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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION,

Plaintiff,

v.

LIGHTS OF AMERICA, INC., et al., 

Defendants.

Case No. SACV10-01333 JVS 

 (MLGx)

FINDINGS OF FACT AND 

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW 

FF 

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This matter was tried to the Court on October 30 and 31 and November 1

and 2, 2012. The following issues were tried:

• Claim 1: Whether defendants violated Section 5 of the Federal Trade

Commission Act (“FTC Act”), 15 U.S.C. § 45, by engaging in deceptive acts or

practices in making false claims with regard to light emitting diode (“LED”) lamps

replacing certain wattage incandescent lamps.

• Claim 2: Whether defendants violated Section 5 of the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C.

§ 45, by engaging in deceptive acts or practices in making unsubstantiated and/or

false claims with regard to the lifetime of their LED lamps.

• Claim 3: Whether injunctive relief is proper.

• Claim 4: Whether the defendants are liable for equitable monetary relief 

and/or disgorgement of ill-gotten gains.

(Pretrial Conference Order, ¶ 7, Docket No. 301.) In accordance with the Court’s

usual practice in Bench Trials, direct examination was presented by way of

declaration, and the witnesses were then tendered for cross-examination, followed

in most cases by redirect and recross-examination. The Court has received the

parties’s pretrial and post-trial Proposed Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law

(Docket Nos. 311, 314, 355, 356.)

After reviewing the procedural background, the Court now enter its Findings

of Fact and Conclusions of Law.

FF 1

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PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

1. On September 7, 2010, Plaintiff Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) filed

its Complaint for Permanent Injunctive and Other Relief against Lights of

America, Inc. (“LOA), Usman Vakil and Farooq Vakil. (Docket No. 1.)

2. On November 4, 2010, LOA filed an answer to the complaint. (Docket

No. 19. ) Defendants Usman and Farooq Vakil filed a motion to dismiss the

complaint. (Docket No. 20.) The Court granted the Vakils’ motion to dismiss on

December 17, 2010 and allowed the FTC to replead. (Docket No. 33.)

3. The FTC filed its Amended Complaint on February 4, 2011. (Docket

Nos. 38 ,48.) 

4. On March 17, 2011, the FTC filed a motion to strike various affirmative

defenses asserted by LOA and its demand for a jury trial. (Docket No. 74.)

5. Defendants Usman and Farooq Vakil each filed an Answer to the

Amended Complaint on April 18, 2011. (Docket Nos. 93, 94.)

6. On April 29, 2011, the Court granted, in part, and denied, in part, the

FTC’s motion to strike. (Docket No. 96.) In so doing, the Court struck LOA’s

jury demand and its Fourth through Seventh Affirmative Defenses. 

7. The parties filed cross-motions for summary judgment on February 13,

2102. (Docket Nos. 164, 165, 170, 184, and 167.) On April 25, 2012, the Court

granted the FTC’s motion for partial summary judgment on Count I of the

Amended Complaint, granted in part LOA’s motion for summary judgment with

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respect to Count II of the Amended Complaint, and denied the Vakils’ motion for

summary judgment. (Docket No. 243 [“MSJ Order”].)

8. On September 17, 2012, defendants filed a motion for reconsideration of

the Court’s order granting the FTC’s motion for partial summary judgment. 

(Docket No. 264. After further briefing, the Court denied defendants’ motion for

reconsideration on October 24, 2012. (Docket No. 317.)

FINDINGS OF FACT

I. The Parties.

9. The FTC is an independent agency of the United States Government and

was created by statute. 15 U.S.C. §§ 41-58. The FTC enforces Section 5(a) of the

FTC Act, 15 U.S.C. § 45(a), which prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices in

or affecting commerce.

10. The FTC may initiate federal district court proceedings, through its own

attorneys, to enjoin violations of the FTC Act and to secure such other equitable

relief, including rescission or reformation of contracts, restitution, disgorgement of

ill-gotten gains and other equitable monetary relief, as may be appropriate in each

case. 15 U.S.C. §§ 53(b), 56(a)(2)(A).

11. LOA is a California corporation with its principal place of business in

Walnut, California. LOA is privately-owned, employing approximately 400

people in its manufacturing and distribution facility in Walnut, California, and in

its distribution facility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. LOA also operates a whollyFF 3

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owned subsidiary manufacturing facility in Shanghai. (Stipulated Fact 51; U.

Vakil,2

 ¶ 13.)

12. LOA transacts or has transacted business in this District and throughout

the United States. At all times relevant to the Amended Complaint, LOA has

advertised, marketed, distributed, or sold lighting products to consumers

throughout the United States.

13. Starting in the late 1970s, LOA designed and sold Compact Fluorescent

Light Bulbs (“CFLs”). (Stipulated Fact 18.)

14. Defendant Usman Vakil is the founder, President, and Chairman of the

Board of LOA and has a fifty-one % ownership interest in the company. 

(Stipulated Facts 8-10; U. Vakil Answer ¶ 8.) Usman has a degree in mechanical

engineering. (U. Vakil, ¶ 3).

15. Defendant Farooq Vakil is the Executive Vice President of LOA and has

a forty-nine % ownership interest in the company. (Stipulated Facts 11-12; F.

Vakil Answer ¶ 9.) Farooq has two degrees in civil engineering. (F. Vakil, ¶ 3.) 

16. At all relevant times, the alleged acts and practices of defendants have

been in or affecting commerce, as “commerce” is defined in Section 4 of the FTC

Act, 15 U.S.C. § 44. (LOA Answer ¶ 4.) 

1

The Stipulated Facts are found at paragraph 5 of the Final Pretrial Conference Order,

Docket No. 301. 

2

The direct declarations are referred to by the witness’ name; here U. Vakil.

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B. LOA’s Business.

17. Since 2007, LOA has advertised, marketed and sold light bulbs

(“lamps”) that use 5mm LEDs as a light source.

18. In 2003, Aijaz Taj (“Taj”) joined LOA as an engineer. (Stipulated Fact

17.) Taj has been and is responsible for the development and engineering of

LOA’s LED Lamps. (Taj, ¶ 2.)

19. When LOA first decided to enter the LED market, Usman initially put 

Taj in charge of the LEDs and told him to start exploring what is available, what is

not available, and what kind of products can be made using the LED technology.

(U. Vakil, ¶ 18.)

20. In March 1992, Brian Halliwell (“Halliwell”) started working at LOA in

marketing and sales. (Stipulated Fact 14.) Halliwell has a degree in electrical

engineering. (Halliwell, ¶¶ 1-2.)

21. In 1997, Halliwell took over as VP of Marketing and Sales to replace

Farooq Vakil. (Stipulated Fact 16.) 

22. In 2007, after consultation with Taj and Halliwell, Usman made the

executive decision for LOA to produce LED lighting products for consumers. He

made Taj, a qualified electrical engineer, with years of experience in lighting

technology, the head of the LED-engineering department. Usman delegated to

Halliwell, having a degree in electrical engineering and, at the time, fifteen (15)

years of marketing experience in lighting products, the responsibility marketing

and sales of LED products. (U. Vakil, ¶ 19; Nov. 1 Trial Tr. 170:1-23.)

FF 5

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23. Halliwell headed the efforts at LOA to develop an LED product line and

thus transition LOA’s traditional CFL business to the SSL business. (Halliwell, ¶

19.)

 24. LOA’s LED lamps are light bulbs that can be used in households in

place of incandescent bulbs. (LOA Answer ¶ 10.)

25. An LED is a semiconductor light source. LEDs have been used as

indicator lamps in many devices and systems for a long time now and are

increasingly used for other specific lighting applications. Appearing as practical

electronic components in 1962, early LEDs emitted low-intensity red light and

later green, but modern versions are available across the visible, ultraviolet, and

infrared wavelength spectrums. (Ronen, ¶ 12.)

26. When a light-emitting diode is forward-biased (switched on), electrons

are able to recombine with holes within the device, releasing energy in the form of

photons. This effect is called electroluminescence and the basic color of the light

(corresponding to the energy of the photon) is determined by the energy gap of the

semiconductor. (Id., ¶ 13.)

27. An LED is often small in area (less than 1mm2

), and optical components

integrated into the package, i.e., a lens, may be used to shape its radiation pattern. 

(Id., ¶ 14.)

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28. LEDs present many advantages over incandescent light sources

including lower energy consumption, longer lifetime, improved physical

robustness, smaller size, and faster switching. (Id., ¶ 15.)

29. The LED lamps manufactured and sold by LOA that are at issue in this

case have the following model numbers: 2001LED10-65K, 2001LED53IN-65K,

2001LEDE53OUT-65K, 2001LEDE26-65K, 2002LEDP30-65K, 2002LEDR30-

65K, 2003LEDP38-65K, 2004LEDDL-35K, 2025LED-30K, 2025LED-65K,

2025LEDE12-30K, 2025LEDE12-65K, 2026LED-30K, 2026LED-65K, and

2035LED-30K. (Stipulated Fact 1.) 

30. The majority of the LED Lamps at issue in this case were manufactured

and produced at LOA’s facility in Shanghai, China. (Trial Ex. 585 - LOA Resp.

Int. Nos. 40-41.)

31. LED light bulbs can produce the same amount of light as incandescent,

compact fluorescent, and other lamps but LED light bulbs do so by using less

energy (i.e., watts). (Stipulated Fact 3.)

32. LOA sold its LED Lamps through retailers located throughout the

United States and Canada, including Walmart, Sam’s Club, ACE Hardware,

Costco, and Kroger, as well as other retail businesses. (Stipulated Fact 19; LOA

Answer ¶ 11.) 

33. Consumers also could purchase defendants’ LED Lamps from Internet

websites of numerous retailers, such as Amazon.com, Sam’s Club, and ACE

Hardware through at least October 2010. (LOA Answer ¶ 11.) 

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34. LOA widely disseminated its LED Lamps. (LOA Depo. (Halliwell)

149.) 

35. LOA continues to advertise and sell LED and other types of lamps to the

public through retailers. However, the bulk of LOA’s LED lamps presently use

“power” LEDs as a light source, not 5 mm LEDs. (LOA Depo. (Halliwell) 113.)

36. LOA sold seven models of LED Lamps to different retailers: 2001,

2002, 2003, 2004, 2025, 2026 and 2035 models. All used 5mm LEDs, all of which

pointed in the same direction. (Halliwell, ¶ 22.)

37. The 2001 model was a small “MR-16” track light. A picture of this

product appears on the exhibits referenced on the table below. (Halliwell, ¶ 23.)

38. The 2002 models were flood lights. A picture of this product appears on

the exhibits referenced on the table below and samples of two versions are parts of

Exs. 474, 476, and 478. (Id., ¶ 24; F. Vakil,¶ 55.)

39. The 2003 models were flood lights. A picture of this product appears on

the exhibits referenced on the table below and samples of four versions are parts of

Exs. 474, 476, and 479. (Halliwell, ¶ 25; F. Vakil, ¶ 55.)

40. The 2004 models were accent down lights. A picture of this product

appears on the exhibits referenced on the table below and a sample of one version

is part of Ex. 474. (Halliwell, ¶ 26; F. Vakil, ¶ 55.)

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41. The 2025 models were flame tip décor accent lights. A picture of this

product appears on the exhibits referenced on the table below and samples of four

versions are parts of Exs. 474, 475, 481, and 482. (Halliwell, ¶ 27; F. Vakil, ¶ 55.)

42. The 2026 models were flame tip lights. A picture of this product

appears on the exhibits referenced on the table below and samples of two versions

are parts of Ex. 475. (Halliwell, ¶ 28; F. Vakil, ¶ 55.)

43. The 2035 models were globe lamps. A picture of this product appears

on the exhibits referenced on the table below. (Halliwell, ¶ 29.)

44. LOA made claims about its LED Lamps on its product packaging. 

(Stipulated Fact 22.) 

45. Starting in February 2008, LOA sold its LED Lamps in product

packaging that it designed. (Stipulated Fact 21.) 

46. In its LED Lamps’ packaging and product displays, LOA never

informed consumers that it was selling its LED Lamps as part of a trial or test run

of the products. (Halliwell Depo. 150.) 

47. LOA prepared its LOA LED Lamp packaging with the expectation that

consumers would rely on the information on the packaging. (LOA Depo.

(Halliwell) 149.) 

48. Consumers purchasing LOA’s LED Lamps would believe everything on

the product packaging was true. (Halliwell Depo. 150.) 

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49. LOA advertised, marketed, promoted, distributed, offered for sale, or

sold its LED Lamps using some or all of the following claims: (1) comparing its

LED Lamps to incandescent watt3

 bulbs; (2) identifying the lumen4 output of its

LED Lamps; and (3) stating that its LED Lamps would last a specified number of

hours. (LOA Answer ¶ 12.) 

50. The parties stipulated that the following Exhibits at the specified Batesnumbered pages show representative images of LED Lamp product packaging that

was used by LOA: 

Model No. Deposition Exhibit 

and Bates No.

a 2001LED10-65K Ex. 159 at LOA-00000770

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000754

Ex. 320 at LOA-00170921

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000199

Ex. 289 at FTC00117

3

Watt (W): the unit of electrical power (energy), defined as 1 Joule per

second and which equals the product of 1 volt (DC or RMS AC) times 1 amp. 

(Ronen, ¶ 53.)

4

Lumen (lm): the unit of luminous flux (Φ), i.e., the amount of light energy

per unit time. The overall light output of a luminous source is measured in lumens. 

A lamp’s light output rating is expressed in lumens, and is a measure of the total

amount of light emitted in all directions per unit time. By definition, 1 lumen is the

amount of light produced by a 1 candela source radiating out through 1 steradian (a

specific cone shaped solid unit angle of 65.54 degrees) within an imaginary sphere

surrounding the light source. One candela illuminates the entire surface of a 1

meter radius sphere at an average 1 lumen for each square meter of surface of the

entire sphere. Because there are 4π or 12.57 steradians in a sphere, any 1 candela

intensity light source produces 12.57 (4π) lumens of total visible light radiated in

all directions. (See Ex. 340, pp. 2, 5; Ronen, ¶ 46.)

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Model No. Deposition Exhibit 

and Bates No.

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000776

Ex. 320 at LOA-00170934

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000196

b 2001LED53IN-65K Ex. 159 at LOA-00000772

Ex. 320 at LOA-000170922

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000200

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000756

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000775

Ex. 289 at FTC00115

Ex. 320 at LOA-000170935

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000197

Ex. 289 at FTC00108

c 2001LED53OUT-65K Ex. 159 at LOA-00000771

Ex. 320 at LOA-000170923

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000201

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000755

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000775

Ex. 289 at FTC00116

Ex. 320 at LOA-000170936

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000198

Ex. 289 at FTC00113

d 2001LEDE26-65K Ex. 159 at LOA-00000760

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000759

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000757

Ex. 320 at LOA-00170920

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000199

Ex. 289 at FTC00114

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000779

Ex. 289 at FTC00109

Ex. 289 at FTC00112

Ex. 320 at LOA-000170933

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000195

Ex. 321 atLOA-00000196

e 2002LEDP30-65K Ex. 159 at LOA-00000785

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000783

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Model No. Deposition Exhibit 

and Bates No.

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000784

Ex. 289 at FTC00125

Ex. 289 at FTC00128

f 2002LEDR30-65K Ex. 159 at LOA-00000794

Ex. 289 at FTC00126

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000798

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000797

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000203

Ex. 320 at LOA-000170925

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000780

Ex. 289 at FTC00142

Ex. 289 at FTC00127

g 2003LEDP38-65K Ex. 159 at LOA-00000807

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000793

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000787

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000786

Ex. 289 at FTC00143

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000789

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000804

Ex. 320 at LOA-000170926

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000205

Ex. 289 at FTC00144

Ex. 289 at FTC00145

Ex. 320 at LOA-00170938

Ex. 289 at FTC00129

Ex. 289 at FTC00130

Ex. 320 at LOA-00170937

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000204

h 2004LEDDL-35K Ex. 159 at LOA-00000808

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000769

Ex. 320 at LOA-00170927

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000206

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000774

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000799

Ex. 320 at LOA-00170939

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Model No. Deposition Exhibit 

and Bates No.

