Press Releases

The Attorney General’s Office today announced that Aita Gurung, 40, has been sentenced to 35 years to life, with 27 years to serve, for the murder of Yogeswari Khadka, and 20 years to life, to run concurrently, for the attempted murder of Tulasa Rimal. Mr. Gurung was found guilty of the charges by a jury on November 3, 2022, following a four-week trial. The Court, Judge John Pacht presiding, sentenced Mr. Gurung following a two-day hearing.

Attorney General Charity Clark and a bipartisan group of 52 other attorneys general today announced a nationwide, $700 million settlement of a lawsuit about Google’s anticompetitive conduct concerning the Google Play Store.

The Attorney General’s Office announced that Dylan Gratton, 40, of Fairfax, Vermont, was arraigned today on five felony and three misdemeanor counts of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material, and one felony count of Promoting a Recording of Sexual Conduct.

Attorney General Charity Clark today announced that her office’s Medicaid Fraud and Residential Abuse Unit (MFRAU) has entered into a civil settlement with Green Mountain Support Services (GMSS), a state-designated special service agency that provides crucial support to developmentally disabled Vermont Medicaid recipients.

A Vermont Superior Court has granted Attorney General Charity Clark’s request to unseal her lawsuit against Meta regarding Instagram’s harms to youth. The unsealed complaint makes public details of Meta’s conduct that were previously confidential.

The Attorney General’s Office announced that Jeffrey Coolidge, 58, of Montpelier, Vermont, was arraigned today on two charges of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child. The charges brought against the defendant are the result of a criminal investigation, including the execution of a residential search warrant, conducted by the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (VT-ICAC), including personnel from the Attorney General’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and Montpelier Police Department.

The Attorney General’s Office today announced that David Gilbo, 39, of Newbury, Vermont, was convicted of one misdemeanor count of Grossly Negligent Operation for an accident that caused the death of David Elder.

The Attorney General’s Office filed a complaint earlier this week against Plumb Perfect, LLC, and its owner/proprietor, Stanley Selig. The complaint alleges that Mr. Selig and his business have operated for many years in an unlicensed capacity yet advertise “expert” plumbing services. The State of Vermont requires licensure for plumbers to lawfully operate.

The Attorney General’s Consumer Assistance Program (CAP) had a busy summer resolving various, separate matters. CAP features a letter mediation program that aims to resolve consumer complaints. Resolved matters included:  

Attorney General Charity Clark and Department of Financial Regulation Commissioner Kevin Gaffney announced today that Vermont, along with five other states, has reached a multistate settlement totaling $6.5 million with Morgan Stanley over two incidents that compromised the personal information of millions of Morgan Stanley customers. Both incidents occurred due to Morgan Stanley’s failure to erase unencrypted data in certain computer devices that were decommissioned, exposing millions of consumers’ personal information left in those devices.

The Attorney General’s Office announced that Ian Quinlan, 50, of Montpelier, Vermont, was arraigned today on five felony counts of possession of child sexual abuse material. The charges brought against Mr.

Attorney General Charity Clark today filed an amicus brief asking a federal court to stay, or temporarily pause, a federal PCB lawsuit brought by a group of schools against Monsanto, after the State had already filed a suit in state court against Monsanto for PCB contamination in Vermont schools. The brief notes that the basis and relief requested in the later-filed federal suit, Addison Central School District et al. v. Monsanto et al., overlaps with the State’s first-filed suit currently proceeding in state court.

What is the State’s recent motion to stay and why is it being filed?

The State filed an amicus brief requesting that the federal court issue a stay, or temporary pause, in Addison Central School District et al. v. Monsanto et al. This will not dismiss the Addison case, but allow the State’s case, which was filed first on behalf of all public and independent schools in the statewide testing program, to proceed first in state court.

The Attorney General’s Office announced that Kathryn Flynn, 69, of Essex, Vermont, and Yoanna Vaughan, 36, of South Burlington, Vermont, were each arraigned yesterday on charges stemming from the care they provided to a vulnerable adult receiving Medicaid-funded services. The investigation, conducted by the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud and Residential Abuse Unit (MFRAU), began after concerns were raised with authorities about the neglect and abuse of a vulnerable adult for whom Ms. Flynn was the guardian.

Attorney General Charity Clark has sued Meta to hold the company accountable for its contribution to the mental health crisis that grips teens in America and Vermont. The lawsuit, which targets Instagram, alleges Meta designed Instagram to cause young people to use the platform compulsively and excessively. Meta did this to maximize the time young users spend on the platform in order to maximize the company’s advertising revenue.

