Penalty Amount
$25,000
The New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs obtained a consent decree against Jeremy Rubin, developer of Tidbit Bitcoin-mining software, for accessing New Jersey computers without users' knowledge or consent. The settlement includes a suspended $25,000 monetary penalty and prohibits future unauthorized access, requiring clear notification and verifiable consent.
Rubin is prohibited from accessing or attempting to access New Jerseyans' computers without clearly and conspicuously notifying the owners and obtaining their verifiable consent. The $25,000 monetary settlement is suspended and will be automatically vacated within two years if he complies with the terms.
In-house legal teams should review vendor agreements where their company acts as a software provider (like Tidbit) to web developers or other downstream users. Focus on clauses governing data processing, computer resource access, user consent mechanisms, and compliance representations. Specific clauses to scrutinize include: (1) data processing terms authorizing use of end-user device resources; (2) consent and notification requirements for end-users; (3) audit rights and compliance certifications from downstream users; and (4) indemnification provisions for unauthorized access claims. Changes may be needed to mandate clear, conspicuous end-user notification and verifiable consent before any processing power access, require downstream users to maintain compliant privacy policies, and add termination rights for non-compliance with access restrictions.
Entity
Jeremy Rubin
Industry
TechnologyOfficial Press Release
https://www.njoag.gov/new-jersey-division-of-consumer-affairs-obtains-settlement-with-developer-of-bitcoin-mining-software-found-to-have-accessed-new-jersey-computers-without-users-knowledge-or-consent-2/
New Jersey Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://www.njoag.gov/about/divisions-and-offices/division-of-consumer-affairs/
"Jeremy Rubin, a Massachusetts resident"
"$25,000 monetary settlement"
"New Jersey’s Computer Related Offenses Act"
"Consumer Fraud Act"
"without the computer owners’ knowledge or consent"
A multistate coalition co-led by New Jersey won a federal court order rejecting the Trump Administration’s decision not to request funding for the CFPB. The order struck down that decision and directed the Administration to follow the law and fund the agency; no monetary penalty or privacy violation is described.
New Jersey’s Attorney General and Division of Consumer Affairs alerted the public that three synthetic kratom-related compounds became illegal to possess or sell in the state under a temporary federal scheduling order. The release describes a controlled-substance alert, not a privacy enforcement action, and identifies no company, privacy violation, or monetary penalty.
$2.3M
Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings agreed to pay $2,287,455 to participating states and strengthen its security and vendor-management practices following an investigation into the 2019 breach at its debt-collection vendor, AMCA. The breach potentially exposed information of more than 27.5 million people nationwide, including sensitive information belonging to approximately 10.2 million LabCorp patients.
$694.0M
New Jersey's Attorney General and Division of Consumer Affairs, along with 41 Attorneys General, reached a $694 million settlement with subprime auto lender Credit Acceptance Corporation over allegations it originated unaffordable loans its own systems predicted borrowers could not repay, employed aggressive debt-collection tactics, and failed to prevent deceptive vehicle-service contract and GAP product 'packing' by dealers. The multistate settlement stepped in after the CFPB permanently dropped its 2023 enforcement action against CAC in 2025. CAC will provide $60 million in cash restitution, $634 million in debt relief, an additional $15 million to the states, and implement injunctive lending reforms including loan off ramps, pre-loan disclosures, add-on packing safeguards, and a seven-year vehicle price cap. Note: this is a consumer-protection lending enforcement action, not a privacy matter; violation categories are best-fit mappings from the available taxonomy.
$650K
The New Jersey Attorney General and Division of Consumer Affairs announced that Match Group, Inc. will pay $650,000 and change its business practices to settle allegations that it misrepresented or failed to disclose its criminal background screening policies and practices to New Jersey users, violating the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act and the Internet Dating Safety Act. Under a Consent Order, Match must accurately represent its screening policies, notify existing New Jersey members of updated disclosures within 150 days, and post clear and conspicuous disclosures and safety notifications about the limitations of criminal background screenings.
$96.5M
New Jersey and a coalition of states and territories obtained preliminary approval for a plan to distribute funds from settlements with generic drug manufacturers accused of conspiring to raise drug prices. The settlements total approximately $96.5 million, and eligible consumers may submit claims for compensation.