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000207

Ex. 289 at FTC00131

I 2025LED-30K Ex. 320 at LOA-00170928

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000210

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000765

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000766

Ex. 289 at FTC00132

Ex. 320 at LOA-00170940

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000209

Ex. 320 at LOA-00170946

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000208

j 2025LED-65K Ex. 321 at LOA-00000213

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000767

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000768

Ex. 289 at FTC00134

Ex. 320 at LOA-00170941

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000212

k 2025LEDE12-30K Ex. 320 at LOA-00170929

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000215

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000809

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000761

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000800

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000752

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000753

Ex. 289 at FTC00147

Ex. 289 at FTC00148

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000812

Ex. 289 at FTC00150

Ex. 289 at FTC00138

Ex. 289 at FTC00149

Ex. 320 at LOA-00170942

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000216

Ex. 320 at LOA-00170948

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000214

l 2025LEDE12-65K Ex. 320 at LOA-00170930

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Model No. Deposition Exhibit 

and Bates No.

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000220

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000795

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000796

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000762

Ex. 289 at FTC00135

Ex. 289 at FTC00136

Ex. 289 at FTC00137

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000212

Ex. 320 at LOA-00170943

Ex. 320 at LOA-00170952

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000222

Ex. 320 at LOA-00170951

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000219

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000221

m 2026LED-30K Ex. 320 at LOA-00170931

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000223

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000810

Ex. 159 at LOA-0000763

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000764

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000802

Ex. 289 at FTC00151

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000811

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000777

Ex. 289 at FTC00141

Ex. 320 at LOA-00170944

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000228

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000224

n 2026LED-65K Ex. 320 at LOA-00170932

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000226

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000773

Ex. 159 at LOA-00000778

Ex. 289 at FTC00139

Ex. 289 at FTC00140

Ex. 320 at LOA-00170945

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000229

Ex. 320 at LOA-00170954

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Model No. Deposition Exhibit 

and Bates No.

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000227

o 2035LED-30K Ex. 289 at FTC00152

Ex. 289 at FTC00153

Ex. 320 at LOA-00170955

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000230

Ex. 321 at LOA-00000231

Ex. 320 at LOA-00170956

Ex. 320 at LOA-00170957

Ex. 320 at LOA-00170958

(Stipulated Fact 23.)

C. LOA’s Replaces Watts Claims.

51. For each of the following model numbers, LOA claimed that its LED

lamp “replaces __ watts,” ranging from 20 to 45 watts: 2001LED10-65K,

2001LED53IN-65K, 2001LED53OUT-65K, 2001LEDE26-65K, 2002LEDP30-

65K, 2002LEDR30-65K, 2003LEDP38-65K, 2004LEDDL-35K, 2025LED-30K,

2025LED-65K, 2025LEDE12-30K, 2025LEDE12-65K, 2026LED-30K, and

2026LED-65K (the “Replaces Watts Lamps”). (Trial Exs. 159, 289, 320, 321.) 

The Court refers to these claims collectively as “Replaces Watts claims.”

52. For LOA’s LED Lamp packaging with Replaces Watts claims, the only

other light output information on the package was a statement that the LED Lamp

produced either “warm white light” or “bright white light.” (Trial Ex. 159 (LOA00000752-757, 759-775, 780-785, 788-789, 793-800, 802-05, 807-10), Trial Ex.

289 (FTC00114-117, 143), Trial Ex. 320 (LOA-00170921-932, 939), Trial Ex. 321

(LOA-00000199-204, 206-07, 213, 215, 220, 223, 226).) 

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53. For LOA’s LED Lamp packaging with Replaces Watts claims, LOA

placed other information on the package related to energy use, energy savings,

efficiency, and longevity. (Trial Ex. 159 (LOA-00000752-757, 759-775, 780-785,

788-789, 793-800, 802-05, 807-10), Trial Ex. 289 (FTC00114-117, 143), Trial Ex.

320 (LOA-00170921-932, 939), Trial Ex. 321 (LOA-00000199-204, 206-07, 213,

215, 220, 223, 226).)

54. LOA distributed product brochures to some of its retailer customers

from 2007 until at least August 2009. (LOA Answer ¶ 17; Trial Ex. 582-LOA 2d

Supp. Resp. Int. Nos. 2 and 7; LOA Depo. (Halliwell) 70.)

55. In its product brochures, LOA referenced “Incandescent Comparison”

claims, instead of the “replaces __ watts” claims. (LOA Answer ¶ 17; Trial Exs.

154, 502.)

1. The Timing of LOA’s Replaces Watts Claims.

56. LOA made its “replaces __ watts” claims on each of the Replaces Watts

Lamps until at least February 2009. (Trial Exs. 159, 245, 289, 320, 321.)

57. Starting in February 2009, LOA gradually phased out the “replaces __ 

watts” claims on its packaging. LOA did not print new packaging to remove the

Replaces Watts claims until May 2009, at the earliest. (Halliwell Depo. 158-160,

171:8-16.)

58. Rather than use the Replaces Watts claims, LOA switched to claims

stating the measured lumen output for its LED Lamps. (Trial Ex. 580-LOA Resp.

Int. No. 6.)

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59. LOA’s process of a rolling change removing the “replaces __ watts”

claim took five to six months. For example, LOA employees discussed on July 31,

2009 that LOA would stop shipping LED products with the Replaces Watts claims

until those claims could be covered by stickers. As Mr. Halliwell confirmed, it

wasn’t until May 2009 that large retailers such as Sam’s Club and Costco received

packaging from LOA without the “replaces __ watts” claims, but it was September

2009 before all other retailers received the new labels. (Trial Exs. 156, 172, 173;

Halliwell Depo. 171:8-16; Oct. 31 Trial Tr. (Halliwell) 79:16-82:13.)

60. LOA did not instruct retailers or provide labels/stickers to retailers to

cover over the Replaces Watts claims on LOA’s LED Lamps that were already on

the retailers’ store shelves. Even with big retailers such as Sam’s Club and Costco,

Halliwell estimated that those retailers were selling LOA’s Replaces Watts Lamps

in packaging that included the Replaces Watts claims until May or June 2009. 

However, this depended on whether the stores were rotating their stock properly. 

(Halliwell Depo. 159:20-160:8, 160:23-161:24; Oct. 31 Trial Tr. (Halliwell) 82:6-

13.)

61. It was August 2009 before LOA ensured that the “replaces __ watts”

claims would no longer appear on any of LOA’s LED Lamp packaging. (Halliwell

Depo. at 171:8-23, 174:11-17.) “We were still stickering in July.” (Id. at 174:17.)

62. Since about August 2009, LOA had removed or covered the “replaces”

language from all its LED Lamps’ packaging. (Stipulated Fact 24.)

63. LOA had a procedure for reviewing and approving, via dated,

handwritten signatures, packaging that would be used on LOA’s LED Lamps. 

LED Lamp labels with dated, hand-written signatures represents packaging that

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would be used on LOA’s LED Lamps. (Trial Ex. 159; LOA Depo. (Halliwell)

121:23-122:5, 122: 20-23, 144:18-25, 147:5-18.)

64. Another group of LED Lamp labels that LOA produced to the FTC in

response to the FTC’s Civil Investigative Demand contains dates that indicate

when LOA began using that label to sell its LED Lamps. LOA inserted the dates

indicated on these labels. (Trial Ex. 289; LOA Depo. (Halliwell) 119:8-121:17.)

65. The other two sets of LED Lamp labels that LOA produced do not

contain the initials or signatures of LOA employees nor did LOA separately mark

these labels with particular dates. These LED lamp labels contain date codes

printed on the labels themselves. (Trial Exs. 320, 321; LOA Depo. (Halliwell)

206:20-207:24.)

66. The date codes LOA embedded in its packaging are noted in parenthesis

and are a combination of the week in the year plus the year. For example, a date

code of “(389)” equals the 38th week of 2009, or, roughly, September 14, 2009. 

(Trial Exs. 320, 321; LOA Depo. (Halliwell) 206:20-207:24, 208:21-209:2.)

67. Even though LOA modified its LED Lamps’ packaging over time, LOA

used a particular LED Lamp’s label at least until it revised and produced a new

label such that the oldest dated label represents the first label used for that model. 

LOA used that label on packaging at least until LOA produced the next label to

follow sequentially in time.

68. As a result, evidence showing when LOA ceased making its Replaces

Watts claims is found in its product packaging – when it changed from Replaces

Watts to lumen output. Thus, the first labels LOA produced with a lumen output

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claim instead of a Replaces Watts claim is the best evidence of when LOA ceased

making the Replaces Watts claims.

69. There is insufficient evidence to conclude that prior to August 2009 all

of its LED Lamps were sold in product packaging that either no longer contained

the Replaces Watts claims or packaging on which it had covered over the Replaces

Watts claims.

70. The first product packaging LOA designed for the Replaces Watts

Lamps that contained lumen output information instead of the “replaces __ watts”

claim bears the following dates:

a. 2001LED10-65K – April 14, 2009 (Trial Ex. 159, LOA00000776);

b. 2001LED53IN-65K and 2001LED53OUT-65K – August 24-

31, 2009 (from date codes 359 (equals 8/24/2009) and 369

(equals 8/31/2009) (Trial Ex. 289, FTC00108, FTC00113; Trial

Ex. 320, LOA-00170935, LOA-000170936; Trial Ex. 321,

LOA-00000197, LOA-00000198);

c. 2001LEDE26-65K – April 14, 2009 (Trial Ex. 321, LOA00000779);

d. 2002LEDP30-65K – September 1, 2009 (Trial Ex. 289,

FTC00128);

e. 2002LEDR30-65K – March 1, 2009 (Trial Ex. 289,

FTC00142); 

f. 2003LEDP38-65K – March 1, 2009 (Trial Ex. 289, FTC00144)

g. 2004LEDDL-35K – March 27, 2009 (Trial Ex. 159, LOA00000799);

h. 2025LED-30K – May 12, 2009 (Trial Ex. 289, FTC00132);

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I. 2025LED-65K – May 12, 2009 (Trial Ex. 289, FTC00134);

j. 2025LEDE12-30K – February 1, 2009 (Trial Ex. 289,

FTC00147);

k. 2025LEDE12-65K – May 12, 2009 (Trial Ex. 289, FTC00137);

l. 2026LED-30K – February 23, 2009 (Trial Ex. 289, FTC00151);

m. 2026LED-65K – May 12, 2009 (Trial Ex. 289, FTC00140).

(Trial Exs. 159, 289, 320, 321.)

71. The best evidence before the Court shows that LOA ceased making its

Replaces Watts claims on or before the dates indicated in fact 70 above. Thus,

LOA sold its Replaces Watts Lamps with the “replaces __ watts” claims through

and including the months indicated for each lamp below:

a. 2001LED10-65K – April 2009

b. 2001LED53IN-65K and 2001LED53OUT-65K – August 2009

c. 2001LEDE26-65K – April 2009

d. 2002LEDP30-65K – August 2009

e. 2002LEDR30-65K – February 2009

f. 2003LEDP38-65K – February 2009

g. 2004LEDDL-35K – March 2009

h. 2025LED-30K – May 2009

I. 2025LED-65K – May 2009

j. 2025LEDE12-30K – February 2009

k. 2025LEDE12-65K – May 2009

l. 2026LED-30K – February 2009

m. 2026LED-65K – May 2009

(Trial Exs. 159, 289, 320, 321.)

2. Consumer Confusion About LOA’s Replaces Watts Claims.

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72. LOA learned that its “replaces __ watts” claims were causing confusion

among some consumers who purchased LOA’s Replaces Watts Lamps by at least

December 2008/January 2009. (Halliwell Depo. 155:11-17, 156:18-24.) 

73. Consumers expressed “potential confusion over the use of the term

‘replaces’ indicating that the LED lamps produced the lumen equivalent of the

compared incandescent bulbs.” (Trial Ex. 580-LOA Resp. Int. No. 6.)

74. In late February 2009, Halliwell noted that consumers were confused

about LOA’s Replaces Watts claims in an email to Jim Brodrick at the DOE. 

(Trial Ex. 12, p. 2.) 

D. LOA Claims About Its Lamps’ Light Output.

75. Chingez Tarar, LOA’s senior research engineer, evaluated the Replaces

Watts claim and concluded it was a “deceptive claim” and “unsubstantiated.” 

(Trial Ex. 158.)

76. In fact, LOA’s engineer in charge of LOA’s LED Lamps had no

involvement in the “replaces __ watts” claims that appeared on LOA’s packaging. 

(Oct. 31 Trial Tr. (Taj) 114:9-12.)

1. LOA’s Replaces Watts Lamps Did Not Provide the Same or

Comparable Light Output in Lumens as Incandescent Lamps.

77. One can fairly compare the light output generated by a variety of lamp

types using lumen output measurements. In fact, objective photometric

measurements can and should be used to substantiate LOA’s “replaces __ watts” 

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claims. (Houser,5 ¶¶ 15, 39-49, 71-72; Oct. 30 Trial Tr. (Houser) 62:14-17, 77:20-

24.)

78. Nothing about LEDs or LED lamps makes them unsuitable for or

incapable of measurement of overall light output in lumens. (Houser, ¶¶ 71-72;

Oct. 30 Trial Tr. (Houser) 72:9-15.)

79. The DOE CALiPER “Round 6” tests were conducted on the following

LOA LED Lamps: 2001LED53OUT-65K-24, 2025LEDE12-65K-24,

2004LEDDL-35K-24 and 2003LEDP38-65K-8.6

 (Stipulated Fact 37.)

80. LOA’s Replaces Watts Lamps produced markedly less light (in lumens)

compared to comparable incandescent lamps. (Houser, ¶¶ 45-49.)

81. The typical lumen output range for a 45 watt incandescent lamp is 520-

870 lumens. (Houser,¶ 46.)

82. LOA made “replaces 45 watts” claims on the following lamps: 

2002LEDP30-65K, 2002LEDR30-65K, 2003LEDP38-65K, and 2004LEDDL35K. (Trial Exs. 159 (LOA-00000780, 783-87, 789, 793-94, 804, 807-08), Trial

Ex. 289 (FTC00125-26, 143),Trial Ex. 320 (LOA-00170925-27), Trial Ex. 321

(LOA-00000203, 205-06).)

5

Dr. Kevin Houser was the FTC’s technical expert. LOA attacked Dr. Houser’s

credentials prior to trial. (Motion in Limine, Docket No. 240.) The Court declined to exclude

Dr. Houser. (Docket No. 262, pp. 8-9.) LOA continues to advance the same arguments. (LOA’

Proposed Findings of Fact [“LOAFF], ¶¶ 279-90.) (Similarly, LOA’s Proposed Conclusions of

Law are referred to as “LOACL.”) Having considered his trial declaration and live testimony,

the Court found Dr. Houser technically competent and credible. 

6

See paragraphs 219 et. seq. regarding testing by th Department of Energy.

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83. Between August 2008 and September 2010, third party laboratories

conducted photometric tests on the LED Lamps identified in the preceding

paragraph. Those tests provided the following lumen output measurements:

a. 2002LEDP30-65K: 184-195 lumens;

b. 2002LEDR30-65K: 172, 179-189, and 275 lumens;

c. 2003LEDP38-65K: 122-177, 268-302, 282, and 416 lumens; and

d. 2004LEDDL-35K: 140, 143, and 201 lumens.

