Posted on 12/08/2020 8:32:26 AM PST by ransomnote
The Department of Justice today announced a settlement in which DISH Network LLC (DISH) will pay $126 million in civil penalties to the United States for placing millions of telemarketing calls in violation of the Federal Trade Commission's Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR).
This settlement represents the largest civil penalty ever paid to resolve telemarketing violations under the FTC Act, and exceeds the total penalties paid to the government by all prior violators of the TSR. DISH will also pay a combined $84 million to four states for violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, for a total settlement of $210 million.
“The settlement sends a strong message to would-be violators that telemarketing laws and regulations cannot be ignored,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark for the Department of Justice’s Civil Division.
This case was filed in 2009 and went to trial in 2016. The United States — along with its co-plaintiffs, the States of California, Illinois, North Carolina, and Ohio — alleged that DISH made millions of unlawful telemarketing calls to consumers and was responsible for millions more made by retailers that marketed DISH products and services. In a 2017 opinion, the district court found DISH liable for more than 66 million telemarketing violations of the TSR and other federal and state statutes, imposing significant compliance measures on DISH and awarding the plaintiffs $280 million in civil penalties and damages, with $168 million going to the United States and $112 million to the state plaintiffs. In 2020, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit affirmed those liability findings, but vacated and remanded the civil penalties and damages awards for recalculation.
As reflected in the stipulated judgment entered by the court today, DISH will pay the United States $126 million in civil penalties to resolve the monetary portion of the case and has agreed not to contest the court’s factual findings or liability determination. DISH will continue to follow the robust compliance measures imposed by the court in 2017. The injunction strictly prohibits any future telemarketing violations and significantly restricts DISH’s future telemarketing activities. DISH also has been ordered to prepare and abide by a telemarketing plan, submit telemarketing compliance materials to the department and the FTC twice annually until 2027, and provide compliance reports requested by the department or the FTC.
This matter was handled by attorneys in the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, including Assistant Director Lisa K. Hsiao and Trial Attorneys Patrick R. Runkle, Daniel Crane-Hirsch, and Benjamin A. Cornfeld. Mark B. Stern and Lindsey Powell of the division’s Appellate Staff handled the Seventh Circuit appeal. Lois Greisman, Will Maxson, and Russell Deitch of the FTC’s Division of Marketing Practices represented the FTC.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the FTC, visit its website at https://www.FTC.gov.
The Dinosaur Media DeathWatch continues. DISH Media wasn’t breaking telemarketing laws because they have such a great and in-demand product. They were breaking telemarketing laws because they’re in a death spiral and desperate for any finances to stem the decline.
DISH is Charlie Ergen, a very mean control freak. He used to make his professional employee clock and out to go to the bathroom and justify if they spent too much time in there.
Looks like my cable bill is about to go up again. These guys are as bad as the government.
they are in dispute with NEXTSTAR also..
I worked for DISH for several years and it was the most toxic environment I have ever encountered. There is a special place in Hell for Charlie.
DISH is Charlie Ergen, a very mean control freak. He used to make his professional employee clock and out to go to the bathroom and justify if they spent too much time in there.
I’ve never gotten a spam call from DISH. They can fine DISH, but somehow can’t figure out how to stop the morons who Are spam calling me.
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