Attorney General Charity Clark today announced a $75,000 settlement to resolve claims by the State of Vermont against Thomas Tremonte for civil timber trespass and unlawful mischief on State Park land. The settlement resolves a 2021 case filed by the Attorney General’s Office on behalf of the Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation (FPR) alleging that Mr. Tremonte cut 839 trees without authorization in a designated natural area in Hazen’s Notch State Park. Mr. Tremonte owns land next to the Park.

Attorney General Charity Clark today joined a coalition of 50 attorneys general from 48 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia in announcing a settlement with payment processor ACI Worldwide over a 2021 testing error that led to the unauthorized withdrawal of $2.3 billion from mortgage-holders nationwide. Under the settlement, ACI will pay a total of $10 million to the states, of which Vermont will receive $20,000, and the company must take several steps to avoid any future incidents.

The Attorney General’s Office and the Grand Isle County State’s Attorney’s Office today announced the conclusions of their independent reviews of the non-fatal officer-involved shooting incident that occurred on April 20, 2023, in Morrisville, Vermont.

The Attorney General’s Office announced that Grace Gamble (charged as Peter Gamble), 27, of Montpelier, Vermont, was arraigned earlier this week on five felony counts of possession of child sexual abuse material.

Event marks the 12^th “perambulation” since U.S. Supreme Court ended a two-decade border dispute between the two states in in 1937.

Attorney General Charity Clark announced today that she, along with 49 other attorneys general, has reached a 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 nation. Under the settlement, Blackbaud has agreed to overhaul its data security and breach notification practices and make a $49.5 million payment to states.

Following the close of a two-week collective effort, Attorney General Charity Clark, the Vermont Bar Association (VBA), the Vermont Paralegal Organization (VPO), and the Vermont Foodbank announced the positive outcome of the Vermont Legal Community Fighting Hunger Food Drive. For the past seven years, legal professionals across the state have come together to run the food drive during Hunger Action Month in September.

Attorney General Charity Clark, along with Washington County State’s Attorney Michelle Donnelly, will host a free expungement clinic on Friday, October 27, 2023, with appointments available from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Expungements wipe from your record specific convictions and dismissed charges after a certain period of time has passed. Under Vermont law, many misdemeanors, 14 different felony offenses, and all dismissed charges can be expunged or sealed.

The Attorney General’s Office announced that Richard E. Irish, 56, of South Royalton, Vermont, was arraigned today on two felony counts and one misdemeanor count of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material. The charges brought against Mr.

The Attorney General’s Office has reached a settlement with Tempoe, LLC, a company that leases consumer products nationwide. The settlement resolves a multistate investigation which revealed that Tempoe’s marketing and sales practices often misled consumers to believe they were signing up for an installment plan or credit sale when, in reality, they were entering into a lease agreement.

The Attorney General’s Office announced that Caleb Cox, 32, of Bennington, Vermont, was arraigned today on nine felony counts of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material. The charges brought against Mr.

In its seventh year supporting those in need and the vital work of the Vermont Foodbank, the Vermont Legal Community Fighting Hunger Food Drive will start Friday, September 8^th and run until Friday, September 22^nd. This year, the Attorney General’s Office is encouraging members of the legal community to collect diapers, in addition to food, to support Vermont families experiencing diaper need.

The Attorney General’s Office announced that Joel Daugreilh, 37, of St. Albans, Vermont, pleaded guilty to one count of Simple Assault at a court appearance yesterday in Vermont Superior Court, Franklin Criminal Division.

The Attorney General’s Office announced that David Razinha, 53, of Northfield, Vermont, was arraigned yesterday on seven counts of Felony Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material. The charges brought against Mr.

Attorney General Charity Clark is warning Vermonters that the grandparent scam is on the rise -- and scammers are utilizing new, sophisticated tactics. As typical of this scam, callers claim to be grandchildren in an emergency situation, such as in a car accident, in prison, or at the hospital, and need money to resolve the problem.

The Attorney General’s Office and the Chittenden County State’s Attorney’s Office today announced the conclusions of their independent reviews of the non-fatal officer-involved shooting incident that occurred on August 13, 2022, in Burlington, Vermont. Both Attorney General Charity Clark and Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George have declined to prosecute Burlington Police Department Sergeant Simon Bombard for charges related to the non-fatal shooting of David Johnson.

The Attorney General’s Office today announced that Luke Lanfear, 43, of Burlington, Vermont, was charged with 11 counts of possession of child sexual abuse material, which included eight felony second offense counts, and three misdemeanor counts. The charges brought against Mr.

The Attorney General’s Office today announced that Andrew Barrows, 22, of Colchester, Vermont, was arraigned on July 14, 2023, on nine felony counts of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material, one felony count of Use of a Child in a Sexual Performance, and one misdemeanor count of Voyeurism. The charges brought against Mr.