(Trial Exs. 53, 54, 513-514, 518, 542-546, 548-551; Houser, ¶ 47.)

84. None of the lumen output readings for the Replaces Watts Lamps in

paragraphs 82-82 above equal the typical lumen output range for a 45 watt

incandescent. Even the lamp with the highest measured lumen output

(2003LEDP38-65K at 416 lumens) provides only 48 % of the highest point in the

range of typical lumen output, and 80 % of the lowest point in the range of typical

lumen output. Whereas the lamp with the lowest measured lumen output (also

2003LEDP38-65K at 122 lumens) provided only 14 % of the highest point in the

range of typical lumen output, and 23 % of the lowest point in the range of typical

lumen output. (Id., ¶¶ 45-47; Trial Exs. 53, 54, 513- 514, 518, 542-546, 548-551.) 

85. LOA’s replaces 45 watts claims for the lamps identified in paragraph 82

above were false. (Id., ¶ 45.)

86. The typical lumen output range for a 40 watt incandescent lamp is 315-

540 lumens. (Id., ¶ 46.)

87. LOA made “replaces 40 watts” claims on the following lamps: 

2025LEDE12-30K, 2025LEDE12-65K, 2026LED-30K, and 2026LED-65K. (Trial

Ex. 159 (LOA-00000752-53, 761-68, 773, 795-96, 800, 802, 809-10), Trial Ex.

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320 (LOA-00170928-32), Trial Ex. 321(LOA-00000210, 213, 215, 220, 223,

226).)

88. Between December 2008 and September 2010, third party laboratories

conducted photometric tests on the LED Lamps identified in the preceding

paragraph. Those tests provided the following lumen output measurements:

a. 2025LEDE12-30K: 41, 66-67, 76, and 90 lumens;

b. 2025LEDE12-65K: 67-90, 74, 104-108, and 113 lumens;

c. 2026LED-30K: 42, 43, and 90 lumens; and

d. 2026LED-65K: 84 lumens.

(Trial Exs. 52, 511, 515, 519, 552-561, 565-571; Houser, ¶¶ 47-49.)

89. None of the lumen output readings for the Replaces Watts Lamps in

paragraphs 87-88 above equal the typical lumen output range for a 40 watt

incandescent. The lamp with the highest measured lumen output (2025LEDE12-

65K at 113 lumens) provides only 23 % of the highest point in the range of typical

lumen output, and 36 % of the lowest point in the range of typical lumen output. 

Whereas the lamp with the lowest measured lumen output (also 2025LEDE12-30K

at 41 lumens) provided only 8 % of the highest point in the range of typical lumen

output, and 13 % of the lowest point in the range of typical lumen output. (Houser, 

¶¶ 45-47; Trial Exs. 52, 511, 515, 519, 552-561, 565-571.)

90. LOA’s replaces 40 watts claims for the lamps identified in paragraph 87

above were false. (Houser, ¶ 45.)

91. LOA made “replaces 20 watts” claims on LED Lamps 2001LED53-

OUT-65K, 2001LEDE26-65K, and 2001LEDG53-65K. (Trial Ex. 159 (LOAFF 24

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00000755-60, 771-72, 775), Trial Ex. 289 (FTC00114-16), Trial Ex. 320 (LOA00170920, 922-23), Trial Ex. 321 (LOA-00000199-201).) 

92. In August 2008, September 2009, and September 2010, a third party

laboratory conducted photometric tests on LED Lamp 2001LED53-OUT-65K,

2001LEDE26-65K, and 2001LEDG53-65K. Those tests provided the following

lumen output measurements:

a. 2001LED53-OUT-65K: 26.8-29.9 lumens;

b. 2001LEDE26-65K: 52, and 86-93 lumens; and

c. 2001LEDG53-65K: 32 lumens.

(Trial Exs. 51, 517, 540, 541; Houser, ¶ 47.)

93. None of the lumen output readings for the Replaces Watts Lamps in

paragraphs 91-92 above equal the typical lumen output range for a 20 watt

incandescent. The lamp with the highest measured lumen output (2001LEDE26-

65K at 93 lumens) provides only 39 % of the highest point in the range of typical

lumen output, and 60 % of the lowest point in the range of typical lumen output. 

Whereas the lamp with the lowest measured lumen output (2001LED53-OUT-65K

at 27 lumens) provided only 11 % of the highest point in the range of typical lumen

output, and 17 % of the lowest point in the range of typical lumen output. (Houser,

¶¶ 45-47; Trial Exs. 51, 517, 540, 541.)

94. LOA’s replaces 20 watts claims for LED Lamps 2001LED53-OUT65K, 2001LEDE26-65K, and 2001LEDG53-65K were false. (Houser, ¶ 45.)

95. When compared to comparable incandescent lamps, the light output

claims LOA made for the Replaces Watts Lamps were false. (Id., ¶¶ 45-49; Trial

Exs. 51, 510, 517, 540, 541.)

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96. LOA’s Replaces Watts Lamps did not provide sufficient light (in

lumens) to be comparable to that of the incandescent lamps LOA claimed its lamps

would replace, and as a result, LOA made false claims on the Replaces Watts

Lamps. 

97. LOA claims that it did not market its LED lamp as general purpose

lighting. (Halliwell, ¶ 33.) However, that did not limit the practical use of the

LED lamps. Moreover, whether labeled for decorative or complementary lighting

or otherwise, the replacement representations are the same, and they were false.

2. LOA’s Center Beam Candle Power Data Also Shows Its

 Replaces Watts Claims Were False.

98. The light output of one of LOA’s integrated LED Lamps with a

directional beam can be compared to a filament lamp with a similar directional

beam. (Houser, ¶ 44.)

99. In order to compare the light output of these types of lamps, one must

use a combination of both beam angle measured in degrees and center beam candle

power (CBCP) measured in candelas. (Id.; Oct. 30 Trial Tr. (Houser) 84:22-

85:18.)

100. Comparisons of the CBCP of LOA’s directional LED lamps to that of

other directional lamps is fundamentally flawed if it does not consider beam

spread, beam angle, or beam lumens. (Houser, ¶ 55.)

101. CBCP data is contained in photometric test reports from third party

laboratories that tested some of LOA’s LED Lamps. (Trial Exs. 53-54.)

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102. Comparing the CBCP of two of LOA’s directional LED Lamps to

those of a filament lamp with a similar beam angle shows that these LED Lamps

produced only a small fraction of the light of comparable filament lamps. 

Specifically:

a. LOA LED Lamp 2003LEDP38-65K produced only between 12 %

and 21% of the CBCP of comparable filament lamps produced by

GE; and

b. LOA LED Lamp 2004LEDDL-35K produced 89% less CBCP than

that of a comparable filament lamp produced by GE.

(Trial Exs. 53-54, 632; Houser, ¶¶ 56-58.) 

103. These two Replaces Watts Lamps did not provide sufficient light (in

candelas) to be comparable to that of the incandescent lamps LOA claimed its

lamps would “replace[]” and as a result, LOA made false claims on 2003LEDP38-

65K and 2004LEDDL-35K.

104. LOA offered evidence of the visual comparisons which Halliwell

conducted and evidence of the results of a focus groups conducted at Wal-Mart. 

(LOAFF, ¶¶ 178, 181.) LOA asserts that visual observations were truthful. (Id., ¶

185.) 

105. However, the Court was unable to come to like conclusions when

visual comparisons were offered during the course of the trial. (Oct. 30 Trial Tr.

65-71.) Trial Exhibit 475 consisted of five pairs of incandescent lights and LOA

LEDS claimed to be replacements for the wattage in the incandescent lights. In

several instances, Dr. Houser found the LED of equal or greater brightness. He

also remarked that his observation were affected by the manner in which the eye

adapts, and those effects continued even when only a single pair was illuminated. 

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(Oct. 30 Trial Tr. 65, 69-70.) Further skewing the comparisons was the fact that

LEDs presented were uncharacteristically highly directional, and Dr. Houser only

addressed the lights from a position directly in front of him, or on axis. (Oct. 30

Trial Tr. 70.) This evidence does not change the conclusion that the Replaces

Watts claims were false. Moreover, the Court has previously found such

subjective observational data inadequate substantiation. (MSJ Order, pp. 7-9.) 

106. The Court finds that the lumens analysis which Dr. Houser used was

scientifically sound. Dr. Houser explained that the luminance analysis used by

LOA’s expert Dr. Ram S. Rosen was variable with line of sight and thus flawed. 

(Houser, ¶ 66.) He also explained the lack of scientific support for Dr. Ronen’s

criticism of the use of lumens as flawed. (Id., ¶¶ 68-71.) In particular, he

explained the error in Dr. Ronen’s use of the S/P ratio for adjusting data. (Id., ¶

69-70.)

E. Consumer Harm Resulting from LOA’s False and Deceptive

Replaces Watts Claims.

107. LOA made false and deceptive Replaces Watts claims on the Replaces

Watts Lamps through and including the month identified in paragraph 71.a-m.

108. During the time LOA made the false Replaces Watts claims, its gross

sales for the Replaces Watts Lamps equaled:

a. 2001LED10-65K – $250,729.80 (April 2009)

b. 2001LED53IN-65K and 2001LED53OUT-65K – $134,206.44

(August 2009)

c. 2001LEDE26-65K – $119,396.88 (April 2009)

d. 2002LEDP30-65K – $239,829.46 (August 2009)

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e. 2002LEDR30-65K – $540,628.47 (February 2009)

f. 2003LEDP38-65K – $2,470,580.43 (February 2009)

g. 2004LEDDL-35K – $1,893,174.00 (March 2009)

h. 2025LED-30K – $246,102.96 (May 2009)

I. 2025LED-65K – $217,123.08 (May 2009)

j. 2025LEDE12-30K – $3,644,867.64 (February 2009)

k. 2025LEDE12-65K – $210, 793.92 (May 2009)

l. 2026LED-30K – $177,846.84 (February 2009)

m. 2026LED-65K – $351,822.43 (May 2009)

(Kelly Rev., ¶¶ 8-17, 19-21; Trial Exs. 159, 289, 295-299, 320, 321; LOA Depo.

(Halliwell) 170:3-174:17.)

109. Total sales for all of the items identified in the preceding paragraph 

equals: $10,497,102.35. 

110. Total sales, based upon LOA’s wholesale price, for the Replaces Watts

Lamps through and including the dates indicated in paragraphs 71 and 108 above

constitutes a conservative estimate of the amount of restitution owed to consumers

who purchased these lamps. That amount equals: $10,497,102.35

III. LOA’s False and Deceptive Lifetime Claims.

111. According to LOA’s President, Usman Vakil, substantiation requires

scientific data. (U. Vakil Depo. 180:6-181:6.)

112. Usman Vakil testified that he told his managers to “substantiate

everything.” (Id., pp. 47:7-12, 73:23-74:2; Nov. 2 Trial Tr. (U. Vakil) 40:8-22.)

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113. LOA made lifetime claims in marketing and selling the following

lamps: 2001LED53IN-65K and 2001LED53OUT-65K, 2001LEDE26-65K,

2002LEDP30-65K, 2002LEDR30-65K, 2003LEDP38-65K, 2004LEDDL-35K,

2025LED-30K, 2025LED-65K, 2025LEDE12-30K, 2025LEDE12-65K,

2025TLEDE12-30K, 2026LED-30K, 2026LED-65K, 2035LED-30K (collectively,

the “Lifetime Lamps”). (Trial Exs. 159, 289, 320, 321.) The Court refers to LOA

collective lifetime claims as “Lifetime claims.”

A. Timing of LOA’s Three Lifetime Claims.

114. From February 2008 until sometime in August 2009, LOA claimed on

its LED Lamps’ packaging that those LED Lamps had a 30,000 hour life. 

(Stipulated Fact 26.) 

115. In August 2009, certain LOA employees discussed the basis for

reducing LOA’s lifetime claims from 30,000 hours to 20,000 hours. (Stipulated

Fact 30.)

116. By the end of August 2009, LOA reduced the lifetime claims on all of

its LED Lamps’ packaging to 20,000 hours. (Stipulated Fact 31.)

117. LOA further reduced its lifetime claims for its Lifetime Lamps to

12,000-15,000 hours in September 2010. (Trial Ex. 580-LOA Resp. Int. No. 6.)

118. All of LOA’s lifetime claims noted above are specific, numerical

claims about how long its Lifetime Lamps will last.

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119. When making its 30,000 hour lifetime claims, LOA also claimed its

LED Lamp “lasts 15 times longer than 2,000 hour incandescent bulbs.” LOA

made these claims based upon the same lifetime data LOA cites as substantiation

for the lifetime claims. (Halliwell, ¶93; Halliwell Depo. 140:4-19; LOA Answer ¶

39; Trial Ex. 159 (LOA-00000752-53, 792, 795-96, 800, 802, 809-13), Trial Ex.

289 (FTC00132, 135-37, 142, 147-48, 151).)

120. When making its 20,000 hour lifetime claims, LOA also claimed its

LED Lamp “lasts 10 times longer than 2,000 hour incandescent bulbs.” (Halliwell

¶ 93; LOA Answer ¶ 39; Trial Ex. 289 (FTC00109, 112, 127-31, 138, 141, 149-50,

152-56), Trial Ex. 320 (LOA-00170933-34, 937-945), Trial Ex. 321 (LOA00000195-96, 204, 207, 209, 212, 216, 221, 228-29).)

121. When making its 15,000 hour lifetime claims, LOA also claimed its

LED Lamp “lasts 7 times longer than 2,000 hour incandescent bulbs.” (Halliwell, 

¶ 93; Trial Ex. 320 (LOA-00170946-51, 953-54), Trial Ex. 321 (LOA-00000208,

211, 214, 217-19, 224-25, 227, 230-31).)

122. When making its 12,000 hour lifetime claims, LOA also claimed its

LED Lamp “lasts 6 times longer than 2,000 hour incandescent bulbs.” (Trial Ex.

320 (LOA-00170952, 955-56), Trial Ex. 321 (LOA-00000222).)

B. LED Lamps Compared to Other Lamp Types.

123. LOA’s LED Lamps could be employed in end-use applications where

the quantity of light produced by its lamps matters. (Houser, ¶ 17.)

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124. LOA’s LED Lamps are general replacement lamps and not limited to

categories of accent, décor, or other types of lighting. (Id., ¶¶ 75-79.)

125. LEDs generally fail gradually over time, growing steadily dimmer

rather than failing catastrophically. (Stipulated Fact 2.) Moreover, the particular

application of a LED Light has no bearing on a lifetime claim, and is simply

irrelevant.

126. Conditions that affect the long-term performance of LEDs include the

amount of current used and temperature. (Stipulated Fact 4.) Taj recognized this

when he testified that how the LED performs in the lamp is important. Taj has

held this belief since he started as the head of LOA’s LED lamp Engineering

department. (Trial Exs. 130, 139, 143; Oct. 31 Trial Tr. (Taj) 96:22-97:2.)

127. LOA’s engineers who worked on and developed its LED Lamps knew

that current and temperature within the lamp can greatly impact the performance

and longevity of the LEDs in an LED Lamp. (Trial Exs. 127, 130, 139, 140, 143.)

128. LOA understood the importance of testing integrated LED lamps to

evaluate LED performance. As Taj testified, what is important is how the LED

performs in the lamp. LOA acknowledged in its LED Lamp brochure that

“because they are sensitive to thermal and electrical conditions, LEDs must be

carefully integrated into lighting fixtures.” (Oct. 31 Trial Tr. (Taj) 96:22-24; Trial

Ex. 502.)

