SETTLEMENT

Intuit, the company behind TurboTax, has agreed to pay $141 million to customers across the U.S. in connection to a settlement regarding deceptive practices involving its free tax-filing services. More than 4.4 million taxpayers are eligible under the terms of the settlement by signed attorneys general of all 50 states,The settlement comes after a 2019 ProPublica report that found the California-based company used deceptive tactics to steer low-income consumers toward its commercial products and away from federally supported free tax services. The IRS Free file program is geared towards taxpayers earning roughly $34,000 and members of the military. In addition to paying restitution, Intuit has agreed to suspend TurboTax’s “free, free, free” ad campaign. Eligible customers will automatically receive notices and a check by mail.

A settlement has been reached between Rochester Community Schools and a parent who accused the school board of getting her fired from her job over social media posts that were critical of the district’s pandemic response.

A settlement has been reached between Rochester Community Schools and a parent who accused the school board of getting her fired from her job over social media posts that were critical of the district’s pandemic response.

The University of Michigan has agreed to a $490 million settlement with hundreds of people who say they were sexually assaulted by former sports doctor Robert Anderson.

The University of Michigan has agreed to a $490 million settlement with hundreds of people who say they were sexually assaulted by a former sports doctor at the school.

Wednesday is a big day for the people of Flint and those affected by the water crisis as the settlement process begins.

People impacted by the Flint water crisis can soon submit a claim for monetary relief under the settlement approved last November.

Solutia Inc. and Pharmacia LLC, successors to Monsanto Company, will complete the cleanup of four former landfills and waste lagoons in Sauget, Illinois, across the Mississippi River from St. Louis. The settlement will require the companies to reimburse EPA $700,000 in past costs spent at the sites and take responsibility for implementing EPA’s cleanup plan estimated to cost $17.9 million. The hazardous waste includes toxic substances and known carcinogens, including PCBs, dioxin, lead, cadmium, benzene and chlorobenzene. The cleanup requires placing engineered caps over identified waste areas, conducting vapor intrusion mitigation and controlling access to the sites. The consent decree, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval.

The sexual abuse victims of national gymnastics team physician Larry Nassar have reached a settlement.

FLINT, MI -- City officials are recommending approval of a partial settlement that could net Flint roughly $8.8 million from distributors and a manufacturer of opioids. The Flint City Council is being asked to approve the partial settlement in a committee meeting Wednesday, Dec. 8, and city attorneys have requested a closed session with council members ahead of that vote.

TikTok users may have noticed the notifications about the settlement starting Monday. Yes, it’s a real case.

The settlement is one of the largest in Michigan's history.

A judge has signed off on final approval of the over $626 million settlement in the Flint water crisis.

S.A. (Lactalis) and The Kraft Heinz Company (Kraft Heinz) to divest Kraft Heinz’s Athenos and Polly-O businesses in order to proceed with Lactalis’s proposed acquisition of Kraft Heinz’s natural cheese business in the United States. At the same time, the department filed a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would resolve the competitive harm alleged in the lawsuit. Retail sales of Kraft Heinz’s natural cheeses in the United States exceeded $2.2 billion in 2020. Kraft Heinz sells natural cheese in the United States primarily under the Kraft, Cracker Barrel, Athenos and Polly-O brand names. As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with a competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register.

Arbor Hills Energy will pay a civil penalty of $750,000 to the state of Michigan and the United States.

Arbor Hills Energy will pay a civil penalty of $750,000 to the state of Michigan and the United States.

Arbor Hills Energy will pay a civil penalty of $750,000 to the state of Michigan and the United States.

Body-camera footage showed an officer pinning Karen Garner down and placing her in handcuffs in June 2020. A follow-up video showed three officers praising and mocking the arrest.

USA Gymnastics has agreed to pay out $425 million to hundreds of women as part of a massive settlement.

On Monday, lawyers for the residents of Flint got the chance to make their case saying the $650 million settlement with the state over the water crisis just isn’t enough.

The Boy Scouts of America have reached an $850 million agreement with attorneys representing tens of thousands.

The settlement – which must be approved by the city council – would be the largest Columbus has ever paid out.

USC reaches largest sex abuse settlement against a university The more than $1 billion settlement is the largest sex abuse settlement ever against any American college or university. Hundreds of women say they were abused by former campus gynecologist George Tyndall. Jamie Yuccas has the latest.

Minneapolis reaches $27 million settlement with George Floyd's family The City of Minneapolis settled a civil lawsuit with George Floyd's family for $27 million. It's one of the largest known police wrongful death settlements on record. Jeff Pegues has more.

DETROIT – Fiat Chrysler Automobiles US has agreed to plead guilty and pay a $30 million fine for a corruption scandal at the union that represents its factory workers, authorities said Wednesday. Al Iacobelli was the head of labor relations at Fiat Chrysler and co-chairman of the UAW-Chrysler National Training Center in Detroit. Training center credit cards paid for more than $30,000 in meals for UAW officials at various restaurants in Southern California, the government said. The government’s investigation began at the training center but stretched to other corrupt acts at the UAW. Fiat Chrysler US is a subsidiary of Stellantis, a company created by the merger of Fiat Chrysler and PSA Peugeot.

