County Counsel and the District Attorneys of Los Angeles and nine other counties have collectively reached a settlement in People v. Pure Maintenance Holdings in which the offices sued the defendant (a mold remediation services company) for violating the Unfair Competition Law (UCL) and the False Advertising Law (FAL) during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The defendant falsely advertised that its mold-related treatments killed the COVID-19 virus and were non-toxic.
Los Angeles County Counsel joined the District Attorneys of Los Angeles, Sacramento, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Orange, San Diego, San Bernadino, San Joaquin, and Fresno in investigating and then suing Pure Maintenance Holdings for pesticide related violations of the UCL and FAL during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The lawsuit was filed in 2023 on behalf of the People of the State of California in Sacramento County. LA County Counsel joined the other prosecuting agencies in alleging violations of the UCL and False Advertising Laws.
During the investigatory process, the prosecuting agencies learned that local “licensees” of the holding company, Pure Maintenance Holdings, were also victims of the scheme by relying on its false representations.
Through the efforts of the prosecuting agencies, Pure Maintenance Holdings and its licensees brought their advertising and claims into compliance and agreed to a settlement. The court-approved settlement includes a permanent injunction preventing further violations, civil penalties totaling $275,000 paid to the eleven agencies, and $150,000 to the lead investigating offices for their investigation costs. Defendants denied liability in the settlement document.
The lawsuit was filed in Sacramento County Superior Court, and a copy of the settlement approved by the court is available here: LINK
For more information on County Counsel’s Affirmative Litigation and Consumer Protection Division, please visit: https://counsel.lacounty.gov/alcp/.
