Thomas Teepell is the son of a former long-time Bobby Jindal staffer who's close to Sean Feucht.

###### **For Immediate Release: October 15, 2026** **Office of The Attorney General** – Jennifer Davenport, _Attorney General_ **Division of Consumer Affairs** _ _– Christopher Peterson _, Acting Director _**Division of Law** – Michael C. Walters _, Director _ ###### **For Further Information:** **Media Inquiries-** Lisa Coryell OAGpress@njoag.gov Notice of States’ Interest and Reservation of Rights ******TRENTON** — Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and the Division of Consumer Affairs today announced that New Jersey is joining a coalition of state attorneys general in filing a notice in the bankruptcy proceedings of Character Technologies, Inc., the company behind the popular chatbot company Character.AI. The court filing identifies serious concerns about the company’s safety and privacy practices and calls for protections for children and consumers in any sale of the company’s business or assets. Character.AI is an artificial intelligence chatbot platform that allows users to interact with AI-powered chatbot “characters” designed to mimic human conversation and relationships. These chatbot characters include fictional and celebrity personas, children’s cartoon characters, and others that present themselves as psychologists, therapists, and doctors. Through chats with these characters, the company has collected sensitive consumer data, including private conversations about users’ mental health, relationships, and emotional struggles. Several states, including New Jersey, began investigating Character.AI following a 2024 wrongful death lawsuit alleging that its chatbots fostered an emotionally and sexually exploitative relationship with a child, reinforced his suicidal thoughts, and contributed to his death by suicide. The states’ investigation identified potential consumer protection and privacy violations. “Given the serious safety risks associated with Character.AI, New Jersey is joining a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general working to ensure that these bankruptcy proceedings prioritize the protection of consumers, and especially children,” **said Attorney General Davenport**. “Character.AI’s chatbots have amassed vast amounts of deeply personal and sensitive conversations. That information must not be treated as a commodity to be sold to the highest bidder without meaningful safeguards.” “Protecting the online privacy of New Jersey residents, particularly our children, is a responsibility we take seriously,” **said Christopher Peterson, Acting Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs**. “Character.AI has taken steps to mitigate the potential harms associated with its product. We want to ensure those safeguards are not compromised by the bankruptcy process and that any entity acquiring this data has robust safety and privacy protections in place.” The states’ filing highlights the significant volume of sensitive consumer information held by Character.AI, including private chatbot conversations involving children and adults, and identifies privacy and safety protections that should be addressed in any sale or transfer of the company’s business or assets. Although Character.AI has recently voluntarily restricted minors’ access to certain chatbot features, the states have raised concerns that these measures are not compulsory, are incomplete, and could be circumvented or reversed by a future purchaser. New Jersey and the other states intend to remain actively engaged in the bankruptcy proceedings to protect consumers and address outstanding regulatory concerns. The states have reserved their rights to challenge any proposed sale or bankruptcy plan and to seek additional protections for consumers’ personal information. Joining Attorney General Davenport on the court filing are the attorneys general of Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. ###

Joins broad, bipartisan coalition of 40 AGs in highlighting serious concerns about company’s safety and privacy practices, calling for protections for children and consumers in any sale of business or assets

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown has joined a coalition of 18 other attorneys general in moving to intervene in a lawsuit against the US Department of Defense and Secretary Pete Hegseth for unlawfully freezing routine reviews of land-based wind energy projects across the country. These projects are required by federal law to be reviewed for…

