June 9, 2016
Carson City, NV –Today,Nevada Attorney
General Adam Paul Laxalt joined 20 other states in filing a complaint in the
United States Supreme Court against the State of Delaware for alleged
violations of the Disposition of Abandoned Money Orders and Traveler’s Checks
Act. The complaint seeks the return of an estimated $200 million from the State
of Delaware to the 21 affected states, including Nevada.
The complaint
alleges that Delaware violated the law by keeping all unpresented and uncashed
MoneyGram Payment Systems, Inc. checks instead of transferring them to the
states where the checks were purchased. The complaint asks the Supreme Court to
hear the dispute between Delaware and the other states and to declare the states’
legal obligations under the Act.
“The State of Delaware
has disregarded the law and misappropriated unclaimed MoneyGram checks for
financial gain,” said Laxalt. “My Office remains committed to returning these
funds back to their respective states, and claiming what rightfully belongs to the
State of Nevada.”
In February 2015, an
independent auditor determined that MoneyGram routinely tendered the funds of
unclaimed checks to the State of Delaware. The amounts were subsequently transferred
to that state. As a result, the audit further concluded that Delaware owes
nearly $200 million to affected states.
In addition to
Nevada, other states who joined this filing include: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona,
Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan,
Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah
and West Virginia.
To view the filed complaint, click here.
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