Kentucky company settles with several California counties for alleged false advertising

Signage is displayed on an industrial fan at a Big Ass Fans LLC manufacturing facility in Lexington, Kentucky, U.S., on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018. The Institute for Supply Management is scheduled to release ISM manufacturing figures on March 1. Photogra

A Kentucky company called Big Ass Fans has agreed to a nearly half-million-dollar settlement with several California counties for allegedly making false health claims about their products regarding the COVID-19 virus.   

Delta T LLC, which does business as Big Ass Fans, agreed to $450,000 in penalties and restitution to settle allegations from 11 counties -- including Santa Cruz and Monterey -- of false and misleading advertising related to the company's "clean air products."   

The company marketed the products during the COVID-19 pandemic, claiming they would kill over 99 percent of pathogens in the air and on surfaces within 20 to 60 minutes and could reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19, according to a news release from the Monterey County District Attorney's Office.   

"The People found insufficient support for the company's advertising claims, and that the advertised efficacy rates were not achievable in real world scenarios," Monterey County prosecutors said in the release.   

In addition to the payout, Big Ass Fans is also required refrain from "making untruthful, deceptive, false or misleading marketing claims in the future," according to prosecutors.     

"The joint efforts of the California Food Drug and Medical Device Taskforce ensure the protection of consumers who are misled by false advertising," said Santa Cruz County District Attorney Jeff Rosell in a separate news release.   

Prosecutors said the company didn't admit to wrongdoing in the settlement agreement.  

 Representatives for Big Ass Fans didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.   

Other counties that are included in the case include Alameda, Orange, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, Shasta, Solano and Sonoma.

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