Attorney General Bondi’s Weekly Briefing ………………

Florida is home to more than 90,000 active duty and reserve military members and an estimated 1.5 million veterans. I am honored that so many members of our Armed Forces, both active and retired, call our beautiful state home.This month, in recognition of National Military Consumer Protection Month, I am urging military members, veterans and their families to be cautious of scams through a joint initiative with state, federal and nonprofit agencies. The goal of Military Consumer Protection Month is to empower active and retired service members, military families and veterans by educating the public about scams targeting our brave service members.

My Military Consumer Protection Guide is a great resource for service members. This guide identifies some of the most common types of scams used to target military members. It also provides helpful tips to avoid, identify and report these scams. According to the Federal Trade Commission, military consumers nationwide reported losing more than $25 million to imposter scams in 2016 alone.

As a state, we must do everything in our power to protect those who protect us and I am proud that Florida is a leader in protecting these warriors. Last year, we launched our Military and Veterans Assistance Program to provide additional resources for Florida’s active and retired members of the armed forces. Any service member, veteran or military family member who encounters a scam should reach out directly to my office through MVAP, by visiting MyFloridaLegal.com/MVAP.

Next week I will be reaching out directly to our heroes via Twitter with helpful tips to avoid scams and free resources for service members and veterans. The weeklong Twitter campaign can be followed at Twitter.com/AGPamBondi.

Brett Kavanaugh Is Trump’s Pick for Supreme Court, The New York TimesState sues Camp Warrior summer camp, WTXL

Attorney General sues defunct Camp Warrior, owners for operating without proper permitting, Tallahassee Democrat

Florida Now Has One of the Strictest Opioid Prescribing Laws in the Country, WLTX

Central Florida sees spike in organ donations amid opioid epidemic, WFTV

Attorney General Bondi Takes Legal Action Against Group Travel Sales Scammers
Attorney General Pam Bondi filed a court action against Harmony International Tours, LLC and its owners, Bradley R. Matheson and Margaret L. Matheson. According to the complaint, Harmony International and its owners offered group travel packages to college, high school, church choir and band groups scheduled to perform in foreign countries and to participate, in some instances, in cultural exchange programs. After receiving payments from the various music groups, the defendants allegedly failed to provide the travel packages and reimburse consumers as promised.

The complaint alleges that the defendants operated the alleged travel scam primarily out of Key West and sold company group travel packages to consumers throughout Florida and the United States. The defendants allegedly accepted consumers’ installment payments knowing that they had no intention of making, or ability to make, the promised travel arrangements. This complaint also alleges violation of Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act and the Attorney General is seeking permanent injunctive relief, full restitution, and the imposition of civil penalties and fees. More.

Attorney General Bondi’s Statement on Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s Nomination for Appointment to the United States Supreme Court

Attorney General Pam Bondi released the following statement regarding President Donald Trump’s nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh for the United States Supreme Court:

“Judge Brett Kavanaugh is an extraordinary choice for the Supreme Court. I have known and respected him for years for his brilliant legal mind, but he is so much more. The best part of him won’t be found in his hundreds of thoughtful judicial opinions. The best part of him will be found in his devotion to his family, friends, church and community. I hope the American people will come to know that man. He will make them proud.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi at the White House this week attending President Donald J. Trump’s historic nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh for the United States Supreme Court.

Attorney General Bondi with Maureen Scalia and Father David Scalia, wife and son of the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia at the nominating ceremony.

Attorney General Bondi on ‘The Story’ with Martha MacCallum discussing the nominating process shortly before she attended the President’s event announcing Judge Kavanaugh as his pick. To view full interview, click here.

Registration for the 2018 Human Trafficking Summit is now open. The summit will be held at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld on Monday, Oct. 1, 2018. This one-day summit will include opportunities to connect with law enforcement, government leaders, survivors, prosecutors, healthcare professionals, and community leaders while participating in targeted breakout sessions and workshops. For more details on this year’s summit and to register, click here.