JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – In an effort to protect Missouri consumers, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey and a coalition of seven other attorneys general filed a motion to ban John Caldwell Spiller II from engaging in all telephone-related services after Spiller violated permanent robocall and telemarketing bans.
“As Attorney General, I will enforce the laws as written, which includes holding accountable those who blast Missourians with unwanted phone calls,” said Attorney General Bailey. “State law protects consumers from being taken advantage of by robocallers. My office will continue to work around the clock to halt this unlawful communication.”
In March 2023, Attorney General Bailey obtained judgments shutting down a massive robocall operation involving Spiller and other defendants. As part of the judgment, Spiller was banned from making robocalls or engaging in telemarketing. But despite this permanent injunction, Spiller continued to harass people by making deceptive and abusive robocalls and by helping others make these calls.
Spiller used aliases and falsified business records filed in various states and with the Federal Communications Commission to continue this illegal business. Further, since the attorneys general sued him and his co-defendants, Spiller has set up at least three new businesses through which he engaged in telemarketing and facilitated robocalls.
The attorneys general are asking that the Court order Spiller to dissolve his existing telephone service companies and ban him from transmitting telephone calls over the U.S. telephone network, providing any VoIP services, engaging in text messaging services, and originating or facilitating ringless voicemail messages or any other electronic messages.
They also ask that Spiller be ordered to pay $122,339,320 – the amount that would have otherwise been suspended if Spiller had followed the rules of the permanent injunction and the Court’s order. Since he failed to do so, he is obligated to pay the full amount.
Attorney General Bailey is joined in filing this motion by the attorneys general of Arkansas, Indiana, Michigan, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, and Texas.
If you are receiving unwanted calls, you can fill out the form to be placed on both the federal and state No-Call List at ago.mo.gov or report violations of this list at 1-(800) 392-8222.
The states’ motion can be read here.