§ 57-13-4 — Restraint of prohibited acts; restitution; penalties

A. Whenever the attorney general has reasonable belief that any person is using, has used or is about to use any method, act or practice which is declared by the Pyramid Promotional Schemes Act to be unlawful and that proceedings would be in the public interest, he may bring an action in the name of the state against that person to restrain, by temporary or permanent injunction, the use of such method, act or practice. The action may be brought in the district court of the county in which the person resides or has his principal place of business or in the district court in the county in which the person is using, has used or is about to use the practice which has been alleged to be unlawful under the Pyramid Promotional Schemes Act. The attorney general acting on behalf of the state shall not be required to post bond when seeking a temporary or permanent injunction. B. In any action brought under Subsection A of this section, the court may, upon petition of the attorney general, require that the person engaged in the unlawful practice make restitution to all persons of money, property or other things received from them in any transaction related to the unlawful practice; and it is further provided that if the court finds that a person is willfully using or has willfully used a method, act or practice declared unlawful by the Pyramid Promotional Schemes Act, the attorney general, upon petition to the court, may recover on behalf of the state a civil penalty not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000) per violation.

Legislative History

1953 Comp., § 50-20-4, enacted by Laws 1973, ch. 377, § 4; 1987, ch. 100, §