On July 19, 2018, it was announced that Operation Troop Aid (“OTA”) entered into a settlement with multiple states, including California, Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, for participating in an unlawful charitable commercial co-venture with Harris Originals of NY, Inc. (“Harris Jewelry”) a nationwide jewelry retailer for military personnel. In its simplest form,
charities
Telemarketing Giant to Pay $250,000 Penalty to FTC
By Andrew Levad & Jason Gordon on
InfoCision, Inc., an Akron, Ohio-based company, agreed last month to pay a $250,000 civil penalty and implement recordkeeping and monitoring practices to settle Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) charges brought by the Department of Justice on the FTC’s behalf. The FTC alleged that since at least 2013 InfoCision conducted hundreds of telemarketing campaigns on behalf of…
Maine Has Good News for Commercial Co-venturers
By Keri S. Bruce on
For companies that are frustrated by the burdensome commercial co-venture (CCV) licensing and registration requirements of some states, Maine has just provided a little relief. Maine has repealed its CCV licensing requirements, effective as of October 8, 2013. This means that a CCV in Maine will no longer have to be licensed in the state. Under Maine law, a commercial co-venturer is any “person or entity who, for profit, is regularly and primarily engaged in trade or commerce in [Maine], other than in connection with the raising of funds for charitable organizations or purposes, and who conducts a sale, performance, event or collection and sale of donated goods that is advertised in conjunction with the name of any charitable organization.” Currently, Maine’s CCV statute requires CCVs to pay a $250 license and application fee, post a $25,000 surety bond, and file a copy of the contract with the charity and an annual fundraising activity report.
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