129. The various LED lamps LOA sold were not identical. Across 

products and over time, the differences in LOA’s LED Lamps include: housings,

current used to operate the lamps, number of LEDs used in the lamp, type of LED

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used in the lamps, and the configuration of the LEDs within its lamps. (Halliwell,

¶¶ 99, 148; LOA Depo. (Halliwell) 10:2-13:6; 13:13-21; Trial Exs. 141, 580 - LOA

Resp. Int. No. 25, Trial Ex. 585 - LOA Resp. Int. Nos. 35-37.) 

130. Some of those revisions were prompted by complaints about some of

LOA’s LED Lamps burning out partially or prematurely. (Trial Ex. 141.) 

131. Due to the variations in the LED lamps LOA sold, its substantiation for

a particular Lifetime Lamp must reflect the particular conditions present in that

lamp. (Oct. 31 Trial Tr. (Houser) 53:16-54:23.)

132. Adequate substantiation for LOA’s lifetime claims would be scientific

or engineering data of LOA’s integrated LED Lamps indicating that the lamps

would last at least as long as the hours stated on the Lifetime Lamps’ packaging.

B. The Lighting Community’s Knowledge About LED Lamps.

133. By the time LOA began to sell its LED Lamps, although there was not

single standard, the lighting community had widely adopted L70 to define when

LED Lamps reach the end of their useful lives. (Trial Ex. 35; Houser, ¶¶ 17, 35,

73.)

134. LOA offered evidence that life time testing standards were in flux

between 2007 and 2012. ( LOAFF, ¶¶ 206-227, 331-37.) This includes statements

that there were no commonly accepted criteria. (Id., ¶ 121.) Nevertheless, the

Court finds that Dr. Houser’s use of the L70 standard has support in the literature

even if there was no settled way to test, as demonstrated by LOA’s own citations. 

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(See id., ¶¶ 219, 221.) However, the lack of standards begs the issue because LOA

had no scientifically valid data on any basis to support its lifetime claims. 

135. L70 is the point at which the light output of an LED lamp diminishes to

seventy % of its original light output. (Trial Ex. 35; Houser, ¶ 18.)

136. L50 is the point at which the light output of an LED lamp diminishes to

fifty % of its original light output. (Trial Ex. 35; Houser, ¶ 18.)

137. Because LOA’s LED Lamps could be used for general lighting

applications, L70 is the proper mark for the end of an LED lamp’s lifetime, not L50. 

(Houser, ¶¶ 17-18, 73-79; Oct. 31 Trial Tr. (Houser) 13:24-16:7.) Again, the

specific application is irrelevant to a lifetime claim.

138. Since LOA’s LED Lamps could be employed in end-use applications

where the quantity of light matters and the LED Lamps were not limited to the

narrow category of décor lamps, L70 is the proper measure of when LOA’s LED

Lamps reached the end of their lives. (Houser, ¶¶ 17-18, 73-79; Oct. 30 Trial Tr.

(Houser) 111:13-22; Oct. 31 Trial Tr. (Houser) 13:20-16:7.)

139. LOA’s employees most familiar with LOA’s lifetime claims, however,

do not agree on what defined the end of life for LOA’s LED Lamps. According to

Halliwell, it was zero light output from the LEDs. Taj claims he defines life as L50. 

By LOA’s own definition, it was mean time before failure – the point at which half

the tested sample size fails, meaning zero light output. (Halliwell Depo. 215:24-

216:24, 219:1-5; Taj, ¶ 31; LOA Depo. (Halliwell) 246:3-248:16; Oct. 31 Trial Tr.

(Halliwell) 82:14-88:20.)

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140. To the extent LOA and its employees determined the end of the LED

Lamps’ useful lives occurred at L50, the point at which the lamps emitted no light,

or based upon mean time before failure, LOA acted unreasonably and in disregard

to the lighting community’s consensus on the issue. 

141. To have adequate substantiation, LOA needed to measure and record

the light output of its Lifetime Lamps so it could determine when each lamp’s

lumen maintenance dropped by thirty %. (Oct. 31 Trial Tr. (Houser) 49:17- 50:23;

Nov. 2 Trial Tr. (Houser) 15:10-16:23.)

142. Although not as good of a measure of the lamp’s lifetime, LOA could

have drawn inferences from data it received about the lumen depreciation of the

LEDs used in its LED Lamps. (Houser, ¶ 85.)

143. At a minimum, LOA’s lumen depreciation evidence (from scientific

tests conducted on the LEDs used in its LED Lamps) must replicate the conditions

found in its integrated LED Lamps. (Oct. 31 Trial Tr. (Houser) 53:16-55:7.)

144. Although scientific data purporting to represent the lifetime and/or

lumen depreciation evidenced in the LEDs used in LOA’s LED Lamps is not

adequate substantiation, the data is evidence of trends in the LEDs’ performance is

useful in assessing what other substantiation LOA should have requested and/or

whether its lifetime claims were false.

C. LEDs Used in LOA’s Lamps.

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145. LOA purchased LEDs from two different suppliers: PARA Light

Corp. (“Para Light”) and Unity Microelectronics, Inc. (“Unity”). (Trial Ex. 584-

LOA Resp. Int. Nos. 30-31.)

146. The first of LOA’s LED Lamps were all manufactured using Para

Light LEDs. LOA began to transition to Unity’s LEDs sometime in or after

October 2008. (Halliwell, ¶ 70; Trial Ex. 584-LOA Resp. Int. No. 31, Trial Ex.

585 - LOA Resp. Int. Nos. 35-37.)

147. LOA placed its last order for Para Light’s LEDs in or about March

2009. (Trial Ex. 584-LOA Resp. Int. No. 31.)

148. Between October 2008 and March 2009, LOA used both Unity and

Para Light LEDs in its LED Lamps. (Halliwell, ¶ 70; Trial Ex. 584-LOA Resp.

Int. No. 31, Trial Ex. 585 - LOA Resp. Int. Nos. 35-37.)

149. LOA does not have any records showing which LED it used in which

LED Lamp for a particular period of time during its transition from Para Light

LEDs to Unity LEDs. LOA has indicated that for virtually all of its LED Lamps, it

used both Unity and Para Light LEDs during LOA’s transition from Para Light to

Unity. (Trial Ex. 585-LOA Resp. Int. No. 37.)

D. LOA Did Not Have a Reasonable Basis to Make Its Lifetime

 Claims.

150. Prior to at least February 27, 2008, LOA had no life test data for Para

Light’s LEDs or for LOA’s LED Lamps which incorporated Para Light’s LEDs

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when LOA began to market and sell its LED Lamps. LOA has not identified any

substantiation which pre-dates an email Taj received from LED supplier Para

Light. In making lifetime claims on the Lifetime Lamps prior to receipt of Para

Light’s email, LOA acted without any factual or reasonable basis. (Houser, ¶ 81;

Trial Ex. 583-LOA Resp. Int. No. 9.)

151. LOA identified the following documents as substantiation for its

lifetime claims:

a. Unity 5mm White Lamp Brightness Degradation Chart (Trial Ex.

290);

b. Unity LED Burn-in Life Summary, dated June 8, 2009 (Trial Ex.

291);

c. SGS Test Report, dated June 29, 2009 (Trial Ex. 301);

d. Unity Lights of America PAR38 Bulb Testing Report, dated

August 5, 2009 (Trial Ex. 144);

e. Unity report regarding results of ongoing lumen depreciation

study, dated August 9, 2009 (Trial Ex. 292);

f. OnSpex 1008 Hours – Lumen Depreciation Report, dated February

9, 2010 (Trial Ex. 294);

g. Testing and Inspection Reports (LOA-00000098 through LOA00000297 and FTC00561 through FTC00662);

h. February 27, 2008 email from Para Light USA to Aijaz Taj (Trial

Ex. 126);

i. Unity Reliability Test Report, received August 14, 2008 (Trial Ex.

400);

j. Unity Reliability Test Report, received December 4, 2008 (Trial

Ex. 140); and

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k. Test Reports by Lighting Sciences, Inc., dated September 25, 2009

(Trial Exs. 540-541).

(Trial Ex. 583-LOA Resp. Int. No. 9; LOA Depo. (Halliwell) 243:18-244:19,

249:14-250:11.)

152. Usman Vakil acknowledged that manufacturing issues “resulted in

product problems in the products sold.” Those manufacturing issues were related

to LOA’s LED Lamp lifetime claims. According to Taj, the manufacturing issues

“resulted in the products not performing as they were designed.” (U. Vakil, ¶¶ 32,

34, 36-37; Taj, ¶ 43.)

1. The Para Light Emails.

153. On February 27, 2008, Joe Chow of LOA LED supplier Para Light

sent LOA engineer Taj an email that stated “We estimate our LED life is 30000

hr.” (Stipulated Fact 27.)

154. Neither Para Light nor Joe Chow sent any life test data with the

February 27, 2008 email. At that time, LOA did not test its Lifetime Lamps to

determine how long they would last. (Trial Ex. 126; Oct. 31 Trial Tr. (Taj) 91:21-

92:15, 97:19-98:3.)

155. LOA did not have written documentation from Para Light that

addressed the specific conditions such a drive currents, housings, heat sinks, or

thermal conditions of each of its Lifetime Lamps. (Trial Exs. 126, 130.)

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156. LOA relied on verbal communications from its LED supplier, Para

Light, without any supporting documentation, as the basis for its lifetime claims for

its LED Lamps. (Oct. 31 Trial Tr. (Taj) 92:23-93:1, 95:21-96:21, 100:20-25,

145:14-146:6)

157. LOA has not identified data specific to each of the Lifetime Lamps to

support the claims made on each lamp. (Trial Ex. 126; Houser, ¶¶ 82-83)

158. LOA’s reliance upon Mr. Chow’s email, without further supporting

test data, does not constitute a reasonable basis for its 30,000 hour lifetime claims

generally, nor a reasonable basis for any or all of the Lifetime Lamps. (Id., ¶¶ 82-

83; Oct. 30 Trial Tr. (Houser) 200:7-201:1.)

2. LOA’s 2008 and Early 2009 Lifetime Data.

159. In 2008, LOA relied on tests conducted on the LEDs that it used in its

LED lamps in making performance claims on its LED Lamps’ product packaging. 

LOA’s witness summarized the chronology of LOA’s receipt of its lifetime

substantiation at its deposition. (LOA Depo. (Halliwell) 150:4-151:14, 250:12-

257:16, 258:15-260:9, 260:20-261:12.)

160. LOA knew that the critical question to determine lifetime was how a

supplier’s LED behaves in LOA’s lamp. Nonetheless, prior to December 2008

LOA did not conduct tests to determine how much lumen depreciation suppliers’

LEDs experienced in LOA’s lamps. (Oct. 31 Trial Tr. (Taj) 96:22-97:2, 104:7-13.)

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161. After the Chow email, the next piece of data LOA had arrived on or

about August 14, 2008 from LED supplier Unity. Unity sent LOA employees a

Reliability Test Report. (Trial Ex. 400.)

162. In the Reliability Test Report, Unity presented measured data specific

LED packages, not lamps, which had been tested for 1,008 hours. (Trial Ex. 400.) 

163. Although of limited value because it is data from a test conducted only

on the LED, the data does not support or provide a reasonable basis for LOA’s

lifetime claim because the amount of lumen depreciation that occurred during the

test period was too great, even for the best performing LED tested. (Houser, ¶¶

84-88.)

164. LOA has not provided sufficient evidence that the LEDs tested by

Unity were those used in all of its Lifetime Lamps. Rather, its own list of the

LEDs it used in its LED Lamps does not identify this Unity LED. (Trial Ex. 585-

LOA Resp. Int. No. 35.)

165. Unity’s Reliability Test Report does not support LOA’s lifetime claims

and does not suffice for a reasonable basis to make the claims on any of the

Lifetime Lamps. (Houser, ¶¶ 84-88.)

166. Through at least August 2008, LOA lacked adequate substantiation for

the 30,000 hour lifetime claim it made on the Lifetime Lamps. (Id.)

167. LOA then received preliminary test data for four of its LED Lamps: 

2002LEDP30-65K, 2003LEDP38-65K, 2002LEDR30-65K, and 2025LED-65K. 

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The data was sent to LOA by Unity and reflects a test period of 72 hours. Within

that short time, the LOA LED Lamps tested showed lumen depreciation of 89.4 %

to 74.8 %. (Trial Ex. 139; Houser, ¶ 89).

168. The data presented in Trial Ex. 139 shows poor lumen maintenance. 

This data is incompatible with a lifetime claim of 30,000 hours. (Houser, ¶ 89.)

169. Trial Ex. 139 also includes test data for one of Unity’s LEDs. This

data also reflects lumen depreciation tests conducted for 72 hours. (Trial Ex. 139.) 

The Unity LED test data shows rapid depreciation within the time period of testing

– 5.3 to 8.3 %. The data also presents questions for LOA’s engineers because the

LED tested appears to experience less lumen depreciation at a higher temperature,

which runs counter to the general theory that higher operating temperatures lead to

worse lumen maintenance. At a minimum, LOA should have questioned this data. 

(Id., ¶ 90.)

170. The next piece of data is another test report from Unity titled

Reliability Test Report. LOA employees received this report on or about

December 4, 2008. (Trial Ex. 140.) The test data in Trial Ex. 140 reflects lumen

depreciation tests conducted on four of LOA’s Lifetime Lamps: 2002LEDP30-

65K, 2003LEDP38-65K, 2002 LEDR 30-65K, and 2025LED-65K. (Trial Ex. 140;

Houser, ¶ 91.)

171. When Taj received the data in Trial Ex. 140, he was concerned about

the results, which showed three LOA lamps experienced 13 % lumen depreciation

within the first 198 hours of the test period and lumen depreciation of 32-48 %

within 961 hours. (Oct. 31 Trial Tr. (Taj) 110:9-112:14, 113:24-114:1.)

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172. Three of the four integrated lamps tested had reached the end of their

useful lives within the 961 hour test period, under L70. (Trial Ex. 140; Houser,¶

91.) The fourth had reduced to 78.0 % within 198 hours. (Houser, ¶ 91.) 

173. Unity’s test data in Trial Ex. 140 shows that none of the four lamps

tested would last for 1,000 hours using L70 as the end of life. This data does not

support LOA’s 30,000 hour lifetime claim. Rather, it shows the claim for the four

lamps tested was false. (Trial Ex. 140; Houser, ¶ 91.)

174. None of the test data on four of LOA’s Lifetime Lamps (2002LEDP30-

65K, 2003LEDP38-65K, 2002 LEDR 30-65K, and 2025LED-65K) constitutes

substantiation for any of the other Lifetime Lamps. (Houser, ¶ 109.)

175. Trial Ex. 140 also includes a test report for 1,008 hours of testing

conducted on one of Unity’s LEDs. (Trial Ex. 140.) The test report for this Unity

LED shows the LED itself depreciated to 72.2 % of its original output within 1,008

hours of testing. In almost reaching L70 within 1,008 hours of testing, the test data

does not support a lifetime claim for this LED of 30,000 hours. This test data also

shows that LOA’s 30,000 hour lifetime claims for Lifetime Lamps that

incorporated this particular LED were false. (Trial Ex. 140; Houser, ¶¶ 92-93.)

176. Although LOA had begun to transition to Unity LEDs in the Lifetime

Lamps by the time LOA received Trial Ex. 140, not all of LOA’s Lifetime Lamps

were manufactured using the Unity LED tested in this exhibit. (Trial Ex. 584-LOA

Resp. Int. No. 31.) Thus, the LED test data in Trial Ex. 140 does not constitute

adequate substantiation for any of LOA’s Lifetime Lamps. (Trial Ex. 140, Trial

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Ex. 584-LOA Resp. Int. No. 31; Houser, ¶¶ 91-92, 101, 109; Oct. 31 Trial Tr.

