New York state says a solar company didn’t just sell panels, it sold promises it couldn’t keep.
Following reporting by CBS News New York’s Elle McLogan, Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit against the company Attyx, accusing it of running a deceptive scheme targeting vulnerable state residents.
New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed a lawsuit alleging a solar company operated a bait-and-switch scheme targeting vulnerable residents.
CBS News New York
James’ office alleges Attyx used false advertising to charge exorbitant prices in a fraudulent scheme that generated nearly $275 million for the company in New York, alone.
“It’s really exciting to see the state attorney general and the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection fighting to get that justice on behalf of so many people,” said Claire Mooney, a consumer staff attorney for the Legal Aid Society.
“They’re going to put a lien on my house!”
Emails poured into CBS News New York’s Queens tip inbox, describing an alleged bait-and-switch scheme by the company, with purported victims saying they were promised lower energy bills, with rebates that never materialized.
Hollis, Queens, resident Patricia Khan first met McLogan in 2024 and explained her predicament at the time. She said a solar panel salesman came to her home offering a low-cost solar deal with a new roof.
“He said it’s $167 I’ll be paying each month,” Khan said. “And I believed him. Lord, I believed him.”
She said the shock came when her signature appeared on pages she didn’t know existed, charging her $400 per month and totaling upwards of $100,000, an amount she said was unaffordable for a retiree on a fixed income.
“They’re going to put a lien on my house! This is all I have,” Khan said.
Attyx directed McLogan to its attorney, who declined to comment for this story. However, back in 2024, the solar company denied Khan’s allegations, saying, in part, “She stopped responding to communication attempts by Attyx and instead has run to the press to discredit and defame Attyx.”
However, Khan isn’t the only one claiming to be misled by the solar company, formerly known as SunCo. In Jamaica, Queens, McLogan met grandmother Claver Campbell.
“This is cruel, and this is wicked,” Campbell said.
St. John’s University School of Law to the rescue
McLogan’s reporting connected Khan with the St. John’s University School of Law, which stepped in to advise her pro bono.
“They were hounding her. They were calling her on the phone. They were coming to her door,” Professor Ann Goldweber said.
“They are targeting vulnerable, older, lower-income populations,” added Sam Chen, a St. John’s School of Law legal intern.
“We believe those signatures were forged,” Goldweber added.
With the help of her legal team, Khan is now putting the nightmare behind her.
“I’m a different person,” she said.
The lawyers say her contract is void, and they’re working to remove the lien on her property.
“And if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be talking with the professor and the rest of the group,” Khan told McLogan.
For Khan and her legal team, the attorney general’s case is a shot of momentum.
“I hope they’re going to go out of business, especially taking advantage of us, the older folks,” Khan said.