A Southington dentist will pay $55,000 to settle civil healthcare fraud allegations involving the filing of false and fraudulent claims for payments from Connecticut's Medicaid program, Attorney General George Jepsen said today.

Attorney General George Jepsen, Chief State’s Attorney Kevin T. Kane and state Department of Social Services (DSS) Commissioner Roderick L. Bremby announced today that Connecticut has joined a global settlement with Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation ("Novartis"). The settlement resolves allegations that Novartis provided kickbacks to certain specialty pharmacies in exchange for recommending the drug Exjade to Medicaid and Medicare patients. Novartis has paid the states and the federal government $390 million to resolve these allegations.

Connecticut has joined the Department of Justice (DOJ) in a complaint and proposed settlement with AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. (AMC) and SMH Theaters, Inc. (Starplex Cinemas) to resolve concerns that AMC's purchase of a Connecticut Starplex theater would substantially harm competition for Connecticut consumers, Attorney General George Jepsen said today.

"I am particularly gratified that this approval paves the way for expediting remediation of the polluted English Station site in New Haven under a consent order negotiated by my office, working with Governor Malloy and the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection."

A state Superior Court judge has issued orders that bring to a close the state’s successful legal actions to stabilize the state's flagship by officially dissolving the now-defunct charitable organization, Amistad America, Inc., and ending a state receivership that has overseen the organization's primary asset, the Amistad schooner, since August 2014, state Office of Policy and Management Secretary Ben Barnes and Attorney General George Jepsen said today.

A Superior Court judge has granted a state motion seeking revocation of a former Connecticut State Police trooper's pension following his conviction on a felony larceny charge related to his state position, Attorney General George Jepsen said today.

Attorney General George Jepsen state Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner Jonathan A. Harris today announced that Connecticut has joined with 38 other states and the District of Columbia in a national settlement with the Education Management Corporation (EDMC), an operator of for-profit post-secondary educational institutions. The settlement significantly reforms recruiting and enrollment practices, and forgives more than $102.8 million in outstanding loan debt held by more than 80,000 former students.

Attorney General George Jepsen was joined today by eight fellow attorneys general from around the country in urging leadership of the nation's largest credit card issuers to speed up implementation of chip and PIN technology, which is widely considered a more secure means of processing credit card transactions than traditional magnetic -stripe payment cards and the chip-and-signature card process now being rolled out.

Attorney General George Jepsen announced today that Connecticut has joined a coalition of 25 states, cities and counties in filing a motion to intervene to defend the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Clean Power Plan against legal challenges.

A federal court has granted a request to shut down a tech support scam operating out of Essex, Conn., and two locations in Pennsylvania that allegedly scammed consumers out of more than $17 million by pretending to represent Microsoft, Apple and other major tech companies, Attorney General George Jepsen said today.

Attorney General George Jepsen, Chief State’s Attorney Kevin T. Kane and state Department of Social Services (DSS) Commissioner Roderick L. Bremby announced today that Connecticut has joined a federal-state settlement with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, LP and Cephalon, Inc. to resolve allegations that the companies inappropriately overcharged state Medicaid programs for drugs. AstraZeneca, a London and Delaware-based pharmaceutical manufacturer, has paid the states and the federal government $46.5 million to resolve allegations against the company. Cephalon, a Pennsylvania-based subsidiary of Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries, Ltd., has paid the states and the federal government $7.5 million to settle similar allegations.

Hartford Hospital and the EMC Corporation will pay $90,000 and have agreed to institute additional training and control measures to resolve an investigation into the 2012 theft of a laptop containing unencrypted patient information, Attorney General George Jepsen said today.

“This decision is deeply gratifying, particularly in light of the terrible events that gave rise to the laws challenged in this case. At a time when many Americans have abandoned hope of government’s ability to address gun violence in our schools and on our streets, Connecticut’s laws – and today’s decision – demonstrate that willing states can enact meaningful reform to improve public safety without violating the Second Amendment."

Attorney General George Jepsen joined fifteen other attorneys general in strongly opposing pre-dispute arbitration clauses in long-term care facility contracts.

Cybercrimes and security breaches are a growing problem globally, claiming 556 million victims annually and over $100 billion in costs. This month, Attorney General George Jepsen is participating in National Cyber Security Awareness Month, a month-long collaborative effort between the United States Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance that began in 2004 and is held every October. During the campaign, individuals are encouraged to take advantage of resources that can help them be safer and more secure while online. One first step is to visit https://www.staysafeonline.org/ and learn more about cyber security.