May 19, 2022

Retailer H&M will pay $36 million to New York State to resolve claims that the company violated a New York law which requires gift card issuers to turn over unused balances on gift cards to the state’s Abandoned Property Fund after five years of inactivity.  The retailer repeatedly lied to the state about its failure to transfer the unused gift card balances as required, and falsely told the state that an out-of-state company was handling its gift cards business. A whistleblower who filed a lawsuit under the New York False Claims Act will receive $7.74 million for bringing H&M’s misconduct to light.  NY

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