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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>82107</law_id><section_number>6.2-1537</section_number><catch_line>Authority of Attorney General; impoundment of property and receivership</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>6.2-1530</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="6.2">Financial Institutions and Services</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Other Regulated Providers of Financial Services</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="15">Consumer Finance Companies</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Whenever the <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span> has reasonable cause to believe that (i) any <span class="dictionary">person</span>, not licensed under this chapter, is violating, has violated, is threatening to violate or intends to violate any provision of this chapter or any <span class="dictionary">order</span> or regulation lawfully made pursuant to the authority of this chapter and (ii) the <span class="dictionary">facts</span> justify it, the <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span> shall institute and <span class="dictionary">prosecute</span> a <span class="dictionary">lawsuit</span> for monetary or injunctive relief or both in the <span class="dictionary">Circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">Court</span> of the City of Richmond, in the name of the Commonwealth. The <span class="dictionary">court</span> may grant monetary relief or may enjoin and restrain or both any such <span class="dictionary">person</span> from engaging in or continuing any such violation or from doing any act or acts in furtherance thereof. In any such suit a <span class="dictionary">decree</span> or <span class="dictionary">order</span> may be entered awarding such monetary relief or preliminary or final injunctive relief as may be deemed proper. <a id="paragraph-294271" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/6.2-1537/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> In addition to all other means provided by <span class="dictionary">law</span> for the enforcement of an award of monetary relief, a <span class="dictionary">temporary restraining order</span>, temporary <span class="dictionary">injunction</span>, or final <span class="dictionary">injunction</span>, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> may impound, and appoint a receiver for, (i) the property and business of the <span class="dictionary">defendant</span>, including books, papers, documents, and records pertaining thereto, (ii) so much thereof as the <span class="dictionary">court</span> deems reasonably necessary to prevent further violation of this chapter through or by means of the use of such property and business, or (iii) so much thereof as is necessary to identify borrowers who have been damaged and the amount of their <span class="dictionary">damages</span>, and to refund the amount of any such <span class="dictionary">damages</span> to the borrowers pursuant to subsection C. The receiver, when appointed and qualified, shall have such powers and duties as to <span class="dictionary">custody</span>, collection, administration, payment of debts and <span class="dictionary">liquidation</span> of the property and business as from time to time are conferred upon him by the <span class="dictionary">court</span>. <a id="paragraph-294272" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/6.2-1537/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> The <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span> may seek and the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> may order or <span class="dictionary">decree</span> such other relief allowed by <span class="dictionary">law</span>, including <span class="dictionary">restitution</span> to the extent available to borrowers under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Unlawful contracts void; recovery of amounts paid" href="/6.2-1541/">6.2-1541</a>. <a id="paragraph-294273" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/6.2-1537/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> In any action brought by the <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span> by virtue of the authority granted in this section, the <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span> shall be entitled to seek attorney fees and costs. <a id="paragraph-294274" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/6.2-1537/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> Nothing in this section shall be construed to preclude any <span class="dictionary">person</span> who suffers a loss as a result of a violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Compliance with chapter; license required; attempts to evade application of chapter" href="/6.2-1501/">6.2-1501</a> from maintaining an action to recover <span class="dictionary">damages</span> or <span class="dictionary">restitution</span> under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Unlawful contracts void; recovery of amounts paid" href="/6.2-1541/">6.2-1541</a>. <a id="paragraph-294275" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/6.2-1537/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F"><p><span class="prefix-number">F.</span> No individual shall be entitled to refuse to testify in a suit brought under this section because the <span class="dictionary">person</span>&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">testimony</span> would tend to <span class="dictionary">incriminate</span> such <span class="dictionary">person</span> or subject the individual to <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> or forfeiture. If called to testify by the Commonwealth or by the <span class="dictionary">court</span> trying the case, the individual may not thereafter be prosecuted for any <span class="dictionary">crime</span> or subjected to any <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> or forfeiture growing out of the transaction concerning which the individual testifies. <a id="paragraph-294276" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/6.2-1537/#F"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="G"><p><span class="prefix-number">G.</span> Whenever the <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span> has reasonable cause to believe that any <span class="dictionary">person</span> not licensed under this chapter has engaged in, is engaging in, or is about to engage in any violation of the provisions of this chapter or any order or regulation lawfully made pursuant to the authority of this chapter, the <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span> is empowered to <span class="dictionary">issue</span> a civil investigative demand. The provisions of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Investigation by Attorney General of suspected violations; civil investigative demand to witnesses; access to business records, etc" href="/59.1-9.10/">59.1-9.10</a> shall apply <span class="dictionary">mutatis mutandis</span> to civil investigative demands issued pursuant to this section. <a id="paragraph-294277" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/6.2-1537/#G"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7;&#xA7; 6-322, 6-333; 1966, c. 584, &#xA7;&#xA7; 6.1-303, 6.1-304; 1988, c. 186; 1992, c. 9; 2010, c. 794; 2023, c. 469.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