(Houser) 53:16-54:23.)

177. Although LOA’s LED suppliers provided LOA with LED

specifications, those specifications sheets did not identify the life of the LEDs in

LOA’s lamps. As Taj conceded, the suppliers’ specification sheets do not actually

specify the life claim of the LEDs used in LOA’s LED Lamps. (Trial Ex. 143; Oct.

31 Trial Tr. (Taj) 92:8-15, 100:20-25.)

178. Trial Ex. 301 is the next piece of data LOA cited as supporting its

lifetime claims. This document contains test reports from SGS, which are dated

June 29, 2009. (Trial Ex. 301.)

179. Trial Ex. 301 contains test results from lumen depreciation tests

conducted on four LEDs manufactured by Unity. Specifically, the LEDs tested

were several of Unity’s “A series” LEDs. (Trial Ex. 301; Houser, ¶¶ 96-97.)

180. Based upon the 1,000 hour test period, the amount of lumen

depreciation that occurred in each of Unity’s LEDs, and even assuming the rate of

decline may improve, the data does not support even a 20,000 hour lifetime claim. 

(Trial Ex. 301; Houser, ¶¶ 96-97.)

181. Trial Ex. 301 does not provide scientific or engineering data which

supports LOA’s 30,000 hour, or its later 20,000 hour lifetime claim on its Lifetime

Lamps. (Houser, ¶¶ 96-97.) As of the end of June 2009, LOA does not have a

reasonable basis to make lifetime claims of 30,000 hours for its Lifetime Lamps. 

(Houser, ¶¶ 96-97.)

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182. The next documents LOA cites as substantiation for its Lifetime claims

are Trial Exs. 290 and 291, which appear to be dated in or around the end of July

or August 2009. (Trial Exs. 290, 291.) It is unclear whether Trial Exs. 290 and

291 reflect data derived from actual tests. Further, the data appears to relate to

LED data – not that of integrated lamps. (Trial Exs. 290, 291; Houser, ¶ 98.)

183. LOA has not provided sufficient evidence that the information

contained in Trial Exs. 290 and 291 reflect measurements taken during a lumen

depreciation test, that the items tested were either its LED Lamps or LEDs used in

its lamps, or that the data directly relates to products it produced. Given these

deficiencies, Trial Exs. 290 and 291 do not provide scientific or engineering data

which supports LOA’s 30,000 hour, or its later 20,000 hour lifetime claim for any

of its Lifetime Lamps. (Trial Exs. 290, 291; Houser, ¶ 98.)

184. The next document LOA cites as substantiation for its Lifetime claims

is dated August 5, 2009 and is titled Unity Lights of America PAR38 Bulb Testing

Report. (Trial Ex. 144.) Since Trial Ex. 144 reflects tests conducted on only one

of the LED lamp types produced by LOA, it cannot constitute adequate

substantiation for all of LOA’s Lifetime Lamps. (Houser, ¶ 109; Oct. 31 Trial Tr.

(Houser) 53:16-54:23.)

185. LOA received this test data around the same time as its employees

were discussing a reduction of the lifetime claim to 20,000 hours. (Trial Ex. 144;

Stipulated Fact 30.)

186. Trial Ex. 144 contains test data from 1,104 hours of lumen

depreciation testing performed on two versions of LOA’s PAR 38 LED lamp – one

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which incorporated Unity’s “A series” LEDs and the other which incorporated

Unity’s “T series” LEDs. However, the tests were performed at 18mA drive

current, but LOA operated its LED Lamps at 20mA. (Trial Ex. 144; Taj ¶ 65;

Houser, ¶¶ 94-95.)

187. The amount of lumen depreciation that occurred within the time period

of tested (1,104 hours) does not support either LOA’s 30,000 hour or its upcoming

20,000 hour lifetime claim for any of LOA’s PAR 38 LED lamps. Further, these

tests cannot constitute substantiation for other lamp types included in the Lifetime

Lamps. (Trial Ex. 144; Houser, ¶¶ 94-95, 109; Oct. 31 Trial Tr. (Houser) 53:16-

54:23.)

188. Shortly after receipt of Trial Ex. 144, LOA’s employees received

information from Unity, which was identified in an email sent by Taj, dated

August 9, 2009. (Trial Ex. 292.) In Trial Ex. 292, Taj states that Unity “simulated

our Par 38 environment to extrapolate the following results.” Taj then lists three

pieces of data which apply to 5mm LEDs. Those data indicate that L70 was reached

at 10,000 hours. (Trial Ex. 292.)

189. The data Taj conveyed in Trial Ex. 292 contradicts LOA’s lifetime

claims of 30,000 and 20,000 hours. (Trial Ex. 292.) 

190. LOA claims tests on its PAR 38 lamps represent the worst conditions

or environment of its Lifetime Lamps. However, test data on this one lamp type

cannot constitute adequate substantiation for the other lamp types in the Lifetime

Lamps. Moreover, even if the data could be extended to other lamp types, it does

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not support either LOA’s 30,000 or 20,000 hour lifetime claims. (Trial Ex. 292;

Houser, ¶ 109.)

191. It was not until late 2009 that LOA began to run lumen maintenance

tests on its LED Lamps (internally or through a third-party laboratory). In late

2009, LOA began to send its LED Lamps to a third party laboratory (OnSpex) for

LM-80 lumen depreciation tests. Prior to November 2009, LOA had not sent its

LED Lamps to a laboratory for lumen depreciation tests. (Vasquez, ¶ 10; Oct. 31

Trial Tr. (Vasquez) 153:25-154:3.)

192. After LOA reduced its lifetime claims to 20,000 hours, it received

lumen depreciation test reports from OnSpex. (Trial Ex. 294.)

193. The OnSpex tests were conducted on two of the Lifetime Lamps: 

2025LEDE12-30K and 2026LED-30K. The test reports indicate that these lamps

were operated using 16mA, rather than the 20mA Taj identified as the current

driving LOA’s LED Lamps. (Trial Ex. 294; Taj ¶ 65; Houser,¶ 100.)

194. Tests conducted at a drive current different than that actually used in

LOA’s Lifetime Lamps cannot be used to support claims on lamps whose

operating conditions – drive current – were different from those tested. (Houser, ¶

100.) This is particularly so where the drive current is less than actual operating

conditions.

195. The data presented in Trial Ex. 294 is limited. Because the test period

for these two lamps was only 1,008 hours, one cannot draw any reasonable

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conclusions as to whether these two lamps will meet LOA’s 20,000 hour lifetime

claim. (Id.)

196. Regardless of whether conclusions can be drawn on the two lamps

tested, the data in Trial Ex. 294 cannot be used to support claims on Lifetime

Lamps other than the two models tested (2025LEDE12-30K and 2026LED-30K). 

Even then, the data does not replicate the conditions actually experienced in the

two models tested so it does not constitute adequate substantiation for those two

models either. (Id.; Oct. 31 Trial Tr. (Houser) 53:16-54:23.)

197. In November 2009, Halliwell received a report from Unity entitled

“LED Burn-in and Life Extrapolation Summary.” (Halliwell, ¶ 180; Trial Ex.

287.) For the Par38, one of the tables that states at 66.2 deg C, the L70 time is

30,000 hours and the L50 time is 110,000 hours. (Trial Ex. 287, p. 9). While Dr.

Houser validated the model used (Oct. 31 Trial Tr. 52-53), he provided a specific

critique of the report in his written testimony. (Houser, ¶ 99.) First, the analysis

was based on only 2,200 hours of measured data. (Id.) Second, the measured data

show a much sharper decline than the extrapolated portion of the analysis. For

example, after 2,000 hours 25 % of the lumens had been lost. (Oct. 31 Trial Tr.

23.) Given this discrepancy, he did not believe that the overall conclusion with

regard to L50 and L70 for single bulb being analyzed supported a 20,000 hour

lifetime claim. (Id.) He found that the curve fitting work to create the

extrapolations beyond the measured data “quite poor [with respect] to the real

data,” causing him to conclude that the extrapolated curves seemed “[v]isually . . .

implausible.”7

 (Id.) While the report might have provided Halliwell a subjective

7

The Court gives little weight to the fact that Dr. Houser had done no research in

extrapolation. ( LOAFF, ¶ 403.) Presentation of empirical data and drawing conclusions

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basis for believing in the conclusions, they do not constitute objective scientific

substantiation. 

198. LOA lacked a reasonable basis to make 20,000 hour lifetime claims on

its Lifetime Lamps even as of February 2010. (Id.)

199. None of the documents identified above support any of LOA’s lifetime

claims (30,000 hours, 20,0000 hours, or 12,000-15,000 hours) for the Lifetime

Lamps. (Houser, ¶¶ 80-100.)

200. Generally, the data LOA relies upon as its substantiation for the

lifetime claims is inadequate for a variety of reasons, including: most of the data

represents tests conducted only on the LEDS, not the integrated LED Lamps; LOA

does not rely on test data for each of the models of LED Lamps it produced; the

tests were not run long enough to provide reliable, long-term data; and the test data

for both LEDs and certain integrated LED Lamps consistently indicates lifetimes

of no more than a few thousand hours. (Houser, ¶¶ 17-24, 101-109.)

201. Many of these problems were things LOA’s engineers knew about. 

For example, Chingez Tarar, a research and design engineer at LOA, knew of the

importance of testing the integrated LED lamp. He also recognized that not only

should one study the LED itself, but one should then study how the LED behaves

in the device. (Oct. 31 Trial Tr. (Taj) 96:22-97:2, 142:17-143:18.) 

202. Tarar also noted that LOA should have test reports to support its claims

from the LED supplier. In order to do that, the LED supplier should have test

therefrom is part of the work of any scientist.

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reports from a “third party laboratory” that “correlate with the claims being made

by the vendor to LOA and LOA to the consumer.” (Trial Ex. 304, p. 2.)

203. Ultimately, Tarar concluded LOA’s 30,000 hour lifetime claim was

unsubstantiated. (Trial Ex. 158.)

204. The documents which LOA identified, listed in paragraph 151, show

that LOA could not reasonably make lifetime claims for the Lifetime Lamps in

excess of 10,000 hours. (Houser, ¶¶ 17-24, 80-109.)

205. The findings in paragraphs 153-200 above show that LOA did not have

engineering or scientific data to sufficiently support its lifetime claims, or any

lifetime claims higher than 10,000 hours, at any point in time.

206. LOA points to the fact that Dr. Houser acknowledged that by 2009,

5mm LED manufacturers were routinely quoting lifetimes for 5mm LEDs of

50,000 hours. (LOAFF, ¶ 419, citing Oct. 30 Trial Tr. 149:14-18.) This is not

scientific evidence to support LOA’s claim for its own LEDs. LOA also points to

a 2005 ASSIST report claiming that at three hours per day, LEDs would last

100,000 hours. (LOAFF, ¶ 410, citing Ex. 146.) Apart from the methodological

problems which Dr. Houser pointed out ( Oct. 30 Trial Tr. 161-162),8

 the report

does not speak to LOA’s LEDs. 

207. LOA lacked a reasonable basis for all the Lifetime claims it made on

the Lifetime Lamps.

8

He characterized the methodology as using a “strawman” to reach its conclusions. (Oct.

30 Trial Tr. 161-162.)

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E. LOA’s Lifetime Claims Were Also False.

208. LOA’s substantiation does not support its 30,000 or 20,000 hour

lifetime claims. Rather, the documents and data LOA relies upon show that none

of the LEDs or Lifetime Lamps tested would last beyond a few thousand hours. 

(Houser, ¶¶ 80-109.)

209. The documents which LOA identified, listed in paragraph 151, also

show that LOA’s Lifetime claims on its Lifetime Lamps were false.

1. LOA’s Internal Lumen Depreciation Tests.

210. LOA conducted a series of lumen depreciation tests through its Quality

Control department starting in late 2009. (Vasquez, ¶ 11.)

211. Enrique Vasquez (“Vasquez”) is the LOA employee who was in

charge of the Quality Control department at that time. Vasquez also supervised the

lumen depreciation tests other members of his department conducted on the

Lifetime Lamps. (Vasquez, ¶¶ 5, 11.)

212. LOA conducted its own lumen depreciation tests on the following

lamps from October 2009 to April 2010:

a. 2001LEDE26

b. 2002LEDR30-65K

c. 2003LEDP38-65K

d. 2004LEDDL

e. 2025LEDE12-30K A SERIES

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f. 2025LEDE12-65K CHINA A SERIES

g. 2026LED-65K Low Current A-Series

h. 2026LED-65K

I. 2026LED-30K

j. 2035LED-30K

k. 2025LED-65K LOW CURRENT

(Trial Exs. 520-29, 530-37; Vasquez, ¶ 12 (authenticating tests); Oct. 31 Trial Tr.

(Vasquez) 175:25-178:16.)

213. LOA conducted its internal tests for a minimum of 672 hours, and a

maximum of 6,888 hours. (Trial Exs. 520-537; Houser, ¶ 115.)

214. LOA’s internal tests show that for each of the lamps tested, the end of

useful life (defined as L70) was reached as of:

a. 2001LEDE26: 400-500 hours

b. 2002LEDR30-65K: 475-575 hours

c. 2003LEDP38-65K: 300-600 hours

d. 2004LEDDL: 825-950 hours

e. 2025LEDE12-30K A SERIES: 2000-2450 hours 

f. 2025LEDE12-65K CHINA A SERIES: 175-1400 hours

g. 2025LED-65K (low current 0.56mf Cap): 1900-2900 hours

h. 2026LED-30K (low current A Series): 2100-2300 hours 

I. 2026LED-65K Low Current A-Series: 1100-2900 hours

j. 2026LED-65K: 250-1025 hours

k. 2035LED-30K: 2850-3075 hours

(Trial Exs. 520-29, 530-37; Houser, ¶¶ 111.)

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215. None of the lamps tested by LOA maintained lumen output above L70

during the period tested. All had reached the end of life under L70 during the less

than 7,000 hours of testing. (Houser, ¶¶ 110-123.)

216. The two best-performing lamps had lost 45 % of their original lumen

output by the end of the 6,888 hour test period. The maximum lifetime for any of

the lamps LOA tested was 3,075 hours (2035LED-30K). (Trial Exs. 513-15, 520-

29, 530-37; Houser, ¶¶ 111, 115.)

217. Although LOA claims it made continual improvements in its LED

Lamps’ designs over time, those improvements did not result in an increase in the

lamps’ lifetime. (Trial Exs. 513-15, 520-29, 530-37; Houser, ¶¶ 110-123)

218. LOA’s internal tests show that any lifetime claims above a few

thousand hours for its Lifetime Lamps were false. (Houser, ¶¶ 110-123.)

2. Lumen Depreciation Tests Conducted by the Department of

 Energy.

219. In addition to LOA’s internal tests, several of its Lifetime Lamps were

tested through the Department of Energy (“DOE”) . (Trial Exs. 15, 16, 513-15)

220. DOE tested certain LOA LED Lamps through its CALiPER program

prior to the filing of this action. (Trial Exs. 15, 16, 513-15) CALiPER is an

acronym for Commercially Available LED Product Evaluation and Reporting

Program. (Stipulated Fact 33.)

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221. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (“PNNL”), which did the

Round 6 DOE CALiPER tests on LOA products, purchased the LOA products that

were tested from Wal-Mart on July 29, 2008. (Stipulated Fact 34; PNNL Depo.

(Paget) 128:20-129:4.) PNNL is operated by Battelle and is a contractor of the

DOE. (Stipulated Fact 35.) 

222. James Brodrick is the DOE person who oversaw PNNL’s activities in

connection with the CALiPER program. (Stipulated Fact 36.)

