Council Oversight: Delivering for District Residents

Yesterday, I testified in front of the DC Council’s Judiciary and Public Safety Committee for the Office of Attorney General’s annual performance oversight hearing. Oversight hearings are an important part of serving as an elected official, and this hearing was a chance to talk with the Council and DC residents about our work delivering for Washingtonians and making the District a safer, healthier, and more equitable place for all who live and work here.

Attorney General Schwalb Announces Permanent Shutdown of Recruitment Firm That Exploited Foreign Exchange Teachers

Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today announced the successful resolution of a lawsuit against Earl Francisco Lopez and several teacher recruitment companies he operated—including Bilingual Teacher Exchange (BTE)—for preying upon dozens of foreign exchange program teachers by lying about his affiliation with the US State Department. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) sued Lopez, alleging that he falsely claimed to be an official visa sponsor with the power to get teachers fired and deported, charged improperly high fees, and failed to provide promised services.

Ushering in 2024 at OAG lauren.massey

Happy 2024! It’s hard to believe that January is already drawing to a close. Here at the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), we hit the ground running, kicking off the year with a new public safety grant program and a series of successful wage theft and consumer protection cases that put hundreds of thousands of dollars back into the pockets of District residents. As always, I continued this month spending time at community events and forums throughout the city, hearing directly from District residents. Thank you for making your voices heard – your concerns and ideas for the District directly inform our work here at OAG.

Attorney General Schwalb Announces Liberty Tax Will Pay $750,000 For Deceiving Thousands of District Residents in "Cash in a Flash" Tax-Prep Scam

Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today announced that the nation’s third largest tax preparation company, Liberty Tax, will pay $550,000 to more than 7,300 DC residents who were misled and overcharged for tax preparation services. As part of a settlement resolving the consumer protection lawsuit that the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) filed against it, Liberty Tax must also pay $200,000 to the District and permanently end the deceptive marketing and pricing tactics it used across the US.  

Reflecting on My First Year as Your Attorney General lauren.massey

When I was sworn into office nearly one year ago, humbled by the trust District residents placed in me to represent and advocate for them, I pledged to use the law to combat persistent equity gaps, defend and strengthen the fundamental rights of all who live and work here, ensure that our children live healthy, hopeful lives, and work every day towards a stronger, safer community. I am very proud of the hard work that the talented professionals at the Office of Attorney General have performed over the past year and of the meaningful and impactful results we’ve delivered for District residents across all eight Wards.

​​​​​Attorney General Schwalb Resolves Investigation Into Lyft Scooter Parking Fines, Recovers Full Restitution for Consumers

Attorney General Schwalb today announced the resolution of an investigation into Lyft concerning its failure to provide proper notice to consumers about fines the company imposed when scooters were parked improperly. Under the terms of a settlement agreement, Lyft will provide full restitution and return nearly $90,000 to affected scooter users. Lyft will also pay $20,000 to the District and has already made changes to its systems to ensure users are notified about DC’s scooter parking rules and notified of any fines imposed for parking violations.

Taking on the Rental Housing Cartel

At the Office of Attorney General (OAG), we use the law to preserve and advocate for affordable housing, protect tenants, and hold abusive and neglectful landlords accountable. This month, we announced our lawsuit against RealPage, a Texas-based technology firm that offers various technology-based services to real estate owners and property managers, and 14 of the District’s largest landlords for colluding to inflate rent prices in rental buildings across our city. 

Attorney General Schwalb Sues Home Renovation Company Curbio Over Fraudulent Scheme That Targets Elderly District Residents lauren.massey

Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today filed a lawsuit against Curbio, Inc. (Curbio), which markets itself as a pre-sale home renovation company that allows homeowners to defer payment until their homes are sold. The lawsuit alleges Curbio engages in a scheme of deception, intimidation, and fraud that traps District residents—targeting the elderly and financially disadvantaged—into unconscionable contracts, while performing overpriced, substandard work that often takes months—or years—longer than promised.