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown and 14 other state attorneys general have filed a new lawsuit aimed at stopping the U.S. Department of Education from ending federally funded school mental health grants. #### Related stories ### This tiny home is a big deal for some Prince George's Co. students — and it’s for sale 4 hours ago ### New name, bigger recipe for success at Maryland bakery training adults with disabilities 4 hours ago Brown said the planned cuts could cost Maryland schools and universities more than $3 million and threaten counseling programs that support students’ mental health. “Once again, the U.S. Department of Education is trying to eliminate grants that Maryland schools rely on to provide critical mental health and counseling services for our children,” Brown said in a statement. “We joined this lawsuit because our children’s well-being should never be traded away to fit a political agenda.” The lawsuit argues the department is unlawfully trying to terminate grants that Congress approved to expand mental health services in schools. State officials said the move would jeopardize programs at Bowie State University and the University of Maryland, Baltimore, which train future school counselors and mental health professionals. Maryland and the other states were told in April 2025 that the congressionally-approved grants would be stopped because they conflict with President Donald Trump’s administration’s priorities. They claim the Education Department is targeting the mental health grants because of their perceived support for diversity, equity and inclusion. Brown, along with a coalition, filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington in July 2025 to stop the department from cutting the grants. They got an order from the court saying the cuts were unlawful in December of that year, according to a news release. The court also issued a permanent injunction to forbid the department from executing the cuts. In the statement, Brown’s office alleges that the Trump administration “has admitted most of the grants should have been continued, but they have nonetheless engaged in an ongoing campaign to hinder, threaten, and ultimately try to eliminate the mental health grants” in Maryland and other coalition states. The coalition is seeking a court order to block the grants from being terminated while the legal challenge proceeds. “Terminating the grants would result in the loss of millions of dollars in mental health services to Maryland elementary and secondary school students,” Brown’s office said in the release. _Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing uphere._ © 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

###### **For Immediate Release: October 14, 2026** **Office of the Attorney General** – Jennifer Davenport, _Attorney General_ _ _**Division of Criminal Justice** _ –_ Martha Nye _, Interim _Director__ ###### **For Further Information:** **Media Inquiries-** Dan Prochilo OAGpress@njoag.gov **TRENTON** — The Attorney General’s Office provided additional details today concerning the circumstances surrounding an encounter with law-enforcement officers that occurred Friday, September 25, 2026, in Middle Township, which resulted in the death of an adult male civilian. The civilian who died during the encounter has been identified as Andre Moore, 37, of Cape May Courthouse, NJ. According to the preliminary investigation, at approximately 10:21 a.m. on September 25, 2026, Middle Township Police Officers encountered a disabled vehicle in the intersection of Route 9 and Satt Boulevard in the Rio Grande section of Middle Township. Officers had previously attempted to make a motor vehicle stop of this vehicle but had not been successful. Officers approached and heard a female screaming from within the vehicle. Officers made forced entry to the vehicle and observed an adult male civilian with a knife, holding a knife to an adult female civilian. Middle Township Officers Christopher Rudy and Ty Pettit discharged their firearms, striking the male. The male civilian was subsequently pronounced deceased. The female civilian was transported to a medical facility for treatment of multiple stab wounds. A 2019 law, N.J.S.A. 52:17B-107(a)(2), requires the Attorney General’s Office to conduct investigations of a person’s death that occurs during an encounter with a law enforcement officer acting in the officer’s official capacity or while the decedent is in custody. It requires that all such investigations be presented to a grand jury to determine if the evidence supports the return of an indictment against the officer or officers involved. Further information about how fatal police encounters are investigated in New Jersey under the Independent Prosecutor Directive can be found here: https://www.nj.gov/oag/dcj/agguide/directives/ag-Directive-2019-4.pdf ###