FLINT, Mich. – Residents of Flint are one step closer to receiving money and resources for the pain and chaos caused by the Flint water crisis. A federal judge granted preliminary approval Thursday to a $641 million deal that would benefit Flint residents who were harmed by the water. The decision opens to the doors for the next step and an opportunity for the people of Flint to collect damages. As the court considers a final ruling in this settlement, we will continue to keep our focus on healing this embattled city. Michigan Attorney General Dana NesselFormer Flint mayor Karen Weaver said the settlment is a step in the right direction, but it’s not enough.

The Flint Water Plant tower is shown in Flint, Mich., Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021. Some Flint residents impacted by months of lead-tainted water are looking past expected charges against former Gov. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)DETROIT – A judge granted preliminary approval Thursday to a $641 million deal that would benefit thousands of Flint residents who were harmed by lead-contaminated water. Attorneys representing Flint residents have said 80% of payments will go to people who were under 18 when the river water was used. “At last, the victims of the Flint water crisis no longer have to hope for a day of reckoning," said attorney Corey Stern, who represents 4,000 people.

FILE - In this March 21, 2016, file photo, the Flint Water Plant water tower is seen in Flint, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)FLINT, Mich. – The Michigan Attorney General’s Office announced a preliminary $600 million settlement in lawsuits related to the Flint Water Crisis on Thursday, more than six years after the crisis started. Past contributions include a settlement agreement whereby $97 million was made available to replace all of the city’s lead service lines in its water system. To date, the state has spent more than $409 million in response to the Flint water emergency. Researchers with Virginia Tech University reported in summer 2015 that samples of Flint water had abnormally high lead levels.

DETROIT – The United Auto Workers and the U.S. attorney’s office in Detroit said they reached a settlement following a federal corruption investigation that’s stretched on for years. The goal of the settlement is to reform the union in the wake of a bribery and embezzlement scandal. The deal includes federal oversight for years to come and a critical vote by the rank and file. Federal authorities did not issue fines or penalties against the union, saying it would take away from members. UAW President Rory Gamble said while a dark chapter is now closed, he’s still disappointed by officials who stole from union members.

DETROIT – Michigan authorities have agreed to reinstate the licenses of two Metro Detroit paramedics if they pass a national exam after a young woman declared dead on their watch was discovered to be alive at a funeral home. The condition is part of a settlement with Michael Storms and Scott Rickard of the Southfield Fire Department, according to state health department documents released to The Associated Press. PREVIOUS:The state suspended the paramedic licenses held by Storms and Rickard, who also serve as Southfield firefighters. The state health department recently reached agreements with the men to drop the license suspensions. The AP sought to interview Michigan EMS manager Sabrina Kerr about the agreements with the paramedics but a spokesman declined.

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). 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. 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. The injunction strictly prohibits any future telemarketing violations and significantly restricts DISH’s future telemarketing activities.

WARREN, Mich. – Days after the Warren City Council voted 5-2 to reject a marijuana settlement proposal, Mayor Jim Fouts has vetoed that vote. The proposal would have granted 28 licenses for medical marijuana provisional centers in Warren. Previous coverage:“Several members of the previous city council were fed by greed and corruption and charted a course behind closed doors at the direction of the mayor and the legal advice of city attorney Vinson.” Councilman Jonathan Lafferty said during Tuesday’s meeting. The city found itself in legal trouble after a Macomb County judge ruled that its marijuana licensing process under the former city council was done in secret and violated the Open Meetings Act. The current city council was presented with the settlement earlier this month to grant 28 new licenses in lieu of the original 15 licenses.

The data breach exposed the payment card information of about 40 million consumers nationwide. Michigan will receive more than $300,000 through this settlement. In addition to the $17.5 million total payment to the states, The Home Depot provided compensation to consumers through a separate 2016 settlement in a class-action lawsuit. Besides the financial settlements, The Home Depot also agreed to implement and maintain a series of data security practices designed to strengthen its information security program and safeguard the personal information of consumers. “Businesses that collect or maintain sensitive personal information must take certain measures to ensure that material is secure and protected from unlawful use or disclosure,” Nessel said.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The University of Michigan said Wednesday it will pay $9.25 million to eight women who reported emotional or sexual abuse by a man who became the school’s chief academic officer. "We thank them for their courage and we apologize to each one of them and to all survivors," the university said. Martin Philbert spent 25 years at the university, rising from toxicology professor to dean of the School of Public Health and then provost in 2017, a job that paid $570,000 a year. "The University of Michigan failed on many levels as this individual advanced through the administrative ranks,” the university said. The report said the provost search committee wasn’t aware, although a member apparently was familiar with some allegations “but did not think about it.”

FRASER, Mich. – Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller announced a $12.5 million settlement for a lot where a home was condemned and demolished because of a 2016 sinkhole in Fraser. It is the largest settlement ever acquired by Macomb County. Overall, 23 homes had to be evacuated -- three condemned including two damaged so badly, they had to be demolished. Neighbors John and Helen Finegen said they are happy to finally find some closure in the situation and thanked the commissioner. What they’ve done, they’ve done a good job,” said John Finegen.

