(File Photo of a Gavel)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) Attorney General Dave Sunday recently announced that his office has filed a lawsuit against a man from Idaho and his business for allegedly deceiving Pennsylvanians and businesses into purchasing fraudulent spotted lanternfly permits and associated training.

The lawsuit alleges that Kevin Wardell and Diverse Solutions, LLC, solicited and sold the fraudulent permits and training under the name “Spotted Lanternfly Commission.”

According to the lawsuit, Wardell and his business solicited Pennsylvanians, successfully in some cases, by mailing letters that included deceptive logos and terminology to appear as if they were from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

Pennsylvania remains under a Quarantine Order that is issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture so the state can address the infestation of the spotted lanternfly.

This order requires that certain businesses need to obtain a permit from the Department of Agriculture so they can ensure that the spotted lanternfly population does not increase or expand to neighboring areas.