# Paterson Police Department Announces Arrest in Online Marketplace Robberies ###### **For Immediate Release: October 16, 2026** **Paterson Police Department** _ –_ Patrick Murray, _Officer in Charge _ ###### **For Further Information:** **Media Inquiries-** Rob Rowan OAGpress@njoag.gov **PATERSON** — The Paterson Police Department announced today that a juvenile suspect has been arrested in connection with two armed robberies involving online marketplace transactions that occurred in the city on September 21, 2026. In both incidents, victims arranged to meet a prospective buyer through an online marketplace to sell personal property. During daylight hours, the victims arrived in the area of Seventh Avenue and East 26th Street, where the suspect allegedly brandished a handgun and fled with the items the victims had brought to sell. The stolen property included an iPhone and an expensive watch. An investigation led by detectives assigned to the Juvenile Unit within the Paterson Police Department’s Investigative Services Bureau identified the suspect as a juvenile. The suspect was taken into custody on October 14, 2026, and charged with three counts of robbery and multiple weapons offenses. “This arrest reflects the excellent investigative work being done by our Juvenile Unit to hold those responsible for violent crimes accountable,” **said Officer in Charge Patrick Murray**. “People should be able to buy and sell items online without fear of becoming victims of a crime. We are taking steps to help residents conduct these transactions safely, and anyone who uses these meetups as an opportunity to threaten or rob others will be pursued and held accountable.” The Paterson Police Department continues to encourage residents to take precautions when arranging online transactions. In an effort to provide residents with a safer option, the department has designated the area in front of Police Headquarters as an Internet Purchase Exchange Location. The site is well-lit, open to the public, and monitored by video surveillance 24 hours a day. Residents are encouraged to meet at the designated exchange location or another safe, public place, conduct transactions during daylight hours, and consider bringing someone with them. Buyers and sellers should also verify details before sending money or sharing personal information, trust their instincts, and walk away if something does not feel right. The department has reinforced these precautions through public awareness and social media campaigns designed to help residents recognize potential risks and make safer choices when conducting online transactions. The charges against the defendant are accusations only. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. This case is being prosecuted by the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office. ###

“These settlements will fund treatment and recovery that helps Marylanders break the cycle of addiction and also require safeguards that keep the drug companies responsible for the crisis from fueling another.”

