MUNSTER, Ind. (WOWO/Network Indiana): A debt collection agency in Munster accused of fraud has been ordered to pay $1.3 million to the Office of the Indiana Attorney General.

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita says New Britain Financial LLC and its owner, Nelson Macwan of Illinois, committed multiple violations of the Indiana Deceptive Consumer Sales Act–including threatening consumers with lawsuits, arrest, garnishments, and liens without having judgments against the consumers.

“I’ll always work to protect Hoosiers from businesses that break the law or otherwise engage in misconduct that harms consumers,” Attorney General Rokita said. “We value every company that wants to do business in our state, but they have to follow our laws and respect the rights of our citizens.”

The judgment says more than $300,000 will be paid in restitution to consumers along with more than $1 million in civil penalties, and an order prohibiting the defendants from engaging in debt collection in or from the State of Indiana.

The Office of the Attorney General filed a complaint against the company and Macwan in September 2020, which claims they engaged in deceptive and abusive debt collection practices and acted as a debt collection agency from their office in Indiana without a license.

It goes on to say that despite being denied an Indiana debt collection agency license, New Britain Financial continued to operate in the state.

Operating a debt collection agency without a license in Indiana is a violation of the Indiana Deceptive Consumer Sales Act.

The Lake County Superior Court issued the judgement against New Britain Financial and Nelson Macwan because they did not respond to the complaint.