Retailers Will Pay Over $44K, Change Shipping Practices To Follow Higher NYC Standard For Toy Guns Shipped Anywhere In State 

AG Has Now Reached Settlements With 42 Companies To Permanently Change Their Business Practices In NY

Schneiderman: We Will Continue Working To Protect NY’s Children And Law Enforcement By Holding Retailers Accountable 

NEW YORK – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced that he has obtained seven settlements with online third-party sellers from across the country who used Amazon to sell prohibited toy guns to New Yorkers. The companies are: Halloweencostumes.com (fun.com), Holy Monkey (Kids Army), Dentt, Inc. (Hammond Toy & Hobby), GL2 LLC (Always Brilliant), Chevere International Corp (Five Big Stars), Fatherland Shop (Jubilee Enterprises) and Costume Hub. The companies together illegally sold nearly 2,000 toy guns across the state.

“We have seen all too often the tragic consequences that can arise when toy guns are mistaken for real ones,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “The toy gun law exists to protect New York’s children and our brave law enforcement officers, and we will continue our commitment to enforcing this law and holding accountable any retailers who violate it.”

Today’s announcement follows the Attorney General’s investigation of major retailers in 2015 for violating the New York State Law that prohibits the sale of “Imitation Weapons,” which are toy guns that look like real guns.  In the case of Amazon, the vast majority of the sales of prohibited toy guns were not sourced from Amazon but were sold by third party sellers – like the ones part of today’s settlements.

The investigation revealed that Amazon operated a retail marketplace platform where third party sellers could offer their products for sale and take orders to ship products into New York. The toy guns had been sold to New Yorkers in nearly every part of the state.  The Attorney General sent Cease and Desist letters to the third-party sellers in 2015 to immediately stop their illegal operations — and now has entered into settlements with 42 companies (including the seven today) to permanently change their business practices in New York.

The $44,000 in penalties that are part of today’s settlements are divided as follows:

Chevere International Corp (Five Big Stars): $300;

Costume Hub: $1,900;

Dentt Inc (Hammond Toy & Hobby): $20,000;

Fatherland Shop (Jubilee Enterprises): $12,000;

GL2 LLC (Always Brilliant): $300;

Halloweencostumes.com (fun.com): $5,400; and

Holy Monkey (Kids Army): $4,194.

Under the terms of the agreements, these online retailers are also required to adhere to the more-stringent New York City standard for all toy guns shipped anywhere in New York State; the toys must be colored entirely white, bright red, bright orange, bright yellow, bright green, bright blue, bright pink, or bright purple or a combination of these colors.

This case is being handled by Assistant Attorney General Benjamin Bruce assisted by Senior Consumer Frauds Representative Emily Brightman, both of the Rochester Regional Office, which is led by Ted O’Brien and part of the Division of Regional Affairs, which is led by Executive Deputy Attorney General Marty Mack.