223. The DOE CALiPER program conducted lumen depreciation tests on

ten samples each of LOA LED Lamp models 2002LEDR30-65K, 2003LEDP38-

65K, and 2025 LEDE12-30K. (Trial Exs. 15-16, 513-15; Paget Depo. 146:23-

147:8; Houser, ¶ 118.)

224. The CALiPER tests are sufficiently reliable to constitute evidence of

the falsity of LOA’s lifetime claims in this case. The CALiPER reports are

indicative of a product’s performance. (Trial Exs. 16, 513-15; PNNL Depo.

(Paget) 29:3-16; Houser,¶¶ 117-123.)

225. The CALiPER tests on these lamps show that none of the tested lamps’

lifetimes exceeded 375 hours under L70, or 600 hours under L50. (Trial Exs. 513-

15; Houser, ¶ 117.)

226. DOE sent a copy of the CALiPER test report, containing the results of

lumen depreciation tests run on three of LOA’s LED Lamps, to Usman Vakil in or

about September 2009. (Trial Ex. 580-LOA Resp. Int. No. 13.)

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227. The CALiPER tests show that LOA’s lifetime claims of 30,000 hours

on its LED Lamp models 2002LEDR30-65K, 2003LEDP38-65K, and

2025LEDE12-30K were false. (Trial Exs. 16, 513-15; Houser, ¶¶ 117-123.)

228. After receiving these results, Farooq Vakil sent a letter to the DOE in

late September and requested that it re-test LOA’s LED Lamps. In October 2009,

the CALiPER program acquired another ten samples of each of the lamps it

previously tested. (Trial Exs. 16, 27, 79.)

229. In addition to the continuous burn lumen depreciation tests conducted

in August 2009 and reported in the CALiPER September 2009 report, the

CALiPER program also acceded to LOA’s request to test its lamps’ lumen

depreciation using a rapid cycle test. The different tests, however, did not result in

different outcomes for LOA’s lamps:

a. 2002LEDR30-65K: the average lumen depreciation was greater

than 50% in under 800 hours when operated continuously, and

greater than 30% when cycled on and off;

b. 2003LEDP38-65K: the average lumen depreciation was greater

than 50% in under 800 hours when operated continuously, and

greater than 40% when cycled on and off; and

c. 2025LEDE12-65K: the average lumen depreciation was greater

than 50% in under 600 hours when operated continuously and

when cycled on and off.

(Trial Ex. 16, Figure 4.14.)

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230. The CALiPER re-test report stated: “[w]hether operated continuously

or in cycles, none of these lamps came close to achieving its advertised lifetime of

30,000 hours.” (Trial Ex. 16 at 4.22.)

231. The Court notes the limitations on the CALiPER reports to which Dr.

Houser agreed. (E.g., Ex. 55; Oct. 30 Trial Tr. (Houser) 153:4-9.) Dr. Houser

used the data as a “component” of his work along with “a lot of internal Lights of

America tests.” (Oct. 30 Trial Tr. (Houser) 154:18-23.) Moreover, given that

LOA acted on the basis of the reports, as noted below, they clearly have

evidentiary value supporting a finding that LOA’s Lifetime claims were false.

232. LOA sent five samples of the same models for third party testing at the

same time as the CALiPER tests. The tests conducted by the third party

laboratory, OnSpex, do not show more promising results for LOA’s lamps.

a. R30-6500K (LOA model number 2002LEDR30-65K): every

sample tested showed lumen depreciation greater than 50% in less

than 672 hours;

b. PAR38 6500K (LOA model number 2003LEDP38-65K): every

sample tested showed lumen depreciation greater than 50% in less

than 672 hours;

c. 1.5 Watt Candlabra (LOA model number 2025LEDE12-65K):

every sample tested except one showed lumen depreciation greater

than 30% in less than 1008 hours. Only one sample tested showed

lumen depreciation greater than 25% in 1008 hours.

(Trial Exs. 576-578.)

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233. After LOA lowered its lifetime claims to 20,000 hours, the CALiPER

program tested three of LOA’s lamps. Specifically, in August 2010, the CALiPER

program tested LOA LED Lamps: 2001LEDE26-65K, 2002LEDP30-65K, and

2025LED-65K. The test results for these three lamps show the same patterns as

prior tests – none of them could meet a 20,000 hour lifetime claim. The results

indicated:

a. 2001LEDE26-65K: average lumen depreciation was 28% after

1000 hours;

b. 2002LEDP30-65K: average lumen depreciation was 88% after

1000 hours;

c. 2025LED-65K: average lumen depreciation was 58% after 1000

hours.

(Trial Exs. 517-519.)

234. The only Lifetime Lamps that were not the subject of lumen

depreciation tests conducted by either LOA or through the CALiPER program

were the following models: 2001LED53-IN-65K, 2001LED53-OUT-65K,

2025LED-30K, and 2025TLEDE12-30K.

F. LOA Received Consumer Complaints About Both of the Claims

at Issue.

235. LOA received complaints from consumers who purchased numerous

LOA LED Lamps. (LOA Answer ¶ 32.)

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236. LOA used a database named Bridge Track Consumer Communications

to track consumer complaints about its products starting in March 2009. (Trial Ex.

580-LOA Resp. Rog. No. 12.)

237. LOA produced portions of its Bridge Track Consumer

Communications database reflecting consumer complaints about its LED Lamps to

the FTC. Those excerpts from LOA’s Bridge Track database are contained in Trial

Exs. 538 and 539.

238. LOA’s Bridge Track database included a field where the consumer or

LOA could note the product number that was related to the consumer’s feedback. 

(Trial Exs. 538 and 539.)

239. In total, Trial Exs. 538 and 539 contain approximately 1913 different

consumer communications about LOA’s products. Of that number, 1087 entries

(57 %) contain consumer complaints about the lifetime of LOA’s LED Lamps. 

(Burton, ¶¶ 8-9.)

240. In 2008, LOA received numerous consumer complaints about LOA’s

LED Lamps not lasting as long as advertised. (E.g., Trial Ex. 183.)

241. The complaints persisted in 2009. In August of that year, Duane Shore

and Joan Munoz (LOA’s Director of Personnel and Operations) took a large stack

of consumer complaints about LOA’s products to Farooq Vakil. (Trial Exs.165-

66, 185-86, 189-90, 194, 232, 254.)

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III. LOA Violated Section 5(a) of the FTC Act.

242. Defendants are aware of the importance of light output and lifetime

claims on product packaging for light bulbs. (LOA Answer ¶ 85)

243. LOA did not have adequate substantiation for its Replaces Watts or

lifetime claims, which were both specific, numeric claims that require scientific

data. 

244. LOA’s Replaces Watts and Lifetime claims were false.

IV. Usman and Farooq Vakil Had the Authority to Control and Sufficient

Knowledge of LOA’s Deceptive and False Claims.

A. The Vakil’s Authority to Control.

245. Usman Vakil was responsible for the day-to-day operations of LOA. 

(U. Vakil Depo. 237:1-3; Nov. 2 Trial Tr. (U. Vakil) 40:4-7.)

246. Usman Vakil set the basic policy at LOA to “substantiate everything.” 

(U. Vakil Depo. 73:23-74:2; U. Vakil,¶ 23; Nov. 2 Trial Tr. (U. Vakil) 40:8-22.)

247. Usman Vakil states he made the decision for LOA to enter into the

LED business. (U. Vakil, ¶ 16.)

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248. Farooq Vakil worked at LOA at all relevant times. He retained his

executive title and oversight of numerous departments at LOA even though he only

worked part-time. (F. Vakil, ¶¶ 7, 9.) 

249. LOA’s organizational chart shows two positions at the top of all

departments: the President and the Executive Vice President. The two individuals

who hold those positions are Usman Vakil, and Farooq Vakil, respectively. All

other LOA employees report to one of the Vakils. (Trial Ex. 244.)

250. Usman Vakil conceded that as LOA’s chief executive, he “certainly

did” get involved with significant issues at the company. He further admitted that

he considered “the issue of substantiation of the company’s product claims to be a

significant issue.” (Nov. 2 Trial Tr. (U. Vakil) 50:20-51:9.)

251. The Vakils had the authority to control any employee at LOA. Farooq

Vakil admitted that unless Usman Vakil directed him otherwise, there were no

limitations on his ability to tell any LOA employees what to do. (Trial Ex. 244; U.

Vakil Depo. 57:14-58:13; Halliwell Depo. 53:9-25; Nov. 2 Trial Tr. (F. Vakil)

149:23-150:18.)

252. As the individuals at the top of all management chains and sole owners

of the company, nobody had greater authority to control LOA’s activities than

Usman and Farooq Vakil.

B. Usman Vakil Knew or Was Recklessly Indifferent to the Nature of 

LOA’s Representations.

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253. Usman Vakil was at LOA’s Walnut, California facility almost every

work day and made daily rounds of the manufacturing operations at the facility. 

Specifically, he would “go on rounds to see the manufacturing, look at everything,

what people are doing” and sometimes he would tell his managers “what is

required.” In addition to his rounds, he maintained an “open door” policy that

allowed employees to communicate freely with him. (U. Vakil Depo. 47:24-48:18,

49:8-14, 51:2-15.)

254. Usman Vakil testified that as LOA’s chief executive, he “certainly did”

get involved with significant issues at the company. He further admitted that he

considered “the issue of substantiation of the company’s product claims to be a

significant issue.” However, he denies any involvement prior to August 2009. 

(Nov. 2 Trial Tr. (U. Vakil) 50:20-51:9; U. Vakil, ¶¶ 26-29, 38.)

255. Usman Vakil was actively involved in LOA’s LED Lamp business. 

According to Halliwell, both Usman Vakil and Farooq Vakil were involved in

LOA’s LED business. Both Usman and Farooq Vakil participated in meetings

with LOA’s employees about its LED Lamps. (Halliwell Depo. 186:25-187:19,

364:5-13.)

256. In fact, when asked who was involved with LOA’s LED lamp products

prior to August 2009, Farooq Vakil stated Usman Vakil along with LOA’s LED

Lamp engineers. In addition, his brother stated that Usman Vakil is “very involved

in every little facet” even when, according to Farooq Vakil, Usman Vakil has

qualified people around him. (Nov. 2 Trial Tr. (F. Vakil) 120:10-13; F. Vakil

Depo. 166:3-12.)

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257. According to Farooq Vakil, Usman Vakil “is a manufacturing person.” 

Moreover, he is “not a detailed person” and his approach when there is an issue is

to tell employees “fix it.” (F. Vakil Depo. 64:5-9, 64:18-65:3.)

258. In about 2007, Usman Vakil discussed with Halliwell and Taj, the head

of research for LOA’s engineering department, producing and selling LED lamps

at LOA. (U. Vakil, ¶ 19.)

259. Based on his discussions with Halliwell and Taj, Usman Vakil made

the decision for LOA to enter the LED lamp manufacturing business. (U. Vakil, ¶¶

16, 19.)

260. When LOA first entered the LED lamp market Usman Vakil looked at

competitor products and surveyed those products at retail stores. (U. Vakil Depo.

85:14-86:4.)

261. When setting prices for LOA’s LED Lamps, Usman Vakil compared

LOA’s products to competitors Feit and TCP, who were making the same lifetime

claims as LOA “putting down in some cases 30,000, 50,000, 100,000 hours.” In

fact, as Halliwell testified, Usman Vakil and he discussed so many products that

“we would be here a long time if I was to reference every product I’ve ever

referenced to Usman.” (U. Vakil Depo. 131:21-132:5, 133:7-10; Halliwell Depo.

114:4-10.)

262. Usman Vakil set the LED Lamps prices at the introduction of the

lamps into the commercial market and thereafter at routine quarterly meetings with

Halliwell. Ultimately, decisions about LOA’s LED products’ net pricing was

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entirely up to Usman Vakil. (U. Vakil Depo. 135:12-136:7; Halliwell Depo.

79:20-24, 80:5-81:4, 81:21-83:17, 85:1-10, 85:23-86:22.)

263. In setting prices for LOA’s LED Lamps, Usman Vakil made “watt to

watt” and “lifetime to lifetime” claim comparisons” between LOA’s and

competitors’ products. (U. Vakil Depo. 131:21-132:5, 133:2-10; Halliwell Depo.

110:1-4, 110:14-111:10, 111:19-113:21; Nov. 2 Trial Tr. (U. Vakil) 38:2-40:3.)

264. If there was an issue regarding an important customer such as Costco,

it would be discussed with Usman Vakil. In fact, regarding sales issues generally,

Usman Vakil would meet with Halliwell about once a week. (Halliwell Depo.

25:23-26:8; Oct. 31 Trial Tr. (Taj) 119:11-120:13.)

265. Usman Vakil used his daily rounds to discuss LOA’s problems with

his employees. (U. Vakil Depo. 236:12-14) Usman Vakil likely saw that

packaging as he made his rounds through LOA each day. 

266. Taj spoke with Usman Vakil almost every day at LOA. In those

conversations, Taj and Usman Vakil spoke about subjects such as LEDs, design,

thermal management, and engineering matters, and the testing of Unity’s LEDs. 

(Oct. 31 Trial Tr. (Taj) 117:12-118:17, 121:16-18.)

267. Taj discussed engineering problems related to LOA LED Lamps with

Usman Vakil, including technical engineering and design questions, the pricing or

the performance of the LEDs, and the reports, if they were negative. Based on the

evidence, the Court finds that Usman Vakil saw that packaging as he made his

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rounds through LOA each day. (Oct. 31 Trial Tr. (Taj) 117:12-118:17, 121:16-

18.) 

268. Taj discussed with Usman Vakil specific engineering decisions related

to LOA’s LED lamps such as thermal management and the size or shape of the

bulb. (Oct. 31 Trial Tr. (Taj) 118:2-17.)

269. Usman Vakil participated in certain meetings with Unity, one of

LOA’s LED suppliers. Usman Vakil also set up a meeting with another LED

supplier, Nichia, in July 2008. (Oct. 31 Trial Tr. (Taj) 121:19-21, 139:6-11; Trial

Exs. 133, 129.)

270. According to Taj, someone would have discussed with Usman Vakil

the need for LOA to conduct a complete redesign of a product it sold to Costco to

address concerns about LOA’s LED lamps burning out prematurely. (Oct. 31 Trial

Tr. (Taj) 120:14-121:15.) 

271. In fact, in 2008, LOA undertook such a redesign of one of its LED

lamps that it sold to Costco to address concerns about LOA’s LED lamps burning

out prematurely. (Trial Ex. 141.)

272. Usman Vakil received approximately ten to fifteen internal emails a

day, and he testified that he at least read the text of emails that contained test data. 

(U. Vakil Depo. 53:9-11, 152:3-8.)

273. Usman Vakil received a variety of important documents about LOA’s

LED Lamps over email, such as product brochures, test reports on components

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used in LOA’s LED Lamps, test reports on selected LED Lamps, retailer

complaints about LOA’s LED Lamps, and reports of LOA Shanghai failing a

factory audit conducted by Home Depot. (Trial Exs. 140, 143, 153, 154, 231, 236,

237, 274, 500, 501, 502, 506.)

274. Usman Vakil also received emails from LOA Shanghai about how to

maintain a sufficient supply of LEDs so they could increase production. (Trial Ex.

236.)

275. Between October and December 2008, Usman Vakil received emails

and became informed of the need for lumen maintenance testing for LOA’s LED

Lamps. Even before that, as early as September 2007, Usman Vakil received

information about Energy Star’s program requirements for solid state luminaires, a

category that includes LED lamps. (Trial Exs. 160, 199, 237, 274, 283, 506.)

