#kwameraoul

Chicago Sun-Times - All | West Ridge business accused of bilking millions from unsuspecting customers in nationwide scam by Mariah Rush AI generated summary, Read the full article for complete information. Premium Home Service, a West Ridge‑based company run by 34‑year‑old founder Yosef Banath, has been sued by the Federal Trade Commission and the Illinois Attorney General for operating a massive nationwide fraud that siphoned tens of millions of dollars from more than 100,000 consumers. The lawsuit alleges Banath created over 15,000 fictitious business listings—complete with false addresses, phone numbers, five‑star reviews (often fabricated by him, employees, or relatives) and “same‑day” service promises—for services such as plumbing, HVAC, and electrical repairs. When consumers called the listed numbers, calls were routed to offshore call centers that scheduled appointments, charged service fees or memberships, and then either failed to send qualified technicians or sent unlicensed workers who left jobs unfinished, sometimes causing damage. Victims were left to hire other contractors to complete or correct the work, often at additional cost. The complaint notes the fake businesses were tied to unrelated locations (e.g., a historic fountain, a wine bar, an Arby’s) and that similar scams were reported in other states. Authorities assert the scheme relied on deceptive online reviews and bogus company profiles to lure desperate homeowners, and they are seeking to hold Banath and Premium Home Service accountable for violating consumer‑protection laws. Read more: https://chicago.suntimes.com/consumer-affairs/2026/05/15/west-ridge-premium-home-service-banath-millions-customers-nationwide-scam #YosefBanath #KwameRaoul #PremiumHomeService #FederalTradeCommission #RonsPlumbing #LevineHeating #WestRidge #BESTGDR #IllinoisAG #

Chicago Sun-Times - All | Illinois in line for $148.8M opioid settlement payout from Purdue Pharma by Mitchell Armentrout AI generated summary, Read the full article for complete information. Illinois will receive $148.8 million from Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family as part of a nationwide $7.4 billion opioid settlement, with payments spread over the next 15 years—most of it arriving in the first three years. Attorney General Kwame Raoul emphasized that the money will be allocated equitably to support addiction treatment, prevention, and recovery programs across the state, acknowledging that no sum can fully repair the damage caused by Purdue’s aggressive marketing of OxyContin. The settlement follows a 2016 federal investigation and a 2019 Illinois lawsuit; while the Sacklers are barred permanently from selling opioids in the U.S., the broader agreement requires the family to pay $1.5 billion and Purdue $900 million initially, with additional installments thereafter. Nationwide opioid settlements have exceeded $58 billion, with Illinois earmarked for $1.6 billion total, of which over $531 million has already been disbursed. The funds aim to address the ongoing opioid crisis, which has claimed roughly 725,000 U.S. lives since 1999 and saw a spike in Cook County overdoses during the COVID‑19 pandemic. Read more: https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2026/05/01/illinois-opioid-settlement-purdue-pharma-kwame-raoul #PurduePharma #Sacklerfamily #KwameRaoul #Illinois

Chicago Sun-Times - All | Peoples Gas, North Shore Gas settle with state for $125 million for raising prices for 'ineligible' projects by Violet Miller AI generated summary, Read the full article for complete information. Peoples Gas and its affiliate North Shore Gas have agreed to a $125 million settlement with Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul over surcharges and fees collected from 2017‑2023 that the state says were spent on ineligible projects, expired permits and unsubstantiated change orders. Pending approval by the Illinois Commerce Commission, the deal would provide affected customers with bill credits of roughly $50 in 2026 and $40 in each of the next two years, while requiring the utilities to cut $130 million in capital costs, competitively bid contracts over $25,000, document cost changes above $5,000 and improve project close‑out reporting. The settlement comes amid criticism of the companies’ over‑budget, delayed Accelerated Main Replacement Program—originally slated to replace 2,000 miles of aging gas pipes by 2030 at under $2 billion, but now exceeding $3.3 billion and pushed out to 2035—while the utilities also seek a separate $202 million rate hike that would add about $11 per month to customer bills. Read more: https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2026/04/30/peoples-gas-north-shore-gas-125-million-settlement-raoul-attorney-general #PeoplesGas #KwameRaoul #IllinoisCommission #WECEnergy #CitizensUtility #SarahMoskowitz