$40K PA Corporate Certificates Government Impersonation Settlement, What Pennsylvania Business Owners Need to Know

The PA Corporate Certificates Settlement is a consumer protection enforcement action where eligible Pennsylvania business owners who paid for an overpriced Subsistence Certificate can receive restitution by being identified from state records — no claim form required for most. Attorney General Dave Sunday announced a settlement with a Florida-based company and its owners for allegedly impersonating a Commonwealth agency as part of efforts to get money from owners of newly-registered Pennsylvania businesses. The company will pay $40,000 in total restitution to impacted business owners. The Consent Petition is pending final court approval.

Quick Facts

Field	Detail
Settlement Amount	$40,000 in total restitution to impacted business owners
Claim Deadline	TBD — restitution is distributed by the Pennsylvania AG’s Office using the PA Department of State’s list; no public claim portal has been announced
Who Qualifies	Pennsylvania business owners who paid PA Corporate Certificates, LLC $102.50 for a Subsistence Certificate after receiving a deceptive solicitation letter
Payout Per Person	TBD — pro-rata share of $40,000 divided among nearly 2,000 affected business owners
Proof Required	TBD — the PA Department of State has already supplied the AG with the list of affected business owners; no additional proof may be required for identified victims
Settlement Status	Proposed — Consent Petition filed in Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas; pending court approval
Defendants	PA Corporate Certificates, LLC; Brian Capobiano; Dean Marshlack; David Marshlack
Enforcing Agency	Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Bureau of Consumer Protection
Official Contact	PA Office of Attorney General: 1-800-441-2555 or online at attorneygeneral.gov
Last Updated	April 23, 2026

Current Status & What Happens Next

• The settlement, in the form of a Consent Petition, resolves a lawsuit against PA Corporate Certificates, LLC, and its owners — Brian Capobiano, Dean Marshlack, and David Marshlack. The Consent Petition was filed in the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas and is pending approval of the Court.
• PA Corporate Certificates has ceased operations in Pennsylvania, and the settlement prevents the business or the individuals from operating in Pennsylvania, including soliciting for and/or engaging in the sale of certificates of subsistence.
• The Pennsylvania Department of State has already supplied the Attorney General with the list of business owners who deserve restitution. Most affected business owners will not need to take any action — the AG’s Office will distribute restitution using the state’s records.

What Is the PA Corporate Certificates Lawsuit About? Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. PA Corporate Certificates, LLC et al., Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas

PA Corporate Certificates, LLC, contacted Pennsylvania-based business owners to solicit purchases of a Subsistence Certificate, which is a legitimate document offered by the Pennsylvania Department of State (that costs $40), but is often not necessary for many businesses. PA Corporate Certificates inflated the price to $102.50 and collected payment from nearly 2,000 Pennsylvania business owners.

The scheme targeted newly registered businesses — owners who had just gone through the process of forming a company and were likely unfamiliar with which state documents they actually needed. The company sent its deceptive solicitations to new business owners within weeks after they created their businesses and even imposed an arbitrary deadline on their solicitations. The letters were designed to look official. To perpetrate the alleged scam, PA Corporate Certificates sent letters that appeared to be from the Pennsylvania Department of State and misrepresented the purpose or benefit of a Subsistence Certificate.

The Pennsylvania Attorney General filed the original lawsuit in December 2024 under the Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law (UTPCPL), 73 P.S. § 201-1 et seq. — the primary state law prohibiting deceptive business practices and government impersonation in commercial transactions. The UTPCPL gives the Attorney General authority to seek injunctions, restitution, and civil penalties against companies that deceive Pennsylvania consumers. Not all businesses who paid for a certificate actually received the certificate.

This is not an isolated scheme. A nearly identical operation — FL Certificate Services, LLC, operating under the name “PA Certificate Service” — was previously shut down by Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry in June 2023. That company conducted its scam by sending letters to Pennsylvanians who recently incorporated a new business with the PA Department of State, telling the recipient they “have one step left” to obtain a “Pennsylvania Certificate of Good Standing” for $87.25 — when the Pennsylvania Department of State offers good standing certificates for only $40.00, and they are completely optional. Multiple attorneys general in other states have pursued cases against operators with overlapping ownership.

Who Is Eligible for the PA Corporate Certificates Settlement?

• You may qualify if you registered a new business with the Pennsylvania Department of State and received a solicitation letter from PA Corporate Certificates, LLC.
• You may qualify if you paid PA Corporate Certificates, LLC $102.50 for a document described as a “Subsistence Certificate” at any point before the company ceased Pennsylvania operations.
• You may qualify if you paid but never received the certificate — not all businesses who paid for a certificate actually received the certificate.
• You may qualify if you received a certificate but were misled into believing it was required or issued by the Pennsylvania Department of State.
• You may not qualify if you purchased a Subsistence Certificate directly through the Pennsylvania Department of State’s official website at dos.pa.gov at the correct $40 price — that is the legitimate transaction and not part of this settlement.

How the AG identifies eligible recipients: The Pennsylvania Department of State has already supplied the Attorney General with the list of business owners who deserve restitution. The AG’s Office will use this list to distribute funds to known victims. Business owners who believe they were affected but are not contacted should proactively file a complaint.

How Much Money Can You Get from the PA Corporate Certificates Settlement?

The total settlement fund is $40,000 in restitution. PA Corporate Certificates collected payment from nearly 2,000 Pennsylvania business owners at $102.50 per transaction. Each affected business overpaid by approximately $62.50 — the difference between the $102.50 charged and the legitimate $40 cost of the same document through the Pennsylvania Department of State.