276. At least as early as December 2008, Usman Vakil was aware that LOA

decided not to perform lifetime testing even though it was selling its LED Lamps

in packaging that contained lifetime claims. (Trial Exs. 237 and 506.)

277. That same month, LOA’s employees informed Usman Vakil that LOA

would only perform lifetime testing “once we are satisfied with the production

quality to have reports on record. [sic]” (Trial Ex. 506.)

278. Usman Vakil never intervened to ensure that appropriate tests were

obtained on LOA’s LED Lamps. Nor did Usman Vakil take action to halt LOA’s

claims even after receiving test reports that showed both that LOA’s Lifetime

claims were not substantiated and that they were false.

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279. Specifically, in December 2008, Usman Vakil received test results

related to the performance of four of LOA’s integrated LED Lamps. Those tests

showed all of the lamps had reached the end of their useful lives (under L70) within

the 961 hour test period. This data not only shows LOA’s 30,000 hour lifetime

claim was not supported, but also that it was false. Usman Vakil testified that he

did not pay any attention to this report: “I did not go through these details.” (Trial

Ex. 140; Houser, ¶¶ 91-92; Nov. 1 Trial Tr. (U. Vakil) 179:17-181:21.)

280. As a lighting engineer, Usman Vakil knew or should have known how

to read and interpret the test data he received. At a minimum, he admits that he

understood the meaning of a “lumen intensity decay graph.” In addition, in

October 2008, Halliwell sent an email to Usman Vakil stating that a 25,000 hour

lifetime claim would require maintaining 91% of initial light output at 6,000 hours,

and a 35,000 lifetime claim would require maintaining 94% of light output at 6,000

hours. (U. Vakil Depo. 152:22-24; Trial Ex. 274.)

281. Nevertheless, Usman Vakil continued to ignore the data presented to

him. In February 2009, he received emails claiming Unity had improved its LEDs

– ones that LOA was about to purchase for its LED Lamps. However, the test

results attached to this email show that Unity’s LED life (under L70) was less than

10,000 hours when driven at the current found in LOA’s LED Lamps. Rather than

support LOA’s lifetime claims, these tests also show LOA’s claims were false. 

(Trial Ex. 143.)

282. In about July 2009, Usman Vakil directed that replacement language

be remove from LOA packaging after he received test reports from DOE on several

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of LOA’s LED Lamps which called into serious question the veracity of LOA’s

claims on its LED Lamps. (U. Vakil, ¶ 38.)

283. The first communication from DOE to Usman Vakil arrived in

September 2008. In that package, Usman Vakil received a report from DOE’s

CALiPER program on four of LOA’s LED Lamp models (2001LED53OUT-65K,

2025LEDE12-65K, 2004LEDDL-35K, and 2003LEDP38-65K), in which the

claims LOA made on some of its LED Lamps were identified. The report also

included pictures of the packaging used for each of the models tested. (Trial Exs.

51-54, 503.)

284. Usman Vakil responded to the CALiPER report by sending a letter to

the DOE on September 25, 2008. (Trial Exs. 71, 504.)

285. A year later, in September 2009, the DOE sent Usman Vakil a letter

with CALiPER test reports that showed lumen depreciation of 70 % and greater for

three of LOA’s LED Lamps. Specifically, the CALiPER reports indicated lumen

depreciation of approximately 90 % for model 2025LEDE12-30K, 78 % for model

2003LEDP38-65K, and 70 % for model 2002LEDR-65K. (LOA Answer ¶ 64;

Trial Exs. 513-15.)

286. While the 2008 and 2009 DOE reports for a limited number of LED

Lamps cannot necessarily be extended to all LOA LED Lamps, they do contrast

with LOA’s absence of any full product line data.

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287. In December 2009, Halliwell informed Usman Vakil that, based on

tests conducted by OnSpex on LOA’s LED Lamps, “all 5mm lamps cannot have a

rated life above 1000 hours.” (Trial Ex. 148.)

288. Usman Vakil knew about LOA’s Lifetime claims and the basis for

those claims, which all showed that LOA lacked a reasonable basis to make all of

its Lifetime claims and that the claims were false.

289. Moreover, to the extent Usman Vakil claims that he never read the

attachments which accompanied such a small number of daily emails, the Court is

skeptical. Moreover, if believed, he acted with reckless indifference to the truth or

falsity of LOA’s claims.

290. Usman Vakil failed to implement any procedures by which he could

ensure that his employees followed his edict to “substantiate everything.” At trial,

he conceded that the only steps he took to ensure product claims were substantiated

was just to ask LOA’s engineers. He did not ask for documents to substantiate

LOA’s claims in the end of 2009. (Nov. 2 Trial Tr. (U. Vakil) 40:8-22, 51:10-

52:4.)

291. Usman Vakil took no action in response to reports about both the poor

quality of LED lamps produced in LOA Shanghai and a failed factory audit of that

facility.

292. The President of LOA Shanghai, Kamran Mirza (“Mirza”), discussed

LOA Shanghai’s operations with Usman Vakil. (Mirza Depo. 73:22-24.)

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293. Usman Vakil also had a live video feed to the LOA Shanghai plant in

his office. (U. Vakil Depo. 184: 21-185:5; Nov. 1 Trial Tr. (U. Vakil) 174:23-25.) 

294. Mirza and Usman Vakil received reports evidencing the poor quality of

production of the LED Lamps at LOA Shanghai. (Trial Exs. 149, 153, 231, 500.)

295. One of those reports came from one of its largest retailers – Costco. 

Usman Vakil received an email in December 2008 wherein various LOA and

Costco employees discussed the problems a Costco inspector found at LOA’s

Shanghai factory where, at that time, all of LOA’s LED Lamps were manufactured. 

Those problems continued when Costco returned to re-inspect LOA Shanghai. 

(Trial Exs. 149, 230, 231.)

296. The problems with LOA Shanghai’s manufacturing operations were so

bad that Mirza stated in May 2009: “I think we should not be in LED business

because the way we are running the production is not suitable for LED operation.” 

Mirza went on to state that LOA Shanghai had “no clean room to produce LED

product,” that conditions in the plant were “like freeway one side next to

production line and other side trash dumping area. You name it every thing that

makes LED’s bad we have.” (Trial Ex. 150; Mirza Depo. 79:13-80:24.)

297. In November 2009, Usman Vakil was informed that LOA Shanghai

had badly failed a Home Depot audit and Home Depot’s “LED program is on

hold.” (Trial Ex. 153.)

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298. The quality control problems at LOA Shanghai caused LOA to cease

almost all LED Lamp production at LOA Shanghai in late 2009. (U. Vakil Depo.

185:20-24, 186:7-17.)

299. Usman Vakil knew about quality control issues at LOA’s Shanghai

facility. Nevertheless, he failed to take any actions to ensure the quality control

problems did not result in false or deceptive claims on LOA’s LED Lamp

packaging. (U. Vakil Depo. 183:24-184:6.)

300. At no point prior to July 2009 did Usman Vakil take any actions to

ensure that LOA had substantiation for the claims it made about its LED Lamps, or

to remove claims from LOA’s LED Lamp packaging.

301. Within six months of the date LOA first began to sell its LED Lamps,

Usman Vakil received an email containing complaints from one of LOA’s largest

customers – Costco. He also received a copy of a complaint a consumer filed

through LOA’s web site to obtain a refund or replacement for the seven LED

Lamps the consumer purchased that failed. (Trial Exs. 253, 279.)

302. The following spring, Usman Vakil received emails containing more

complaints from some of LOA’s other largest customers – Sam’s Club and

Walmart. Many of those complained about LOA’s LED Lamps burning out early

or partially, sometimes within days. (Trial Exs. 166, 186, 190, 232.)

303. Finally, in July 2009, Usman Vakil admits that he learned about the

DOE’s concerns over LOA’s Replaces Watts claims. In response, Usman Vakil

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instructed LOA’s employees to remove the claim from all LED Lamp packaging. 

(U. Vakil, ¶ 38.)

304. By the summer and fall of 2009, Usman Vakil was also aware of and

approved over $1.5 million in refunds to Costco that Costco requested after

receiving a copy of the CALiPER report that tested some of LOA’s products. 

Some of the lamps tested were sold to and through Costco. (Trial Ex. 650-U. Vakil

Resp. Int. No. 23; Halliwell, ¶¶ 205-07.)

305. From at least July 2009, Usman Vakil was fully aware of both the

Replaces Watts and Lifetime claims LOA made on its LED Lamps’ packaging. 

(Trial Ex. 650-U. Vakil Resp. Int. No. 8.)

306. In addition, in August 2009, Usman Vakil was included in the email

discussions that took place among LOA employees regarding the basis for

reducing LOA’s lifetime claims from 30,000 hours to 20,000 hours. Those

discussions included what the new lifetime should be and the fact that dropping the

lifetime too low would be “detrimental to our current product placement.” They

also included Halliwell’s statements that LOA will “go with 20000 hrs until such

time we conduct and complete life testing at which point we will adjust our life

claims.” Thus, even the face of an admission that no tests had been performed,

Usman Vakil did not call for LOA to cease making its Lifetime claims. (Trial Exs.

145, 215.)

307. At about the same time, Usman Vakil received an email from Halliwell

in which he stated “we need all 5mm products on test as soon as possible.” Thus,

it appears that even after becoming aware of LOA’s misrepresentations, Usman

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Vakil allowed LOA to continue to make Lifetime claims for which it had no

supporting test data. (Trial Ex. 204.)

308. Following LOA Shanghai’s failed Home Depot factory inspection in

2009, Halliwell pressed Mirza to complete a response to the report so it could be

delivered to Home Depot’s buyer before a meeting Halliwell and Umsan Vakil had

scheduled with Home Depot. (Trial Ex. 152.)

309. In December 2009, Usman Vakil and Farooq Vakil continued to

receive customer comments about premature burn out of LOA’s LED Lamps from

retailers, such as Sam’s Club. (Trial Ex. 169.)

310. Into April 2010, Usman Vakil was informed that LOA was changing

the circuits on some of its 5 mm LED Lamps so it could achieve a life rating of

15,000 hours. However, no test data was attached to that email to show LOA had

obtained a reliable test result to show those LED Lamps could, in fact, achieve the

stated lifetime, nor did the sender of the email (Halliwell) indicate that such testing

was already in hand. (Trial Ex. 164.)

311. Usman Vakil admits he was aware of the lifetime claims LOA made on

its LED lamp packaging in July 2009 and thereafter. (Trial Ex. 650-U. Vakil Resp.

to Int. No. 8.)

312. Prior to July 2009, Usman Vakil was knew of or was at least recklessly

indifferent to the truth or falsity of LOA’s Replaces Watts and Lifetime claims. 

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313. In and after July 2009, Usman Vakil knew of LOA’s

misrepresentations in making the Replaces Watts claims. In and after August

2009, Usman Vakil knew about LOA’s Lifetime claims and the basis for those

claims, which all showed that LOA lacked a reasonable basis to make all of its

Lifetime claims and that the claims were false. 

314. The Court does not find credible the claim that Usman Vakil’s

management style insulated him from the misleading Replaces Watts claims and

the misleading and unsubstantiated Lifetime claims. (LOAFF, ¶¶ 497-506.) 

Given his involvement in the business, the Court does not believe that his reliance

on Halliwell and Taj insulated him from the problems which were occurring. (E.g.,

LOAFF, ¶¶ 508, 513, 514.) The above findings indicate that Usman Vakil was

receiving information that there were in fact problems with LOA’s claims and its

products. At a minium, Usman Vakil was reckless in not ensuring that the

problems were addressed and that false Replaces Watts and Lifetime claims were 

corrected.

C. Farooq Vakil Knew or Was Recklessly Indifferent to the Falsity of

 LOA’s Deceptive Claims.

315. Much of Farooq Vakil’s argument that he not personally liable stems

from a heart attack which he sustained in 1997. (LOAFF, ¶ 12.) To be sure

Halliwell’s duties expanded (id., ¶ 13), but Farooq continued to be involved in the

business, at first working 15 to 18 hours a week until late 2010 or early 2011, and

then 20-25 hours a week. (Id., ¶ 12.) As demonstrated below, he was far from an

absentee owner.

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316. Farooq Vakil was actively involved in LOA’s LED Lamp business. 

According to Halliwell, both Usman Vakil and Farooq Vakil are involved in

LOA’s LED business. Both Usman and Farooq Vakil participated in meetings

with LOA’s employees about its LED Lamps. (Halliwell Depo. 186:25-187:19,

364:5-13.)

317. In September 2008, Farooq Vakil directed an LOA employee to

discuss an extensive list of questions with Unity so LOA could be sure it was

getting a quality product from Unity. All of these questions were raised to prepare

for a meeting with Unity the following month. (Trial Exs. 132, 133; Nov. 2 Trial

Tr. (F. Vakil) 80:22-82:5.)

318. Prior to that meeting with Unity, Farooq Vakil sent an email describing

a meeting he had with Taj about the circuit design used in some of LOA’s LED

Lamps. Farooq Vakil’s instructions were to examine the circuit design to

determine whether it needed to be modified prior to product leaving LOA. (Trial

Ex. 135.) 

319. Farooq Vakil also received Unity’s power point presentation that it

intended to present during its meeting with LOA in October 2008. (Trial Ex. 136.) 

320. Following his meeting with Unity, Farooq Vakil contacted Unity’s

representative directly to request that Unity examine the performance of LOA’s

circuits and make recommendations. Farooq Vakil also received preliminary

lumen depreciation data from a test Unity had begun at LOA’s request. He later

received more data from Unity from that test, which is discussed more fully below. 

 (Trial Exs. 137, 139, 140.)

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321. Farooq Vakil’s claim that he was not involved in LOA’s LED business

during the period of time he was requesting reviews of technical items like LOA’s

LED circuit designs is not credible.

322. Farooq Vakil received a variety of important documents about LOA’s

LED Lamps over email, such as product brochures, test reports on components

used in LOA’s LED Lamps, test reports on selected LED Lamps, and retailer

complaints about LOA’s LED Lamps. (Trial Exs. 72, 74, 140, 165-166, 237, 283,

501.)

323. Specifically, as early as the fall of 2007, Farooq Vakil received LOA’s

LED Lamp brochures, in which LOA made lifetime claims, incandescent watt

comparison claims, and included pictures of the product packaging. (Trial Ex.

501.)

324. In addition, in October 2008, Farooq Vakil, like Usman Vakil, received

an email from Halliwell stating that a 25,000 hour lifetime claim would require

maintaining 91% of initial light output at 6,000 hours, and a 35,000 lifetime claim

would require maintaining 94% of light output at 6,000 hours. (Trial Ex. 274.)

325. Farooq Vakil was aware of the need for lifetime testing for LOA’s

LED Lamps at least by October 2008. Yet, at that time, Farooq Vakil was also

aware that LOA was not performing lifetime testing even though it was selling its

LED Lamps in packaging that contained lifetime claims. (Trial Exs. 199, 237,

283.)

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326. Then, in December 2008, Farooq Vakil received test results related to

the performance of LOA’s LED lamps, responded to the email he received and

forwarded the test results to Usman Vakil. Those tests showed that all four of

LOA’s LED Lamps tested had reached the end of their useful lives (under L70)

within the 961 hour test period. This data not only shows LOA’s 30,000 hour

lifetime claim was not supported, but also that it was false. (Trial Ex. 140; Houser 

¶¶ 91-92; Nov. 2 Trial Tr. (F. Vakil) 88:1-17.)

327. In September 2009, Farooq Vakil sent a letter to the DOE about

another negative CALiPER report that included tests run on some of LOA’s LED

products. In that letter, Farooq Vakil acknowledged the CALiPER test report that

LOA received in September 2008. This was part of his request for CALiPER to

test new production models, rather than those purchased off the shelf through the

CALiPER program. (Trial Exs. 72, 74.)

