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Lawsuit, FBI raid, state investigations | The latest on the Center for Covid Control pop-up testing company

Multiple attorney generals have launched investigations into the company, one state is suing them for fraud and the FBI raided their headquarters.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The once bustling Center for Covid Control testing sites located in Grand Rapids and Wyoming are now empty.

Their sites located in a strip mall remain closed after the Illinois-based company announced it was pausing operations until further notice. 

In a statement last week, the company wrote it "...will not resume collection of patient samples until staffing resources permit us to operate at full capacity..."

The temporary pause happened after numerous consumer complaints about missing or inaccurate test results and unsafe testing practices.

Chicago FBI agents spent the weekend investigating the nationwide coronavirus testing company in its Rolling Meadows, Illinois facility. 

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul could not comment on any pending investigations, but issued this statement: 

"Attorney General Raoul is absolutely committed to protecting residents from those who attempt to profit off of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. We are working with the FBI and other law enforcement partners...and will not comment on ongoing investigations, as we work to hold accountable individuals who engage in unlawful conduct."

In Illinois, the company postponed the reopening of any pop-up sites for the foreseeable future after Raoul demanded it stop engaging in any fraudulent or deceptive conduct.

In Michigan, the Attorney General's office is investigating four consumer complaints. The office attempted to contact the company, but a spokesperson says they haven't heard back yet.  

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Chicago is handling all complaints from the West Michigan bureau.

Minnesota's attorney general sued the Center for Covid Control last week, alleging they "either failed to deliver test results or delivered test results that were falsified or inaccurate." 

According to the Minnesota AG's news release, former employees of the company reported that, while the company could initially handle its load of local tests, its processing center failed to expand as the company opened up testing sites around the country, including in Minnesota. 

The results, as one former employee described, were chaos, with received samples being stuffed into trash bags strewn across the office floor. Former employees recounted finding samples in bags that were well over 48 hours old, being instructed by management to falsify dates of receipt and being instructed to lie to consumers about their tests being inconclusive or negative when, in fact, the sample had not been tested.

The Illinois, Colorado, Minnesota and Oregon attorney generals have all announced investigations into the company. 

The Michigan Attorney General's office encourages people who believe they've been treated unfairly or unlawfully by any COVID-19 testing operation to share their concerns with the BBB or their office.

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