San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan has announced a consumer protection settlement with American Behavioral Research Institute, LLC (ABRI), the maker of Relaxium. The settlement involves injunctive relief, civil penalties, and costs totaling $925,000. The lawsuit was filed in collaboration with several other district attorney offices and the city attorney of Santa Monica.
The civil action was initiated by the California Automatic Renewal Task Force (CART) after an investigation revealed that ABRI had violated the California Automatic Renewal Law and False Advertising Law. The company had allegedly misled customers by failing to clearly disclose that their subscriptions would automatically renew after the trial period. Under California law, online businesses are required to disclose all automatic renewal charges and obtain consent for recurring charges placed on consumers.
District Attorney Stephan emphasized the importance of protecting customers from deceptive practices, stating that millions of dollars are lost when companies violate automatic renewal laws. She expressed her commitment to holding such companies accountable and praised the collaboration with law enforcement partners across California.
As part of the settlement, ABRI agreed to change its advertising disclosures in advertisements, product packaging, and on its website. The company cooperated in the resolution without admitting liability. ABRI is best known for producing Relaxium, a sleep aid.
District Attorney Summer Stephan, who was elected to the San Diego County District Attorney's office in 2018, has received numerous awards and commendations for her work in law enforcement. She holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of California, Davis, and a Juris Doctor from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law.