The Michigan Attorney General has determined that a full and complete investigation of what happened within the Catholic Church is required. This investigation is and will continue to be independent, thorough, transparent, and prompt. My department and this investigation will find out who knew what, and when.
The Michigan Department of Attorney General utilizes the services of Special Assistant Attorneys General from time to time when the unique circumstances of a particular case create the need for specialized services not currently available within the department.
The Conviction Integrity Unit (the “CIU”) investigates claims of innocence to determine whether there is clear and convincing new evidence that the convicted defendant was not the person who committed the offense.
In Michigan, a victim is an individual who suffers direct or threatened physical, financial, or emotional harm as a result of the commission of a crime.
The Task Force launched in 2019 and consists of more than 55 different organizations in the public, private and nonprofit sectors - all working together to combat elder abuse.
The laws regarding expungement of criminal offenses in Michigan changed in major ways in April of 2021. This page is designed to help applicants navigate their way through the new laws, help them determine if they are eligible to have convictions expunged, to answer frequently asked questions about the new laws, and to provide links for resources and assistance.
To investigate and prosecute hate crimes by following up on every credible tip and offer departmental resources to assist local and federal law enforcement partners in this effort.
The Michigan Attorney General is leading the fight against this horrific crime by prosecuting the state's first-ever criminal cases under state law banning human trafficking in Michigan. Victims of human trafficking are in bondage through force, fraud or coercion, for the purpose of sex or labor exploitation.
Knowing how to guard your personal information is your first line of defense against identity theft.
Michigan Attorney General's robocall initiative is leading several efforts to protect Michigan residents from the billion plus robocalls made to them every year.
The Open Meetings Act (OMA) took effect January 1, 1977. In enacting the OMA, the Legislature promoted a new era in governmental accountability and fostered openness in government to enhance responsible decision making.1 Nothing in the OMA prohibits a public body from adopting an ordinance, resolution, rule, or charter provision that requires a greater degree of openness relative to public body meetings than the standards provided for in the OMA. 2
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April 20, 2020
LANSING – Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office is issuing court-authorized subpoenas in its investigation of a southwest Michigan importer that may be selling counterfeit or misleadingly-labeled personal protective equipment (PPE) to consumers, including multiple nursing homes, during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis.
The Attorney General’s office is investigating Grand Rapids-based Kooz Concepts International Inc. and its role relative to a consumer complaint the office received of price-gouging practices by another southwest Michigan business, Penny Pinchers, a small grocer located in Battle Creek.
The subpoenas will be used to investigate Kooz Concepts’ business practices through sales records and other documentation, as well as testimony from Kooz Concepts’ employees engaged in the company’s operations and from other related entities identified during the investigation.
Kooz Concepts is likely in violation of the Michigan Consumer Protection Act for causing confusion among customers about its goods, specifically face masks, which have become highly sought products during the COVID-19 pandemic.
One of those customers, Penny Pinchers, posted on social media that it was selling N-95 face masks for $3 apiece. The masks sold were basic surgical masks and not N-95s. Certain masks advertised as N-95s may be imported counterfeits and not actually carry that official designation or offer the same level of protection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers guidance on how to distinguish between legitimate respirators and counterfeits.
“As my office becomes more aware of counterfeit masks being marketed and sold as products that offer more protection than they actually do, there is a growing demand for consumers to take their own precautions to make sure the equipment they are buying is not a knock-off,” Nessel said. “As Michigan works through our COVID-19 situation, scammers and con-artists will attempt to dupe unsuspecting victims into buying lower-grade, poorer-quality products under the false promise of security and protection from this virus. They are putting lives at risk, and they will answer for such lawlessness.”
Investigators with the Attorney General’s office believe the owner of Penny Pinchers, James Ziebell, was under the assumption that he purchased true N-95 masks and told investigators that he sourced the product from a Grand Rapids-based supplier (Kooz Concepts) because of customer demand at his store. The boxes of masks Ziebell received had “N95” markings on them.
The owner of Kooz Concepts, Kraig Koeze, told investigators that his business typically imports Chinese products that are sold at trade shows, and that a family member who works in health care asked him to use his connections due to a desperate need for PPE.
Koeze said he obtained the “basic 3-ply masks” from a “reliable source” in January and provided questionable documentation alleging the source is certified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). He also told investigators that his interpretation was the masks he sold are KN-95s and not N-95s, though didn’t have a clear explanation for why the boxes sold to Penny Pinchers were marked as N-95s.
Koeze also told investigators that, in addition to Penny Pinchers, he sold masks to other businesses, including nursing homes and a fast-food restaurant. He declined to provide additional details on those purchasers; however, the Attorney General served Kooz Concepts with a subpoena Friday afternoon requiring identification of those businesses on Saturday. Kooz Concepts then provided that information, and Attorney General staff began reaching out to the small number of affected businesses to make sure they understood the masks are not N-95s.
Considering the current public health emergency, the Attorney General’s office believes it is critical for consumers to exercise caution when purchasing products like PPE and educate themselves by visiting reliable websites like the CDC’s, and learning of what others are saying about a company or website through the Better Business Bureau.
Meanwhile, price-gouging continues to be a concern in Michigan. As of 7 a.m. today, there have been 3,731 COVID-19-related price-gouging complaints made to the Attorney General’s office since early March.
Moreover, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive order on price-gouging which states a person must not offer for sale or sell any product in this state at a price that is more than 20 percent higher than what the person offered or charged for that product as of March 9, 2020, unless the person demonstrates that the price increase is attributable to an increase in the cost of bringing the product to market or to an extraordinary discount in effect as of March 9, 2020.
Consumers can file a complaint online or by calling the Consumer Protection tip line, 877-765-8388. Hours of operation are between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Click here to view a copy of the Attorney General’s petition for subpoenas.
Click here to view a copy of the accompanying exhibits.
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