Attorney General’s Weekly Newsletter, Volume 9, Issue 88 • Aug. 3, 2012

August 4, 2012 Filed under PRESS RELEASES Posted by admin

Attorney General’s Weekly Newsletter Volume 9, Issue 88 • Aug. 3, 2012 Attorney General Bondi’s Weekly Briefing On Tuesday, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested three more individuals involved in a Florida pill mill operation. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Hollywood Police Department, and my Office of Statewide Prosecution have collaborated on this year-long, statewide pill mill investigation, which has resulted in 15 total arrests to date.

FDLE agents arrested two employees and the owner of Med One Care Center, located in North Miami Beach, on one count of conspiracy to commit racketeering and one count of conspiracy to traffic in oxycodone. The pill mill operation involved organized doctor shopping and drug trafficking in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Authorities allege doctor shoppers worked under the direction of a Lake Worth man who took the pills purchased in South Florida to North Florida and Georgia to sell them.

Allegedly, the group obtained approximately 19,000 oxycodone pills over the course of the investigation. My Office of Statewide Prosecution will prosecute these individuals to ensure that justice is served and to protect Floridians from prescription drug abuse.

In the News Florida AG questions BP oil spill settlement, BusinessWeek Settlement pays $469,000 to Fla. nursing students, Miami Herald

Protecting Floridians Major General Titshaw, Holly Petraeus and Attorney General Pam Bondi Attend Roundtable Discussion

Major General Titshaw and Attorney General Pam Bondi joined Holly Petraeus at the National Guard at Patrick Air Force Base as Holly Petraeus was presented with an award for her efforts to protect members of our armed forces from fraud. Attorney General Bondi’s Office Obtains $462,500 to Provide Legal Aid to Low-Income Individuals Facing Foreclosure

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that ProVest, LLC, one of Florida’s largest service processing firms, has agreed to pay $462,500 to the Florida Bar Foundation to continue the legal aid program that assists low-income individuals facing foreclosure. The settlement with ProVest resolves allegations regarding improper service of process in foreclosure cases filed in courts throughout Florida. Under this settlement, ProVest must follow certain business practices intended to ensure proper and lawful service of process in mortgage foreclosure cases filed in Florida.

Attorney General Pam Bondi Suggests Improvements to BP’s Claims Process

Attorney General Pam Bondi sent a letter to Mr. John E. Lynch, Jr., U.S. General Counsel for BP America, Inc., regarding the separate claims process recently established by BP pursuant to the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. The new BP claims process is available to Florida individual and business claimants who are not covered by the proposed settlement between BP and the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee or those who choose to opt-out of that settlement.

Attorney General Bondi suggested several improvements to the BP claims process to ensure quick and accurate compensation for claimants. Attorney General Bondi will closely monitor the progress of the claims process to see if Floridians receive appropriate relief. BP’s handling of this process will inform Attorney General Bondi’s views on the merits of the settlement, which remains subject to final court approval.