Attorney General

Continuing the fight against the opioid and heroin epidemic is a top priority for this agency. An average of 14 Pennsylvanians die each day as a result of the heroin and opioid epidemic. That is why these measures are so critical. For the FY 2022-2023, we will measure drug arrests and drug diversion arrests. The objective will be to curtail drug abuse in the Commonwealth by apprehending illegal drug traffickers and stop the illegal diversion of prescription drugs.

The illegal diversion of prescription drugs has helped fuel the heroin, fentanyl and opioid crisis that continues to wreak havoc on our communities. Too often, doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other health care professionals with access to powerful narcotics have used their positions to illegally obtain or sell powerful narcotics. In FY 21-22, OAG made 126 diversion arrests and our goal is to restore this to the pre-pandemic levels in FY 23-24.

This measure is important because the Attorney General has a duty to protect the public’s interest – in the charitable assets held by nonprofit corporations and through the enforcement of antitrust laws, which were enacted to simultaneously enable businesses to compete and ensure consumers are not deprived of the benefits and opportunities of free and open markets. 

"The review of estates, charities, nonprofits and health care conversions for compliance with rules and regulations will be measured for the FY 2023-2024. The objective for this program measure is to increase compliance by estates, charities, nonprofits and health care conversions with established rules and regulations.

This measure is important because the Attorney General has a duty to protect the public’s interest – in the charitable assets held by nonprofit corporations and through the enforcement of antitrust laws, which were enacted to simultaneously enable businesses to compete and ensure consumers are not deprived of the benefits and opportunities of free and open markets. 

The number of reviews conducted for FY 2020-2021 was 1,912, as compared to the number conducted in FY 2021-2022, which was 1,869. The Office of Attorney General is estimating 1,884 for the FY 2022-2023 and based on that number projects 1,900 for the FY 2023-2024.

Consumer protection is a top priority of the Office of Attorney General and the Office’s Bureau of Consumer Protection receives and mediates tens of thousands of complaints each year through its voluntary mediation program. The Office also brings a number of legal actions each year to deter bad business practices and to secure recovery for consumers and the Commonwealth.

"Consumer protection is a top priority of the Office of Attorney General and the Office’s Bureau of Consumer Protection receives and mediates tens of thousands of complaints each year through its voluntary mediation program. The Office also brings a number of legal actions each year to deter bad business practices and to secure recovery for consumers and the commonwealth.

For FY 2023-2024, OAG will measure the number of consumer complaints regarding business practices that were mediated on behalf of consumers. The objective for this measure will be to reduce incidence of fraud and deceptive business practices while securing the recovery of damages to the Commonwealth and its citizens both through the voluntary mediation process and by the filing of legal actions. The Office will measure this outcome by the number of consumer complaints concerning business practices that were mediated, the dollar value of recoupment to consumers regarding business practices as a result of the mediation process, the number of legal actions resulting from consumer tips, and the dollar value of relief awarded on behalf of consumers related to legal actions.

The number of consumer complaints concerning business practices that were mediated by OAG was 30,583 in FY 21-22, well above the 20,736 the Office mediated in FY 15-16. In the current Fiscal Year, OAG is on pace to mediate another 28,000 consumer complaints. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in numerous landlord-tenant issues, price gouging tips and other matters not included in these numbers that were received as tips rather than formal complaints which OAG has dealt with as well. OAG estimates its complaints mediated will be 28,000 in both FY 22-23 and FY 23-24.

The dollar value of recoupment to consumers regarding business practices drastically increased in FY 20-21 to $6,260, up from $2,940 in FY 15-16 and $4,656 in FY 19-20. OAG expects this figure to remain at approximately $6,000 for FY 22-23 and 23-24.  For the FY 2021-2022, the Office filed 90 legal actions related to unfair and deceptive business practices and it is estimated that 90 legal actions will be taken in FY 22-23 and 23-24 respectively.

The number of consumer complaints the Office mediated concerning health care industry business practices fell to 1,128 for FY 2020-2021, which we believe to be pandemic related. For FY's 21-22 and 22-23, OAG expects to mediate approximately 1,456 as consumers return to doctor's offices.

The number of consumer complaints the Office mediated concerning health care industry business practices fell to 1,128 for FY 2020-2021, which we believe to be pandemic-related. For FY's 21-22 and 22-23, OAG expects to mediate approximately 1,456 as consumers return to doctors offices.

The dollars saved by consumers through mediation drastically increased in FY 20-21 to $6,260, up from $2,940 in FY 15-16 and $4,656 in FY 19-20. OAG expects this figure to remain at approximately $4,000 for FY 21-22 and 22-23.

The dollar value of recoupment to consumers regarding business practices within the health care industry has decreased slightly between FY 2018-2019 and FY 2019-2020. During the FY 2019-2020 over $1 million was recouped on behalf of Pennsylvania health care consumers.

For the FY 2020-2021, the Office filed 108 legal actions related to unfair and deceptive business practices and it is estimated that 100 legal actions will be taken in FY 21-22 and 22-23 respectively.

The dollar value of relief awarded on behalf of consumers through legal actions brought by the office is an important metric which varies widely depending on when cases are resolved."

In total, the Office of Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit under this administration has prosecuted more than 400 child predators, including 77 in FY 21-22. OAG is on pace for a similar number of child predator arrests in FY 22-23 and we expect similar arrest numbers for FY 23-24.

Created by the legislature in 2007, the Gun Violence Task Force is a joint, state and local effort between the Office of Attorney General, Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office and the Philadelphia Police Department, that investigates the origin of crime guns and targets violent criminal organizations. For the FY 2023-2024, the Office will measure firearm-related arrests and firearm recoveries. The objective of these measures will be to increase the number of violent organizations dismantled by our agents and continue to take illegal guns off the street.

During FY 2021-2022 the Gun Violence Task Force seized 396 firearms, up from 173 in FY 15-16. Additionally, the Gun Violence task Force made 202 firearm-related arrests in FY 21-22, up from 169 the previous year and well above the 133 made in FY 15-16. For FYs 22-23 and 23-24, OAG estimates the task force will recover over 500 firearms per year.