###### **For Immediate Release: October 14, 2026** **Office of the Attorney General** – Jennifer Davenport, _Attorney General _**Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor ** – Bernard J. Cooney, _Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor_ ###### **For Further Information:** **Media Inquiries-** Matthew Reilly OAGpress@njoag.gov **TRENTON** — Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced today that three members of a Gloucester County, New Jersey, family were charged in connection with their alleged roles in a homeowners’ insurance fraud scheme involving more than $100,000 in fraudulent payments. Donald Feldman, 65, and his wife, Carolyn Feldman, 61, both of West Deptford, New Jersey, were charged in a seven-count indictment with second-degree conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, substantive second-degree charges for insurance fraud and theft by deception and third-degree charges for commercial bribery, insurance fraud, and theft by deception. They were arrested Oct. 13, 2026. Donald and Carolyn Feldman and their daughter, Brittany Feldman, 34, also of West Deptford, were each charged with third-degree conspiracy to commit insurance fraud and theft by deception. Brittany Feldman was also charged by summons with substantive third-degree insurance fraud and theft by deception. According to documents filed in this case, the Feldmans conspired with John Philbin, who was previously charged and pleaded guilty to insurance fraud involving other claims as part of a broader insurance fraud scheme. Philbin was a former claims examiner with Assurant Insurance Company who exploited his position at the company to approve the Feldman family’s fraudulent insurance claims in exchange for payments from the Feldmans. Philbin pleaded guilty in May 2026 to third-degree insurance fraud. The state will recommend five years of probation, with restitution. He is awaiting sentencing. “New Jersey families pay for homeowners’ insurance to protect what they have worked hard to build,” **said Attorney General Davenport.** “The defendants in this case allegedly defrauded an insurance company for their own gain. These cases reflect our commitment to protecting honest policyholders and holding those responsible accountable.” “An insurance claim should be paid because it is legitimate, not because the person approving it stands to receive a share of the proceeds,” **said Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Bernard J. Cooney.** “These charges allege that members of one family worked with an insurance employee to collect payments they were not entitled to receive. We will continue holding those who commit insurance fraud accountable.” According to documents filed in these cases and statements made in court: Between April 12, 2022, and May 15, 2023, Donald Feldman worked with Carolyn Feldman and Philbin to create or submit approximately 10 fictitious Assurant insurance claims. For example, Donald Feldman obtained an Assurant policy for a property in Sicklerville owned by another individual and submitted multiple claims under that policy. The claims allegedly included fabricated estimates and invoices for emergency mitigation or restoration work purportedly performed by American Construction & Restoration. Searches of New Jersey business records found no filings or registrations for that business. Donald Feldman also submitted invoices for mitigation services at other Assurant-insured properties that the insureds said he did not complete. Upon submission of the fraudulent insurance claims, Donald Feldman notified Philbin, who was then employed at Assurant as a field claims examiner. Philbin then reassigned the claims to himself and approved approximately $108,000 in payments to Donald Feldman for work that was never performed. Approximately 20 percent of those payments went to Philbin for his role in the scheme. Carolyn Feldman allegedly coordinated claim information and payments with Philbin, cashed Assurant checks, and delivered portions of the proceeds to him. In addition, all three Feldmans were also charged in connection with two allegedly fraudulent claims involving a property in Mantua that Brittany Feldman neither owned nor occupied. Between March 6, 2023, and May 15, 2023, Brittany Feldman allegedly worked with her parents and Philbin to obtain insurance payments for purported damage and restoration work at that property. She obtained an Assurant policy for the property and submitted claims alleging windstorm-related and animal-related damage. The claims were supported by fabricated estimates and invoices for work purportedly performed by Feldman Construction, a business in which she held an ownership interest. Carolyn Feldman allegedly helped coordinate those claims and personally reported one using Brittany Feldman’s telephone. Philbin assigned the claims to himself and approved approximately $30,000 in payments directed to Brittany Feldman for work that was never performed. Carolyn Feldman allegedly cashed checks issued to Feldman Construction and coordinated payment of approximately 20 percent of the proceeds to Philbin. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Alan Babbitt, and the investigation was led by Sgt. Shawn McDonald and Detective Joseph Wilsbach of OIFP. Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Cooney thanked Assurant Insurance’s Special Investigations Unit for their assistance. Second-degree charges carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000. Third-degree charges carry a sentence of three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment against the Feldmans are merely accusations, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. OIFP’s mission includes coordination of all anti-insurance fraud activities statewide, and many successful prosecutions are a result of initial anonymous tips. If you suspect insurance fraud or have information about a potential case, OIFP wants to hear from you. You can report fraud anonymously by calling the toll-free hotline at 1-877-55-FRAUD or visiting www.NJInsurancefraud.org. State regulations permit a reward to be paid to eligible persons who provide information that leads to an arrest, prosecution, and conviction for insurance fraud. * * * Defense counsel: John Philbin: Vincent Campo, Woodbury, New Jersey Donald, Carolyn & Brittany Feldman: To be determined ###

Washington Attorney General Nick Brown and a bipartisan group of states have filed a notice in the bankruptcy proceedings of Character.AI raising concerns about harms to children who engage with the company’s AI chatbots and the handling of sensitive consumer information. The court filing identifies serious concerns about the company's safety and privacy practices and calls for protections for children and consumers in any sale of the company's business or assets.

Washington, as part of a bipartisan coalition of 45 states and territories, has reached settlements with Ascend Laboratories, Citron Pharma and Mayne Pharma to resolve allegations the generic drug manufacturers engaged in a long-running conspiracy to artificially inflate and manipulate prices and reduce competition.

Maryland's attorney general is working case by case to review dozens of deaths involving people who were restrained by police.

Washington led a coalition of 23 attorneys general in filing a comment letter with the Federal Communications Commission today advocating that they maintain the E-Rate program, which provides over $3 billion a year to discount the cost of internet expenses for schools and libraries across the country. Washington received more than $40 million through the E-Rate program this year.

