New Hampshire-based furniture seller Yogibo will pay $217,832 to settle charges it violated the False Claims Act by "failing to pay customs duties on imports from China," the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts announced July 26. The case was brought by David Kohlenberger, a whistleblower and former senior logistics and warehouse manager for Yogibo from 2017 to 2021, who will receive 20% of the settlement.
CBP will increase Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) fees by 26.67% to adjust for inflation in FY 2024 (by comparing the current year to the base year, FY 2014), the agency said in a notice. Affected fees include the merchandise processing fee, vessel and truck arrival fees and the customs broker permit user fee. For example, the Commercial Vessel Arrival Fee for FY 2023 was set at $518.41 last year (see 2207290026). This year, it is being set at $553.55 for FY 2024. The Customs Broker Permit User Fee is going from the current $163.71 to $174.80 in FY 2024. The year-over-year increase is about 6.79%, according to the notice. The fees are effective Oct. 1, the start of FY 2024.
New Hampshire-based furniture seller Yogibo will pay $217,832 to settle charges it violated the False Claims Act by "failing to pay customs duties on imports from China," the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts announced July 26. The case was brought by David Kohlenberger, a whistleblower and former senior logistics and warehouse manager for Yogibo from 2017 to 2021, who will receive 20% of the settlement.
Location technology platform Foursquare gathers “vast amounts of time-stamped, precise geolocation data” from consumers’ cellphones, then profits by selling their data to other companies, said a Monday privacy class action (docket 3:23-cv-30078) in U.S. District Court for Massachusetts in Springfield.
The House Judiciary Committee passed legislation Wednesday that would ban law enforcement and intelligence agencies from buying consumer data from brokers without a warrant (see 2307180064). Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., voted “present,” making him the only member not to support the Fourth Amendment Is Not for Sale Act (HR-4639). He defended the FBI during Friday’s hearing on reauthorizing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday is scheduled to mark up legislation that would bar law enforcement agencies from buying consumers’ communications information from data brokers. Introduced by Reps. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio; Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y.; Andy Biggs, R-Ariz.; Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif; Ken Buck, R-Colo.; Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash.; Thomas Massie, R-Ky.; and Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., H.R. 4639 would prevent law enforcement and intelligence agencies from “obtaining subscriber or customer records in exchange for anything of value.” Police buying consumer data has been a point of contention in surveillance reform discussions (see 2307140042). Demand Progress called for Congress to close the data broker loophole, saying brokers “sell troves of sensitive information about us to these agencies, including who goes to which churches, mosques, reproductive health clinics, rehab facilities, protests, and more.” Police shouldn't be able to "pay a phone company to install a wiretap instead of getting a warrant from a judge to place the wiretap," said Jake Laperruque, Center for Democracy & Technology deputy director-Project on Security & Surveillance. The hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. in 2141 Rayburn.
The FDA should push back its deadline for implementation of new cosmetics facility registration requirements of the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022, the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America said in a July 13 letter.
Freight forwarders are urging shippers to enroll in a government-run cargo screening program before the end of October, when their air freight will no longer benefit from an exemption for cargo deemed ”impracticable to screen.” So far, “very few” shippers are enrolled in the program, said Brandon Fried of the Airforwarders Association, sparking fear of export delays or potential compliance violations by shippers unaware of the impending change.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
A Laredo, Texas, man effectively will pay $90,002.87 to settle a penalty case brought for his failure to report income in foreign bank accounts from the Mexican customs brokerage he owned, according to a July 6 notice. Miguel Mireles owned over 50% of Enrique Mireles Y Compania (EMYC), a Mexican customs brokerage, and failed to report income from the foreign accounts between the years of 2006 and 2013, DOJ said (U.S. v. Miguel Mireles, S.D. Texas # 21-00138).