Jnauary 24, 2024 - On Tuesday, following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission finalized a consent order settling charges that Florida-based EXOTOUSA LLC, (doing business as Old Southern Brass) falsely claimed that certain company products were manufactured in the U.S, and that the company was veteran-operated and donated 10 percent of its sales to military service charities.
The FTC’s complaint against the company, first announced in December 2023, said that the company made numerous claims that its products were “Made in USA,” but in spite of such claims, many of the company’s products were wholly imported from China or contained significant imported content. The company falsely claimed various forms of affiliation with the U.S. military, including being veteran-operated and contributing a portion of proceeds to military charity groups, according to the complaint.
The final order requires the company to pay $150,000 to the FTC, stop making false claims, and comply with specific requirements relating to future country-of-origin claims. The order also includes a monetary judgment of $4,572,137.66, which is partially suspended based on the defendants’ inability to pay the full amount.
The Commission vote to approve the final order was 3-0.
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Source: FTC
Related: FTC Order Requires Old Southern Brass to Pay for False Claims of “Made in the USA” and Veteran Affiliations
