Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge introduced legislation on Thursday called AR Voices: Combating Cancel Culture and Protecting Freedom of Speech. Scroll down to see the exact bill language in an embedded PDF. This new legislation would make social media sites, like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and others liable for damages when unfairly censoring or banning […]
Know these 7 steps to avoiding the Sweetheart Scam on social media
With Valentine’s Day approaching, it is important to remain cautious of suitors trying to gain access to your personal information online. Con artists are targeting those Arkansans looking for love. Scammers will befriend someone online, slowly gaining trust and access to more personal information, including financial information, birthdates, and social security numbers. This is commonly […]
Griffin Announces Campaign for Arkansas Attorney General
Lt. Governor Tim Griffin issued the following statement Feb. 8, 2021, announcing his campaign for attorney general: “Since announcing my campaign for governor last year, I’ve been overwhelmed by the incredible support I have received from all corners of the state. While I believe Arkansans are ready for my message of bold, conservative leadership, my […]
AG to announce Officer of the Year for 2020 at luncheon Jan 29th in Benton
Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge will host the 2020 Arkansas Law Enforcement Officer of the Year luncheon on January 29, 2021, beginning at Noon at the Benton Event Center in Benton, 17322 Interstate 30. Rutledge will announce state, region and county officer of the year winners. Due to Covid-19, the luncheon will be held under […]
AG announces $17.5 million settlement with The Home Depot over 2014 data breach
Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge announced today that her office, along with attorneys general of 45 other states and the District of Columbia, has obtained a $17.5 million settlement against Georgia-based retailer The Home Depot. The settlement resolves a multistate investigation of a 2014 data breach that exposed the payment card information of approximately 40 […]
Benton Utilities warns customers of recent shut-off scam
Benton Utilities warns the public of a recent scam with someone posing as a collection employee. If you’re thinking “stop, I’ve heard this one,” remember that there wouldn’t be scam artists if no one was falling for the scam. In this particular case, someone is contacting people by phone call, text and also email. They […]
Benton CEO pleads guilty to charges related to Medicaid overbilling
Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge today announced Chirie Bazzelle pleaded guilty to obstructing governmental operations. Bazzelle is the owner and CEO at New Beginnings Behavioral Health Services (New Beginnings). In 2018 alone, New Beginnings billed the Medicaid program over $5.3 million. As a result of this investigation and Bazzelle’s arrest New Beginnings is no longer a Medicaid provider. “This […]
Businesses target Hispanic communities to fraudulently sell COVID-19 treatments
As the pandemic continues and Arkansans attempt to get back on their feet, scam artists see opportunity in the uncertainty the virus has caused. A new scam has been identified by the Attorney General Leslie Rutledge’s Office seeking to target the Hispanic population in Arkansas. Businesses are charging exorbitant amounts of money for COVID-19 tests […]
Saline County man gets a 20-year sentence for several counts of possession of child pornography
Roughly two years after a Benton man turned himself in, he pleaded guilty to child pornography charges and was sentenced in court, according to the Attorney General’s Office. David Jefferson Brown, age 46, of Benton was convicted of 4 counts of distributing, possessing or viewing matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child, a class […]
Over 13K Arkansans eligible for relief on auto loans from predatory company
Over 13,000 Arkansans are eligible to get their money back or forgiveness on their auto loans, totalling up to nearly $30 million from one lender’s predatory actions. Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge today announced a settlement with Santander Consumer USA Inc. (Santander) that includes approximately $550 million in relief for consumers, with more relief in additional […]