§ 13A-9-76 — Enforcement of Provisions by Injunction, Cancellation of Registration, Etc.; Civil Penalties

Alabama § 13A-9-76

• Jurisdiction: Alabama
• Title 13A: Criminal Code
• Ch. 9: Forgery and Fraudulent Practices
• Art. 3: Charitable Fraud

Text

(a) In addition to any other remedy under this article, the Attorney General of the State of Alabama, the district attorneys of the respective counties of the State of Alabama, or an affected charitable organization may bring an action against a charitable organization, professional fund raiser, professional solicitor, or commercial co-venturer, and any other persons acting for or on their behalf to enjoin the charitable organization and other persons from continuing the solicitation or collection of funds or property or engaging therein or doing any acts in furtherance thereof; and to cancel any registration statement previously filed with the Attorney General whenever the Attorney General or a district attorney shall have reason to believe that the charitable organization is acting in the following manner:
(1) Operating in violation of the provisions of this article.
(2) Refuses or fails, or any of its principal officers refuses or fails, after notice, to produce any records of the charitable organization.
(3) Engages in, or is about to engage in, any solicitation or collection of funds or other property for the charitable organization through the use of any scheme or plan, including any device or artifice, to defraud, or for obtaining money or property by means of false pretense, representation, or promises.
(4) Making, or has made, a material false statement in an application, registration, or statement required to be filed pursuant to this article.
(b) Upon a finding that any person has engaged in or is engaging in any act or practice declared unlawful by this article, the court may make any necessary order or judgment, including, but not limited to, injunctions, restitution, awards of reasonable attorneys’ fees, and costs of investigation and litigation, and may award to the state civil penalties up to five thousand dollars ($5,000) for each violation of this article. In requesting injunctive relief, the Attorney General or district attorney shall not be required to establish irreparable harm but only that a violation has occurred or that the requested order promotes the public interest.
(c) Any charitable organization, professional fund raiser, commercial co-venturer, or professional solicitor, their agents or any other person who violates the terms of an injunction or other order entered under this article shall, in addition to other remedies, forfeit and pay to the state a civil penalty of not more than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) for each violation. Each separate violation of such an order shall be a separate offense, except that in the case of a violation through continuing failure or neglect to obey the order, each day of continuance of such failure of neglect shall be deemed a separate offense.

Legislative History

(Acts 1987, No. 87-605, p. 1052, §7; Acts 1996, No. 96-547, p. 786, §1.)