million to fight the opioid crisis Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings today announced the final approval of $17.3 billion in opioid agreements with drug makers Teva and Allergan and pharmacies CVS and Walgreens. Following successful state sign-on and subdivision sign-on periods, the defendants have committed to the deal and will start releasing funds […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings released the following statement Friday in response to the House, Senate, and Governor’s commitment to pass Senate Bill 2, legislation creating a permit to purchase handguns, when the legislature reconvenes in January: “Hard things are hard; this is no exception. All of us — not only me, but the sponsors and […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings released the following statement Thursday after the Consumer Protection Financial Bureau and 11 states — including Delaware — announced a lawsuit against tech sales “bootcamp” Prehired, which Jennings previously announced the DOJ was investigating: “I applaud the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and our sister states for taking action to hold Prehired […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Monday that Elmer Setting will serve as the DOJ’s next Chief of Staff. Setting served as Deputy State Court Administrator and Acting State Court Administrator, where he managed security and operations for all six Delaware Courts. He is a former Chief of New Castle County Police (2012-2017), whose leadership and innovation […]

Prosecutors have secured three convictions against Camden Mayor Justin King over a physical confrontation he began with two victims, as well as his subsequent lack of candor with investigators. King, 41, was until recently the mayor of Camden, Delaware and owns several businesses in the area. On February 25, King confronted two male victims, both […]

Over 80 convictions, including 5 murders solved over the last 2 years The Department of Justice has secured 10 new felony convictions—including multiple murder and gun charges— in its long-running case against members of the violent Wilmington-area gang NorthPak, Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Monday. “Our trial team and our partners in Wilmington PD and […]

In the wake of an uptick in reports of financial exploitation of seniors, Attorney General Kathy Jennings and the Delaware DOJ’s Investor Protection Unit (“IPU”) is cautioning seniors to be vigilant for scams. Delaware law requires banks, credit unions, and certain other financial institutions to report suspected exploitation of a senior or vulnerable adult to the IPU. […]

A federal judge has denied another right-wing challenge to a commonsense gun safety law that allows gun dealers in Delaware to be held accountable in court for the violence they create.   This is Attorney General Kathy Jennings’ third consecutive legal win over the gun lobby.  Earlier this year, the same federal court ruled against plaintiffs challenging Delaware’s assault weapons ban and large-capacity magazine ban.  Both remain in effect, as well.  “Sometimes the facts of a case tell you all you need to know,” […]

The Investor Protection Unit of the Delaware Department of Justice has issued a Summary Order to Cease and Desist against respondents linked to a cryptocurrency scam known as the “pig butchering scam.” A twist on the typical romance scam, the pig butchering scam is a long-term fraud in which victims are groomed over time to make investments […]

A Delaware State Trooper has been charged with multiple felonies, including Delaware’s first-ever use of a new Deprivation of Civil Rights statute passed by lawmakers last year, for brutally assaulting a 15-year-old victim and fracturing his orbital socket in response to an apparent prank.  The Trooper is suspended without pay. “As a mother and grandmother, […]

Attorney General Jennings yesterday joined the Federal Trade Commission and 16 other state attorneys general to sue Amazon.com, Inc. alleging that the online retail and technology company is a monopolist that uses a set of interlocking anticompetitive and unfair strategies to illegally maintain its monopoly power. The FTC and its state partners say Amazon’s actions […]

Attorney General Jennings announced today that Delaware has reached a multistate settlement with software company Blackbaud for its deficient data security practices and response to a 2020 ransomware event that exposed the personal information of millions of consumers across the United States. Under the settlement, Blackbaud has agreed to overhaul its data security and breach […]

Attorney General Kathy Jennings released the following statement Friday regrading the violence committed against innocents in Israel: Dave and I are grieving for the innocents lost in Israel, and for their families abroad and here in Delaware. I have struggled to find words for what the world has witnessed: Hamas’ flagrant violence and kidnappings committed […]

Prosecutors have convicted a Delmar man for the murder of Cpl. Keith Heacook in April 2021. Randon Wilkerson, 32, will serve the rest of his life in prison following a stipulated non-jury trial in which he was convicted of 16 charges, including two counts of Murder 1st Degree and 11 other felonies. “Cpl. Keith Heacook served […]