Update: Due to flooding impacting communities across Vermont, the expungement clinic has been rescheduled for Friday, July 28, 2023 from 10:00 to 2:00PM. If you had previously scheduled an appointment, please contact the Attorney General's Office by emailing AGO.Info@vermont.gov or calling 802-828-0033.

______________________________________________________________________________________

The State of Vermont, 64 individual plaintiffs who have sued the State, and the federal receiver for Jay Peak, Inc., et al., have reached an agreement to settle all pending and potential lawsuits against the State related to the eight Jay Peak EB-5 projects. The settlement agreement is conditioned upon entry of a bar order, which must be approved by the court overseeing the Jay Peak receivership before the settlement is finalized.   

The Attorney General’s Office announced that Michael Dubois, 35, of Proctor, Vermont, was arraigned today on seven felony counts of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material. The charges brought against Mr. Dubois are the result of a criminal investigation, including the execution of search warrants into Mr.

The Attorney General’s Office announced that Jeffrey Kittredge, Sr., 57, of Montpelier, Vermont, was sentenced yesterday in Vermont Superior Court, Washington Criminal Division, to 3 to 5 years imprisonment with 18 months to serve and the rest suspended, and 5 years of probation, after pleading guilty to one felony count of Neglect of a Vulnerable Adult, and one felony count of Medicaid Fraud.

The lawsuit filed by the State for school and environmental contamination is first in the nation

Attorney General Charity Clark today announced a $2.35 million multistate settlement with Adore Me, Inc., a lingerie retailer that primarily sells its merchandise online. The settlement resolves claims that the company deceptively marketed its VIP Membership Program to consumers and then made it difficult for consumers to cancel their memberships.

Vermont to Receive $46.4 million to Fight the Opioid Crisis

The Attorney General’s Office announced that Joshua M. Jones, 34, of Lynchburg, Virginia, and Britney Spaulding, 34, of Lynchburg, Virginia, both formerly of Morrisville, Vermont, were each sentenced yesterday in Vermont Superior Court, Lamoille Criminal Division, after pleading guilty to charges related to neglect of a vulnerable adult with death resulting.

Attorney General Charity Clark today announced that Vermont has joined 41 other states in reaching a nationwide settlement of $102.5 million with the maker of Suboxone, Indivior Inc. Vermont will receive about $2 million from the settlement, which resolves allegations that Indivior used illegal means to switch the Suboxone market from tablets to film while attempting to destroy the market for tablets to preserve its drug monopoly. Suboxone is a brand name for buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder.

The Attorney General’s Office announced that Steven J. Malaney Jr., 59, of Burlington, Vermont, was arraigned today on four felony counts and one misdemeanor count of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material. The charges brought against Mr. Malaney are the result of a criminal investigation conducted by the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (VT-ICAC), which included personnel from the Attorney General’s Office, Burlington Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations.

The Attorney General’s Office announced that Robert Bivens, 54, and Andrew Sollace, 41, both of Montpelier, Vermont, were arraigned yesterday on multiple counts of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material. Mr. Bivens was arraigned on two felony counts and three misdemeanor counts of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material. Mr. Sollace was arraigned on four felony counts of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material.

Attorney General Charity Clark today sued Michael D. Lansky, LLC, which does business under the name Avid Telecom, for allegedly initiating and facilitating billions of illegal robocalls to millions of people and violating the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, the Telemarketing Sales Rule, and other federal and state telemarketing and consumer laws.

The Attorney General’s Office announced that, in separate incidents, two Vermont men, Travis Papineau, 39, of Northfield, and Patrick Knauss, 34, of Essex—were arraigned in Vermont Superior Court earlier this week for possession of child sexual abuse material.

Vermonters who were misled by TurboTax into paying for free tax services will begin receiving restitution checks in the mail this week as the result of a multistate settlement. The settlement, announced in 2022, applies to certain consumers who paid TurboTax’s owner Intuit to file their federal tax returns for tax years 2016, 2017, and 2018 when they were eligible to file for free through the IRS Free File Program.

Settlement Prevents Visibly From Misrepresenting Safety or Effectiveness of Vision Tests

The Attorney General’s Office announced that it joined a multistate settlement last month with Visibly Inc, resolving an investigation into deceptive business practices at the online telehealth company. Visibly, formerly known as Opternative Inc., markets and sells an online vision test, among other products.

Attorney General Charity Clark issued the following statement in response to the Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs’ investigative report on the Franklin County State’s Attorney, released yesterday:

“I am deeply troubled by the findings that State’s Attorney Lavoie created a toxic work environment. His behavior and comments in a workplace – as described in the report issued yesterday and as he has admitted through press reports – are unacceptable.

Vermont joins two amicus briefs in support of access to mifepristone and preventative reproductive health care under Title X

Attorney General Charity Clark continued her efforts to protect medication abortions and reproductive health care yesterday by joining a pair of multi-state actions.