                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

AUTHORITY OF ATTORNEY GENERAL; IMPOUNDMENT OF PROPERTY AND RECEIVERSHIP (§
6.2-1537)

A. Whenever the Attorney General has reasonable cause to believe that (i) any
person, not licensed under this chapter, is violating, has violated, is
threatening to violate or intends to violate any provision of this chapter or
any order or regulation lawfully made pursuant to the authority of this chapter
and (ii) the facts justify it, the Attorney General shall institute and
prosecute a lawsuit for monetary or injunctive relief or both in the Circuit
Court of the City of Richmond, in the name of the Commonwealth. The court may
grant monetary relief or may enjoin and restrain or both any such person from
engaging in or continuing any such violation or from doing any act or acts in
furtherance thereof. In any such suit a decree or order may be entered awarding
such monetary relief or preliminary or final injunctive relief as may be deemed
proper.

B. In addition to all other means provided by law for the enforcement of an
award of monetary relief, a temporary restraining order, temporary injunction,
or final injunction, the court may impound, and appoint a receiver for, (i) the
property and business of the defendant, including books, papers, documents, and
records pertaining thereto, (ii) so much thereof as the court 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 damages, and
to refund the amount of any such damages to the borrowers pursuant to subsection
C. The receiver, when appointed and qualified, shall have such powers and duties
as to custody, collection, administration, payment of debts and liquidation of
the property and business as from time to time are conferred upon him by the
court.

C. The Attorney General may seek and the circuit court may order or decree such
other relief allowed by law, including restitution to the extent available to
borrowers under &#xA7; 6.2-1541.

D. In any action brought by the Attorney General by virtue of the authority
granted in this section, the Attorney General shall be entitled to seek attorney
fees and costs.

E. Nothing in this section shall be construed to preclude any person who suffers
a loss as a result of a violation of &#xA7; 6.2-1501 from maintaining an action
to recover damages or restitution under &#xA7; 6.2-1541.

F. No individual shall be entitled to refuse to testify in a suit brought under
this section because the person&#8217;s testimony would tend to incriminate such
person or subject the individual to penalty or forfeiture. If called to testify
by the Commonwealth or by the court trying the case, the individual may not
thereafter be prosecuted for any crime or subjected to any penalty or forfeiture
growing out of the transaction concerning which the individual testifies.

G. Whenever the Attorney General has reasonable cause to believe that any person
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 Attorney
General is empowered to issue a civil investigative demand. The provisions of
&#xA7; 59.1-9.10 shall apply mutatis mutandis to civil investigative demands
issued pursuant to this section.

HISTORY: Code 1950, §§ 6-322, 6-333; 1966, c. 584, §§ 6.1-303, 6.1-304;
1988, c. 186; 1992, c. 9; 2010, c. 794; 2023, c. 469.