_Trump Administration Unlawfully Terminated Funding for_ _Improving Unemployment Insurance_ ###### **For Immediate Release: October 9, 2026** **Office of the Attorney General** – Jennifer Davenport, _Attorney General_ ###### **For Further Information:** **Media Inquiries-** Allison Inserro OAGpress@njoag.gov View Complaint **TRENTON** — Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and a coalition of 13 other states filed a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) unlawful decision to terminate millions of dollars in funding for preventing fraud and implementing improvements in New Jersey and other states’ unemployment insurance systems. “Accessing government services shouldn’t be a chore, and here in New Jersey we’re working hard to make government services simpler, faster, and more reliable. But not the federal government. It is cutting off mid-stream important funding for unemployment system improvements,” **said Attorney General Davenport**. “The people of New Jersey deserve services that work when they are needed most, not pointless disruption by the federal government.” The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, challenges the DOL’s unlawful decision in May 2025 to terminate more than $45 million in plaintiff states’ remaining grant funding that was intended to assist states in modernizing unemployment insurance system technology and implementing measures to prevent fraud. Congress created six different interrelated grant programs as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021, amid the pandemic-related surge in unemployment claims. The goal of the program is to improve the technology used to administer states’ unemployment insurance programs to better detect and prevent fraud, promote equitable access, and pay benefits in a timely fashion. In total, the DOL awarded more than $780 million to states to modernize their unemployment insurance systems. DOL reviewed and approved project plans under these grant programs and set multi-year agreed-upon performance periods in which the projects were to be completed. Plaintiff states directed hundreds of millions of dollars in grant funding to projects that, once completed, would increase efficiency, help prevent and detect fraud and the improper use of federal unemployment insurance funds, improve resilience when the system experiences surges in claims, and improve the customer experience. The NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) had three ARPA UI grants terminated in May 2025: * An ARPA Unemployment Insurance Integrity Grant for $2,609,000 beginning in Fiscal Year 2023 * An ARPA IT Modernization Grant for $11,250,000 beginning in Fiscal Year 2023 * An ARPA Unemployment Insurance Equity Grant for $6,840,000 beginning in Fiscal Year 2023 The ARPA grants were intended to improve the technical system used to make unemployment insurance claims, move it to a cloud-based system, and hire investigatory staff to identify fraud in the unemployment insurance program. With the termination of these grants, NJDOL will be unable to make critical security updates, system improvements, and program expansions. On May 22, 2025, the Trump Administration’s DOL sent letters to the affected states abruptly and unlawfully terminating each grant agreement. The termination letters stated the agreements “no longer effectuate …. priorities for its grant funding.” The grant terminations rescinded unexpended funds under the grant agreements, interrupting the unemployment insurance modernization work that the DOL had approved and agreed to fund. Consequently, approved projects were halted in the middle of the performance periods. States have had to reallocate funding from other sources, scale back project scopes or cancel projects altogether. The terminations have wasted funds and squandered opportunities to increase efficiencies for unemployment insurance system workers, employers, and administrative staff. In its lawsuit, the coalition argues that the DOL’s grant terminations breached the express terms of each of the plaintiffs’ grant agreements. The terms of the grant agreements do not allow the DOL to unilaterally terminate the grant projects prior to the end of the performance period simply because the administration has changed its priorities. The coalition also argues the DOL breached the implied duty of good faith and fair dealing by wrongfully imposing new terms and conditions, relying on an erroneous and bad faith interpretation of relevant regulations, relying on an erroneous and bad faith interpretation of authorizing statutes, and by failing to provide plaintiffs with formal notice and an opportunity to object to their grant terminations. The states are seeking money damages as part of the lawsuit. This lawsuit was co-led by Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul and Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown. In addition to Attorney General Davenport, the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, and Oregon, as well as the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania, joined the lawsuit. ###

Attorney General Nick Brown has named Managing Assistant Attorney General Jason Dickey-North as division chief for the Tacoma Division, taking over for Laura Wulf, who will retire at the end of the year after 35 years of outstanding work at the Attorney General’s Office (AGO).