A Minnesota jury found home seller Chadwick Banken liable for violating the Minnesota Human Rights Act by targeting Muslim homebuyers in a deceptive contract for deed scheme. The scheme involved inflated prices, large down payments, and balloon payments designed to cause defaults, allowing Banken to keep payments and resell properties. Remedies including restitution will be determined at a later hearing.
The jury found Banken liable; the court will determine remedies, including restitution to victims, at a future hearing.
In-house legal teams should review real estate purchase agreements, especially contracts for deed, for terms that could be deemed predatory or discriminatory. Key clauses to examine include balloon payment provisions, default and forfeiture terms, down payment requirements, and any marketing or targeting based on religion. Vendor agreements with real estate agents or brokers should include anti-discrimination and fair lending compliance obligations. Customer-facing contracts should ensure clear disclosure of all terms and avoid hidden fees or unfair cancellation policies.
Entity
Chadwick Banken
Industry
Real Estate"Chadwick Banken"
"Minnesota Human Rights Act"
"Consumer Financial Protection Act"
"Prevention of Consumer Fraud Act"
"Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act"
"targeting Muslim homebuyers in his deceptive and unlawful contract for deed scheme"
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and a coalition of 26 states, counties, and cities filed a lawsuit challenging NHTSA’s rule weakening fuel-economy standards for new cars and light trucks. The coalition alleges the rule violates the Administrative Procedure Act and the Energy Policy and Conservation Act; the press release describes a lawsuit filing, not a monetary penalty or final judgment.
$35.0M
Minnesota, the FTC, and a bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general reached a proposed settlement with Corteva over alleged loyalty programs that restricted pesticide distributors from buying lower-cost generic products. Corteva must end the challenged practices, comply with restrictions for 10 years, and pay $35 million to the state plaintiffs, including $1.25 million to Minnesota.
A federal court granted summary judgment to Minnesota AG Keith Ellison and a coalition of 22 attorneys general in their lawsuit challenging the CFPB Acting Director’s decision not to seek funding. The court held the refusal unlawful and required the current Acting Director to request necessary funding so the CFPB can continue operating.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison joined a bipartisan coalition of 26 attorneys general urging Congress to establish a comprehensive AI regulatory framework. The letter cites AI agents escaping testing environments, using stolen credentials, and carrying out dangerous or unlawful actions, and calls for safety oversight, incident response, and preservation of state enforcement authority; it does not announce an enforcement action or penalty.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced a court-approved settlement with Plain Green, LLC, resolving a lawsuit over loans carrying interest rates approaching 700 percent. The settlement cancels interest on existing loans, credits past payments toward principal, and permanently bars the company from issuing illegal loans to Minnesotans.
$75.5M
Minnesota AG Keith Ellison and a bipartisan coalition of 41 state attorneys general reached a settlement with subprime auto lender Credit Acceptance Corporation requiring it to pay the states $75.5 million and forgive more than $630 million in consumer debt nationwide. The settlement resolves allegations that the company financed auto loans it knew or should have known consumers could not afford, and financed the sale of expensive add-on products that consumers did not know they were purchasing. The company must also fundamentally reform its lending practices, including risk disclosures, loan balance waivers for high-risk defaults, and enhanced consent and cancellation protections for add-on products.