On July 16, 2025, LegalReader published an article on a lawsuit filed by Michigan Attorney General Dena Nessel. One of the parties to that lawsuit has filed a formal retraction request with us. While the details of the article are matters of public record, the involved party feels they cast him in an unfavorable light. Therefore, in compliance with Michigan law MCL Section 600.2911, we are publishing this formal retraction. Only a fragment of the original article has been left to provide context.
The party’s complaint was the use of the words “extortion” and “extort”. It should be made clear that our writer was using such words based on the original news sources kept below. Neither the lawsuit, nor the press release from AG Nessel’s office contained either the word “extortion” or “extort.”
Original Article
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has filed a lawsuit against two Metro Detroit men and a collection of limited liability companies, or LLCs, accused of coercing small businesses into settling bogus legal claims.
The lawsuit indicates that the alleged conspiracy was spearheaded by defendant Eric Vander Ley and co-defendant Daniel Vander Ley. Both men purportedly “exploited lapses” in Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs’ policy to create a number of “clone corporations,” all of which used the names of existing Ferndale-area businesses.
Nessel’s office provides several examples of how the alleged scheme impacted its targets.
Sources
Attorney General Nessel Files Lawsuit to Stop Alleged Cloning Scheme Targeting Ferndale Businesses
Brothers created firms to ransom, harass Ferndale businesses: AG’s office
Two men harassed Ferndale small businesses via extortion scheme, Michigan AG alleges
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