Dana's Dispatch: PFAS Clean Up, Tax Scams, School Threats & More!

[logo]( Michigan plastic manufacturer will clean up PFAS under settlement A Michigan plastic manufacturer will clean up toxic PFAS chemicals at the site of a 1998 factory fire under the terms of a settlement with state regulators. Asahi Kasei Plastics North America, (APNA) a Fowlerville automotive plastic maker, will clean up contaminants at its former factory in Brighton found by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). The company agreed to perform basic site investigation and cleanup work after three years of litigation in a case filed by state Attorney General Dana Nessel in January 2020. A consent decree was announced Monday, Jan. 30. It is the first case to be resolved out of a series of lawsuits filed by a special team in Nessel’s office against PFAS makers or corporate users who caused contamination in Michigan. “You made the mess, you clean it up,” Nessel said in an interview with MLive. “We don’t want taxpayers to be on the hook and we want these companies to do the right thing.” “My goal is make sure that the contaminants are properly remediated, to make sure that people don’t have PFAS in their drinking water and to make sure that the taxpayers aren’t picking up the tab for all that to occur,” Nessel said. [READ MORE]( Garret Ellison, MLive (January 30, 2023) Michigan plastic manufacturer will clean up PFAS under settlement Retrieved from: [Michigan plastic manufacturer will clean up PFAS under settlement](   Attorney General Nessel warns of tax scams in midst of tax season Tax season is a prime time for scammers to pretend to be IRS agents, tax specialists or professionals, and collection agencies, according to the Michigan Attorney General's Office. Photo courtesy of News Channel 3 (Max Ortiz/Detroit News via AP, File/WWMT) To combat this, Attorney General Dana Nessel issued a consumer alert Tuesday, warning Michiganders to be on the lookout for tax scams. Scammers commonly contact victims over the phone, or through text messages and emails, according to the attorney general's office. Anyone who thinks they may owe money can check with the IRS directly by going online and viewing their tax account. [READ MORE]( Katie Sergent, News Channel 3 (February 1, 2023) Attorney General Nessel warns of tax scams in midst of tax season Retrieved from: [Attorney General Nessel warns of tax scams in midst of tax season](   Felon accused of posing as therapist at Michigan autism treatment center ordered to trial An Oakland County woman with a felony record who is accused of faking her credentials to work as a therapist for children with autism is headed to trial. Kimberly Casey Coden-Diskin is accused of lying about her education and certifications to get a job at Oxford Recovery Center in Brighton in 2018. Her existing criminal record includes identity theft and larceny from a building. Authorities said she was never licensed by the State of Michigan. She used professional business cards, verbal statements, and written documents to pose as a licensed medical professional. She also presented university degrees that she is alleged not to have earned and utilized the certification number of another state-certified therapist. That doctor said that Coden-Diskin has used her number three times, and records confirmed this. A FOX 2 story about Coden-Diskin posing as a Board Certified Behavioral Analyst led Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel to investigate. "Regrettably, employers can’t always rely upon what an applicant may represent to them. In many cases, due diligence requires verification of legally necessary qualifications," Nessel said. "When circumstances arise that someone misrepresents themselves as a medical professional, my office stands ready to intervene." Coden-Diskin was charged with sixteen counts of unauthorized practice of a health profession and two counts of identity theft. She was also charged with one count of witness intimidation for her alleged communications with a witness in the original case. [READ MORE]( Fox 2 Staff, Fox 2 (February 2, 2023) Felon accused of posing as therapist at Michigan autism treatment center ordered to trial Retrieved from: [Felon accused of posing as therapist at Michigan autism treatment center ordered to trial](   Making threats against schools can land you in prison, AG warns The Michigan Attorney General is reminding residents about the seriousness of school threats and how they could land you behind bars. [[ratio]  ]( In a statement, Dana Nessel said she is sending out a reminder in light of four school districts (in Detroit, Jackson, Ann Arbor, and Okemos) that were recently the targets of swatting. “Threats of violence in our schools disrupt the classroom, tax our local law enforcement agencies and harm our students’ sense of safety,” said Nessel in a statement. “Whether these are real threats made by those intent on doing harm or pranks made by kids trying to get a day off, they are real crimes with real consequences. It’s critical that adults and students alike understand the seriousness of these threats and the criminal charges they could face.” [READ MORE]( WXYZ (February 7, 2023) Making threats against schools can land you in prison, AG warns Retrieved from: [Making threats against schools can land you in prison, AG warns](   Man found guilty after sending threatening emails to Michigan judge The 19th Circuit Court Administration received threatening, harassing, and intimidating emails from 43-year-old Ryan King of Benzonia. He was found guilty on Feb. 6 of Malicious Use of Telecommunications Service and Using a Computer to Commit a Crime. King sent several harassing and intimidating emails to the Court Administrator and on April 2, 2022, he sent an email with a death threat, which led to his arrest. In the 85th District Court in Manistee, visiting Judge John Middlebrook sentenced King to two years of probation with one year of jail suspended. Attorney General Dana Nessel released a statement and said that threatening public officials is unacceptable. “We’re pleased that the jury and Judge Middlebrook recognized terroristic threats are not protected under the First Amendment and pose a significant danger to our democracy,” said Nessel. “My department is committed to holding those who commit these crimes accountable.” [READ MORE]( Kayla Jones, WILX (February 8, 2023) Man found guilty after sending threatening emails to Michigan judge Retrieved from: [Man found guilty after sending threatening emails to Michigan judge](   Former Flint Police Chief pleads no contest to illegal gambling related charges, says AG A former Flint Police Chief pled no contest to illegal gambling related charges Wednesday, according to Michigan Attorney General's Office. Jarvi pleaded no contest in 1994 and was sentenced to 25-60 years in jail. He became eligible for parole in 2014 but was turned down each year until 2022 when Morrison could not attend the hearing. When the Livingston County Prosecutor failed to file paperwork opposing the parole for Jarvi, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel stepped in. “My perspective is when something like this happens and if the Department of Attorney General isn’t going to stand by your side when you’ve been the victim of a heinous and assaultive crime, who is,” said Nessel. [READ MORE]( Mid-Michigan NOW, (February 9, 2023) Former Flint Police Chief pleads no contest to illegal gambling related charges, says AG Retrieved from: [Former Flint Police Chief pleads no contest to illegal gambling related charges, says AG](   Distiller gets $25k default judgment for illegally shipping spirits Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) announced a default judgment against Island Distillers, Inc., a Hawaii-based distiller, in their suit against the distiller for making illegal sales and shipments of spirits to Michigan consumers. The suit alleged illegal activities by the distiller under the federal Twenty-first Amendment Enforcement Act and Michigan’s Consumer Protection Act. Island Distillers, Inc. failed to respond, despite having received the summons and complaint. Judge Mark A. Goldsmith of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan granted Nessel’s motion for entry of a default judgment on Feb. 7. “Whether they are shipping within Michigan, or across state borders, alcohol shippers must abide by Michigan’s liquor laws,” Nessel said. “We are appreciative that so many companies want to do business in our state, but they must abide by Michigan laws. I am grateful to the Liquor Control Commission for their excellent enforcement efforts in combating illegal shipments like these.” [READ MORE]( Kayla Jones, WILX, (February 9, 2023) Distiller gets $25k default judgment for illegally shipping spirits Retrieved from: [Distiller gets $25k default judgment for illegally shipping spirits](   KEEP IN TOUCH WITH DANA: [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Web Site]( Any donor history information in this email reflects what we have on file for this specific email address. 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