FRASER, Mich. – Macomb County Public Works commissioner Candice Miller will announce a settlement in the Fraser sinkhole case on Tuesday involving three contractors. A sinkhole developed on Christmas Eve in 2016. Nearly two dozen homes were evacuated and three houses later were condemned. At the time, the collapse threatened to dump raw sewage into thousands of basements in the county through the broken pipe. However, the companies argued that that wasn’t the case and they shouldn’t be held responsible.

ROCHESTER, Mich. – Former figure skater Adam Schmidt has reached a $1.75 million settlement with Onyx Ice Arena, according to Schmidt. Last year, Schmidt filed a lawsuit alleging that longtime U.S. figure skating coach Richard Callaghan sexually abused him for two years. Schmidt trained with Callaghan at the Detroit Skating Club in Bloomfield Township and the Onyx Ice Arena in Rochester. READ: Adam Schmidt speaks about allegations of sexual abuse by U.S. figure skating coach Richard CallaghanCallaghan was banned for life by the U.S. Center for SafeSport, a watchdog for U.S. Olympic sports organizations. Callaghan has denied the allegations and Onyx did not admit any wrongdoing.

NEW YORK Honda has reached an $85 million settlement with multiple states over allegations that it hid safety failures in the airbags of certain Honda and Acura vehicles sold in the U.S. The settlement was announced by James Tuesday, but involved attorneys general from 48 states. Honda has recalled approximately 12.9 million Honda and Acura vehicles equipped with the defective inflators since 2008. Under a separate class action settlement, Honda customers are entitled to restitution for damages or injuries that occurred as a result of the defective airbags. More: Takata airbags coverage

FLINT, Mich. A settlement is imminent in a class action lawsuit over the Flint water crisis. Details about the settlement are expected to be released sometime this week. Sources tell Local 4 the settlement is for around $600 million. The settlement would pay claims seeking damages for lead poisoning that followed after the city switched its water supply from Detroit to Flint. READ: Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha speaks out about impact of COVID-19 crisis on children in Flint

State environmental regulators advised Flint not to apply corrosion controls to the water, which was contaminated by lead from aging pipes. Researchers with Virginia Tech University reported in summer 2015 that samples of Flint water had abnormally high lead levels. Rick Snyder eventually acknowledged the problem, accepted the resignation of his environmental chief and pledged to aid the city, which resumed using Detroit water. Under the deal, the state would establish a $600 million fund and Flint residents could file claims for compensation. The amount awarded per applicant would be based on how badly they were harmed, the attorney told AP.

The event behind all this came in 2019, when a broken pipe spewed fumes and sent residents scrambling for fresh air. READ: Detroit Marathon oil refinery hit with violation notice from state environmental groupThe state levied about $80,000 in fines on top of the cash that Marathon will be spending in the neighborhood. On Feb. 2, 2019 the polar vortex helped split a major Marathon refinery pipe. We feel this is a win win, it brings the dollars back into the community. READ: Enough is enough: People living near Marathon Refinery want out

Bayer said it was also paying up $1.22 billion to settle two additional areas of intense litigation, one involving toxic chemical PCB in water, and one involving dicamba, another weedkiller. The company said the settlement over Roundup, which is made by its Monsanto subsidiary, involves about 125,000 filed and unfiled claims. In August, a California jury ordered Monsanto to pay $86.7 million to a couple claiming that Roundup Ready caused their cancers. Claimants will be required to provide proof their crop yields were damaged by dicamba, Bayer said. The company said it expects contributions from co-defendant BASF toward the dicamba settlement.

DETROIT Michigans governor has agreed to ask lawmakers to provide $94.4 million to Detroits public schools as part of a lawsuit settlement. The state also will provide $280,000 to be shared by the seven students named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit. READ MORE: Michigan governor to ask lawmakers for $94.4M as part of Detroit schools literacy lawsuit settlementBack in 2018, a federal court ruled in Snyders favor. Simmons likened the case to Brown v. Board of Education, the landmark decision that led to the desegregation of schools. And if schools are not held accountable to teaching students to read, why would we even have them?

DETROIT – Michigan’s governor has agreed to ask lawmakers to provide $94.4 million to Detroit’s public schools as part of a lawsuit settlement. The settlement comes just weeks after a federal appeals court issued a groundbreaking decision recognizing a constitutional right to education and literacy. READ MORE: State of Michigan settles right to education lawsuit involving former Detroit studentsGov. Gretchen Whitmer said Thursday that she will ask the state to pay for literacy-related programs and other initiatives. That money is to be used for a high-quality literacy program or other ways to further their education.

DETROIT – The state of Michigan has announced a settlement in a lawsuit filed by former Detroit schoolchildren, weeks after a federal appeals court issued a groundbreaking decision recognizing a constitutional right to education and literacy. Gretchen Whitmer and the plaintiffs announced the agreement early Thursday. They say the settlement “will help secure the right of access to literacy for students in Detroit who faced obstacles they never should have faced.”Details of the agreement will be released later Thursday. The Republican-led Legislature recently asked the full 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to set aside the 2-1 ruling.