The per-person payout will depend on how many verified claimants are identified from the Department of State’s records and the final net settlement fund after court approval. The AG’s Office has not published a per-person payout figure yet.

What you overpaid: $102.50 (charged by PA Corporate Certificates) − $40.00 (actual state cost) = $62.50 overcharge per transaction.

Step-by-Step: How to Receive Your PA Corporate Certificates Restitution

Step 1 — Check whether you are already identified. The Pennsylvania Department of State supplied the AG with a list of affected business owners. If you are on that list, you may receive notification directly from the Attorney General’s Office once the Consent Petition receives court approval.

Step 2 — File a complaint if you are not contacted. If you paid PA Corporate Certificates and do not receive notice from the AG’s Office, contact the Bureau of Consumer Protection directly:

• Online: attorneygeneral.gov
• Phone: 1-800-441-2555

Step 3 — Provide documentation if requested. If the AG’s Office needs to verify your payment, locate any letters you received from PA Corporate Certificates, any bank or credit card statements showing payment of $102.50, or any certificate you received (or confirmation that no certificate arrived).

Step 4 — Wait for court approval. The Consent Petition is pending approval by the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas. Restitution payments will be distributed after the court approves the settlement.

Step 5 — Confirm your current mailing address. The AG’s Office will mail restitution checks. Make sure your contact information is current with the Pennsylvania Department of State.

Estimated time to file a complaint (if needed): 5–10 minutes online.

Important Deadlines & Dates

Milestone	Date
Original Lawsuit Filed (by AG Henry)	December 2024
Settlement Announced (by AG Sunday)	April 2026
Consent Petition Filed	April 2026, Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas
Court Approval of Consent Petition	TBD — pending Dauphin County Court review
Complaint Filing Deadline (if not already identified)	TBD — contact AG’s Office promptly at 1-800-441-2555
Restitution Distribution Date	TBD — after court approval of Consent Petition

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a lawyer to receive restitution? 

No. This is a government enforcement action by the Pennsylvania Attorney General — not a private class action. The AG’s Office handles restitution distribution directly using the Department of State’s list of affected business owners. If you believe you qualify and have not been contacted, call 1-800-441-2555 at no cost.

Is this settlement legitimate? 

Yes. The settlement, in the form of a Consent Petition, resolves a lawsuit against PA Corporate Certificates, LLC, and its owners — Brian Capobiano, Dean Marshlack, and David Marshlack. It was announced by Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday and filed in the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas. The PA Department of State confirmed the scam and assisted the investigation.

When will I receive my payment?

 No payment date has been set yet. Restitution will be distributed after the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas approves the Consent Petition. Contact the AG’s Bureau of Consumer Protection at 1-800-441-2555 for updates.

What if I missed the chance to file a complaint?

 Contact the AG’s Office immediately at 1-800-441-2555 or online at attorneygeneral.gov. Because the Department of State already provided a list of affected business owners to the AG, many victims are already identified. But if you paid PA Corporate Certificates and are not on that list, a complaint is the fastest way to be included.

Will this restitution payment affect my taxes?

 Restitution payments that restore money you overpaid are generally treated as a return of funds rather than taxable income. Consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your business situation.

What is a Subsistence Certificate and did I actually need one?

 A Subsistence Certificate — sometimes called a Certificate of Good Standing — is an official document issued by the Pennsylvania Department of State confirming that a business entity is legally registered and in good standing. A Subsistence Certificate may be required for certain legitimate business purposes, including when seeking to obtain a loan or renew a business license — but it is not required for all businesses, and the legitimate cost through the state is only $40. If you purchased one through PA Corporate Certificates for $102.50 and did not specifically need it, you were both overcharged and deceived.

Can PA Corporate Certificates contact me again? 

No. PA Corporate Certificates has ceased operations in Pennsylvania and the settlement prevents the business or the individuals from operating in Pennsylvania, including soliciting for and/or engaging in the sale of certificates of subsistence.

How to Protect Your Business from Similar Scams

The PA Department of State and AG’s Office issued these warnings in connection with this case — and they apply to any future solicitations:

• Any official communication about Pennsylvania business registration comes from dos.pa.gov or a verified @pa.gov email address — never a commercial LLC.
• A Subsistence Certificate purchased through the state at dos.pa.gov costs exactly $40. Any solicitation charging more is not from the state.
• New business registrations frequently trigger third-party scam letters. Legitimate state agencies do not send invoices for optional documents.
• If you receive a suspicious letter claiming to be from a Pennsylvania state agency, call the PA Department of State directly at 1-877-353-6767 before paying anything.

Sources & References

• Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Attorney General Sunday Reaches $40K Settlement With Florida-Based Company, April 2026: attorneygeneral.gov
• PennWatch, Attorney General Reaches $40K Settlement With Florida-Based Company that Allegedly Posed as Pa. State Agency Targeting New Business Owners, April 2026: pennwatch.org
• Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, AG Henry Shuts Down Scammers Targeting Pa. Businesses While Posing as Department of State, June 16, 2023: attorneygeneral.gov

Prepared by the AllAboutLawyer.com Editorial Team and reviewed for factual accuracy against the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General’s official press release and PennWatch court reporting on April 23, 2026. Last Updated: April 23, 2026

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Legal claims and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. For advice regarding a particular situation, consult a qualified attorney.