Penalty Amount
$22,865,008
Consumers Affected
1,659
Consumer fraud enforcement action where the FTC is distributing $23 million in refunds to investors defrauded by the Sanctuary Belize and Kanantik real estate schemes. The defendants deceived consumers about luxury amenities and resale potential, resulting in losses of over $100 million. This is the second round of refunds following a court judgment.
The FTC is sending $22,865,008.34 in refunds to 1,659 consumers, with average checks of $16,462 for Sanctuary Belize investors and $6,346.39 for Kanantik investors.
In-house legal teams should review all vendor, customer, and investment-related agreements—particularly those involving real estate development, overseas property sales, or investment opportunities. Focus on clauses governing representations and warranties about property features, resale value, and luxury amenities; marketing and advertising commitments; and any guarantees related to investment returns or property appreciation. Given the allegations of deceptive marketing about amenities and resale potential, contracts should be audited for accuracy in descriptive language, and consider adding explicit disclaimers or verification requirements for promotional claims, especially for projects still in development or located offshore.
Entity
Sanctuary Belize
Industry
Real EstateOfficial Press Release
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2026/02/ftc-sending-nearly-23-million-consumers-who-invested-deceptive-sanctuary-belize-kanantik-real-estate
1377 1 opinion of fourth circuit
https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/1377-1_-_opinion_of_fourth_circuit.pdf
1446 order implementing next phase of redress plan
https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/1446_order_implementing_next_phase_of_redress_plan.pdf
Federal Trade Commission Enforcement Page
https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement
"Sanctuary Belize"
"sending a total of $22,865,008.34 to consumers"
"deceived consumers who invested in Sanctuary Belize by promising they were investing in a luxury development and resort. The defendants, however, failed to deliver on the promised amenities"
The FTC, Utah, and Nevada sued Lens.com Inc., alleging that it advertised artificially low contact lens prices while hiding mandatory checkout charges and misleading consumers about its AutoRefill subscription. The complaint seeks to stop the alleged practices; the court has not yet decided the case, and no penalty or remedy has been imposed.
The FTC issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking seeking public comment on whether ad-optimization tools offered by online platforms may help scammers impersonate businesses and government agencies. This is a proposed regulatory inquiry, not an enforcement action against a named company; no penalty or remedy was imposed.
$2.5B
A federal court approved a revised order in the FTC's Amazon Prime case under which Amazon will accelerate and expand redress payments under the September 2025 $2.5 billion settlement, which resolved allegations that Amazon enrolled millions of consumers in Prime subscriptions without their consent and knowingly made cancellation difficult. More consumers now qualify for refunds, the maximum payment cap rises from $51 to $200, and all future payments will be distributed automatically starting October 1, 2026, with potential supplemental $149 payments by April 2027. Amazon has already issued more than $845 million in redress payments as of September 2026.
$225.0M
The FTC and the state of Washington filed a joint complaint and proposed stipulated order requiring Amway Corp. and two affiliates—World Wide Group, L.L.C. (WWG) and Leadership Team Development Inc. (LTD)—to pay a $225 million judgment, the largest monetary recovery ever obtained from an MLM in an FTC action, over allegations that they used deceptive earnings claims and unfair tactics to recruit Independent Business Owners. The complaint alleges the companies falsely promised substantial income and recruitment success, pressured IBOs to buy products they could not resell, and instructed IBOs to falsely report sales. Nearly all of the judgment will be used as redress for IBOs who lost money, and the proposed order imposes structural reforms including a 70% resale requirement, independent audits of sales records, and a ban on approved providers charging new IBOs for first-year training.
$100.0M
FleetCor Technologies Inc. (now Corpay Inc.) and its CEO Ronald Clarke agreed to pay $100 million to settle an FTC administrative action alleging the company charged small business customers hidden and unauthorized fees for fuel cards and misrepresented gas savings, fraud-control features, and fees. A federal district court granted the FTC summary judgment on all counts in 2023, and a federal appeals court upheld that judgment and the permanent injunction in 2026. The settlement funds will be used to provide redress to harmed business customers.
FTC staff published FAQs on price transparency to help the automobile industry comply with the FTC Act, reiterating that an advertised vehicle price must be the actual price any consumer can pay, excluding only government-required charges. The guidance follows warning letters the FTC sent to 97 auto dealership groups earlier in 2026 and signals continued litigation against dealers that advertise one price but charge more through undisclosed fees. No specific entity was charged and no penalty was imposed.