328. Farooq Vakil also knew LOA’s LED Lamps were not performing up to

their claims. In 2009, Farooq Vakil received complaints from the Walmart and

Sam’s Club buyers that LOA’s LED Lamps were failing prematurely, and well

before the 30,000 hours claimed. (Trial Exs. 165, 166.)

329. Prior to 2009, Farooq Vakil did not implement any procedures by

which he could ensure that his employees followed Usman Vakil’s edict to

“substantiate everything.” In fact, Halliwell, LOA’s only other executive, did not

know whether Usman and Farooq Vakil had put procedures into place to ensure

that LOA’s departments were supported both fiscally and with good personnel. 

(Halliwell Depo. 364:5-16.)

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330. Farooq Vakil had oversight of the Customer Service department, yet he

never implemented procedures by which the employees in that department would

inform him of the volume or type of complaints LOA was receiving from the

customers who purchased LOA’s products. Rather, his message to the head of

customer service is always the same, “Take care of it.” (F. Vakil Depo. 67:8-17;

Nov. 2 Trial Tr. (F. Vakil) 92:1-94:11.)

331. Nevertheless, LOA’s customer service representative, on at least one

occasion, took a large stack of consumer complaints about LOA’s products to

Farooq Vakil. (Nov. 2 Trial Tr. (F. Vakil) 108:14-109:17.)

332. Similarly, Farooq Vakil had oversight of the accounting department,

yet he never implemented procedures by which the employees of that department

would inform him of the amount or number of returns, warranty claims, or trends

in retailer purchases of LOA’s LED products. (Trial Ex. 244.)

333. In continuing to rely on Halliwell’s ability to properly substantiate and

make accurate claims on LOA’s LED Lamps after receipt of data calling the

veracity of LOA’s claims into question constitutes reckless indifference to the truth

or falsity of LOA’s claims.

334. In 2009, Farooq Vakil became very involved in LOA’s LED lamp

business. 

335. Halliwell requested that Usman and Farooq Vakil confer about a

variety of quality control procedures and processes, which included some LED

products. (Trial Ex. 275.)

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336. In the spring of 2009, Farooq Vakil directed that LOA more robustly

establish and outfit a quality control department – one that would include test

equipment that it could use to measure the light output and lumen depreciation of

its LED Lamps. (F. Vakil, ¶ 31, Trial Exs. 233, 260, 272.)

337. In March 2009, Farooq Vakil required LOA to perform more quality

control and announced a new beginning with improvements for all LOA products,

including LED products. Those requirements reached LOA’s engineers

responsible for its LED Lamps as well. (F. Vakil Depo. 59:15-25, 75:12-76:9;

Trial Ex. 233; Nov. 2 Trial Tr. (F. Vakil) 96:2-98:5.) 

338. In addition, throughout 2009, Farooq Vakil established LOA-wide

procedures in multiple areas, including sales and marketing and quality control. 

(F. Vakil Depo. 181:10-182:24; Trial Exs. 151, 175, 259, 260, 272, 277.)

339. However, as of April 2009, LOA was not performing quality control

tests on components such as the LEDs it received from Unity – one of the

procedures outlined by Farooq Vakil. (Trial Exs. 151, 247.)

340. Further, as of July 2009, Farooq Vakil was instructing an LOA LED

engineer to learn how to properly design the product and that he needed to learn all

about the LED itself. Farooq Vakil even directed this employee to “information

available on the Internet and literature” to determine how to properly design the

LED lamp. (Trial Ex. 248; Nov. 2 Trial Tr. (F. Vakil) 98:6-99:13.)

341. Farooq Vakil even directed his assistant to obtain and provide a report

of defective products that the Quality Control department identified. The email

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indicates that one of LOA’s engineers, Chingez Tarar, would be receiving these

reports daily. (Trial Ex. 224.)

342. By at least June 2009, Farooq Vakil was fully involved in the

marketing of all of LOA’s products, including LEDs. (Trial Ex. 272, 277.)

343. For example, in June 2009, Farooq Vakil directed LOA employees in

marketing and told LOA employees “it is time that we follow truth in advertising”

on LOA packaging and LOA needed to have products tested and put on packaging

only that which can be backed up with “hard results.” (F. Vakil Depo. 181:10-

182:24; Trial Exs. 272, 277.)

344. The following month, he directed Taj to “take charge of LED totally.” 

Yet, a few days later, in response from a letter from Brodrick at DOE, Farooq

Vakil sent a highly critical email to numerous LOA employees in which he stated: 

“I also need answers on what controls are in place for this not to happen. This is

criminal. Either [c]ase I will actively pursue policies to stop this senseless crime

from happening.” (Trial Exs. 155, 156.)

345. By the summer and fall of 2009, Farooq Vakil was also aware of the

fact that LOA was refunding Costco over $1.5 million. 

346. In September 2009, Farooq Vakil sent another highly critical email in

which he complained about the rush in preparing certain LED Lamp packaging that

caused errors on the labels. He stated “I want to insert some procedures

immediately to never have a repeat of this.” (Trial Ex. 227.)

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347. The lack of policies created problems into October 2009 when Farooq

Vakil complained of the lack of procedures to test products before making and

shipping them out. Specifically, he stated “I would like to see a written plan of

how we will control these issues . . ..” However, he never followed up on his

demands or inquired about the written plan he demanded. (Trial Ex. 228; Oct. 31

Trial Tr. (Vasquez) 171:23-172:10, 175:3-12.)

348. He again questioned whether LOA was performing the proper testing

and quality control measures at the same time he questioned whether Unity had

provided LOA with accurate lifetime data. One of LOA’s engineers also raised

questions to Farooq Vakil about whether Unity even had the ability to run proper

lifetime tests. (Trial Exs. 246, 307.)

349. Even as late as November 2009, Farooq Vakil commented on high

rates of lumen depreciation experienced by some of LOA’s LED Lamps that were

tested in its Quality Control department. Farooq Vakil noted that while LOA’s

LED Lamps’ depreciated quickly, the LED lamps made by LOA’s competitors

“hardly depreciate after 500 hours (maybe a few lumens only).” Farooq Vakil

requested that LOA’s Quality Control department conduct these tests on

competitors’ lamps. (Trial Exs. 242, 264; Nov. 2 Trial Tr. (F. Vakil) 103:12-20,

106:12-25.)

350. By at least July 2009, Farooq Vakil knew or should have known that

LOA was making false and unsubstantiated claims about its LED Lamps’ light

output and lifetimes.

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351. As of August 2009, Farooq Vakil knew of and was involved in

approving packaging claims on LOA’s LED Lamps. (Trial Exs. 207, 215, 272.)

352. In August 2009, Farooq Vakil and LOA employees discussed the

justification for changing LOA’s lifetime claims from 30,000 to 20,000 hours. 

Those discussions also included Halliwell’s statements that LOA will “go with

20000 hrs until such time we conduct and complete life testing at which point we

will adjust our life claims.” This change, however, was not made based upon test

data. Yet, neither Usman or Farooq Vakil called for LOA to cease making its

lifetime claims. (Trial Exs. 145, 215; Oct. 31 Trial Tr. (Vasquez) 166:16-168:22;

Nov. 2 Trial Tr. (F. Vakil) 107:4-108:9.)

353. Farooq Vakil exercised his control by approving lifetime claims on

LOA LED product packaging in August 2009. (Trial Ex. 207.)

354. Farooq Vakil was aware of the lifetime claims LOA made on its LED

lamp packaging in July 2009 and thereafter. (Trial Ex. 647-F. Vakil Resp. Int.

Nos. 8 and 11.)

355. However, the complaints continued. In August 2009, Farooq Vakil

identified “huge stacks of customer complaints” on LOA’s LED products. (Trial

Exs.167, 194.)

356. Usman Vakil and Farooq Vakil continued to receive customer

comments about premature burn out from retailers, such as Sam’s Club in

December 2009. Yet, at trial, Farooq Vakil could not recall whether he read the

substance of the complaint. However, given the title of the email conveying this

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complaint (Sam’s Club Buyer Comments – Not good Publicity), Farooq Vakil

conceded this should have “tripped me” to read it in full. (Trial Ex. 169; Nov. 2

Trial Tr. (F. Vakil) 109:18-110:18.) 

357. In early August 2009, Farooq Vakil knew that LOA was making

lifetime claims without proper data. In discussing LED lamp testing, he stated: “It

still does not make sense to put life rating on the package without having some

method of supporting the claim... .” Moreover, at trial, he conceded that the

vendor’s statement in Trial Exhibit 266 that was based on preliminary tests was not

adequate to support a claim on LOA’s packaging. (Trial Ex. 266; Nov. 2 Trial Tr.

(F. Vakil) 110:21-111:13.) 

358. From August 2009 through at least November 2009, Farooq Vakil sent

emails to various LOA employees questioning the accuracy and substantiation for

the Lifetime claims LOA made on its LED lamps, noting that LOA took “liberties

on claims,” admonishing employees to put “truth (certified) on the package,

brochures [sic], and Web,” and identifying packaging claims as “fabricated” and

“exaggerated.” (Trial Exs. 257, 264, 267, 270, 271.)

359. In addition, LOA’s own Quality Control department had begun to test

many of its LED Lamps by November 2009. Farooq Vakil received copies of

many lumen depreciation tests conducted by LOA’s Quality Control department. 

The vast majority of those tests indicated that LOA’s LED Lamps were reaching

L70 within the 1,000-hour test period. (Trial Ex. 205; Oct. 31 Trial Tr. (Vasquez)

162:2-18.) Yet, Farooq Vakil did not call for LOA to re-evaluate or cease making

its then 20,000 hour lifetime claim. 

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360. Into 2010, LOA’s engineer Taj informed Farooq Vakil that Taj was

still working to improve LOA’s LED Lamp design to obtain a lifetime of 15,000

hours. (Trial Ex. 265.)

361. LOA had a disorganized operation in which the department responsible

for receipt of complaints and defective products returned from through its warranty

were not communicating with other departments that might be able to evaluate the

defective products and fix problems with the LED Lamps. Farooq Vakil

recognized this when he announced the need for a point person for these types of

things. He also noted that LOA did not have procedures to test the quality of

incoming components and raw materials. (Trial Ex. 175; Oct. 31 Trial Tr.

(Vasquez) 157:23-158:8, 172:3-17, 174:1-6.)

362. Thus, prior to July 2009, Farooq Vakil took no actions to ensure that

LOA had substantiation for the claims it made about its LED Lamps, or to remove

claims from LOA’s LED Lamp packaging. Yet, absent contrary direction from

Usman Vakil, Farooq Vakil had full authority to direct LOA’s employees to obtain

proper substantiation or to remove unsubstantiated or false claims. (Nov. 2 Trial

Tr. (F. Vakil) 149:23-150:18.)

363. Prior to July 2009, Farooq Vakil was recklessly indifferent to the truth

or falsity of LOA’s Replaces Watts and lifetime claims.

364. In and after July 2009, Farooq Vakil knew of, or was at least recklessly

indifferent to, LOA’s misrepresentations in making the Replaces Watts claims. In

and after August 2009, Farooq Vakil knew about LOA’s Lifetime claims and the

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basis for those claims, which all showed that LOA lacked a reasonable basis to

make all of its Lifetime claims and that the claims were false. 

365. While not a direct line manager working 40 hours a week, Farooq

Vakil was exposed to the operational problems that affected LOA’s Replaces Watts

and Lifetime claims, and he was sufficiently informed to know what data LOA had

to back up, or not back up, those claim. These facts combined with he broad

ownership and management authority make him responsible for LOA’s actions. At

a minimum, he was reckless in failing to investigate further and act.

V. LOA Sold Over $20 Million in Deceptively-Advertised LED Lamps.

366. LOA produced sales records for certain of its LED Lamps for the years

2007-2011. (Trial Ex. 581-LOA Supp. Resp. Int. No. 10; Trial Exs. 295-299.)

367. The sales records LOA produced contain spreadsheets listing products

sold by product number, by month, and by retailer. (Kelly Rev., ¶ 4; Trial Exs.

295-299.)

368. Based upon the stipulated facts regarding LOA’s use of certain

packaging and the claims made on those labels, and the additional evidence the

FTC presented at trial, the Court finds LOA made deceptive and/or false claims on

the following Replaces Watts Lamps through and including the month and year

identified below: 

a. 2001LED10-65K – April 2009

b. 2001LED53IN-65K and 2001LED53OUT-65K – August 2009

c. 2001LEDE26-65K – April 2009

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d. 2002LEDP30-65K – August 2009

e. 2002LEDR30-65K – February 2009

f. 2003LEDP38-65K – February 2009

g. 2004LEDDL-35K – March 2009

h. 2025LED-30K – May 2009

I. 2025LED-65K – May 2009

j. 2025LEDE12-30K – February 2009

k. 2025LEDE12-65K – May 2009

l. 2026LED-30K – February 2009

m. 2026LED-65K – May 2009

(Trial Exs. 159, 289, 320, 321.)

369. LOA made deceptive and false 30,000 hour lifetime claims on its LED

Lamps until at least August 2009. It was not until the end of August 2009 that

LOA removed all of its unsubstantiated and false Replaces Watts claims. These

two periods of false and deceptive claims overlap. However, LOA did not sell all

of the same LED Lamp models with false and deceptive Replaces Watts and

lifetime claims. 

370. Only one Replaces Watts Lamp was not sold with a false and deceptive

30,000 hour lifetime claim: 2001LED10-65K. LOA sold all other Replaces Watts

Lamps with false and deceptive 30,000 hour lifetime claims

371. Further, LOA made false and deceptive 30,000 hour lifetime claims on

two lamps which it did not sell with the false and deceptive Replaces Watts claims: 

2025TLEDE12-30K and 2035LED-30K.

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372. Thus, to calculate total consumer harm arising from LOA’s sale of its

LED Lamps with false and deceptive light output and 30,000 hour lifetime claims,

the Court need only calculate the gross revenue earned by LOA for its sale of the

Lifetime Lamps, and then add to that number the gross revenue for LOA’s sale of

the one Replaces Watts Lamp for which it did not make a 30,000 hour lifetime

claim (2001LED10-65K).

373. LOA’s gross revenue for the period of time it sold Replaces Watts

Lamp 2001LED10-65K with the false and deceptive Replaces Watts claims

(through April 2009) is: $250,729.80. (Kelly Rev., ¶ 8; Trial Exs. 295-299.) 

374. LOA’s gross revenue for the Lifetime Lamps through August 2009

(when it reduced its 30,000 hour lifetime claim to 20,000 hours) is: 

$17,869,239.12. (Kelly Rev., ¶ 24; Trial Exs. 295-299, 469.) 

375. LOA’s gross revenue for its sale of the Lifetime Lamps for the period

of time it made 20,000 hour lifetime claims (September 2009 to August 2010) is: 

$3,045,852.15. (Kelly Rev., ¶ 24; Trial Exs. 295-299, 469.)

376. LOA’s gross revenue for its sale of the Lifetime Lamps for the period

of time it made 12,000 and 15,000 hour lifetime claims (September 2010 through

at least April 2011) is: $250,772.20. (Kelly Rev., ¶ 24; Trial Exs. 295-299, 469.)

377. LOA’s total gross sales for all of its LED Lamps that it falsely and

deceptively advertised through April 2011 equals: $21,165,863.47. (Kelly Rev., ¶

25; Trial Exs. 295-299, 469.)

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378. The Court finds that Kenneth H. Kelly, who presented the FTC’s

calculations, was well qualified to develop and present his analysis of sales of LOA

products made on the basis of deceptive or unsubstantiated claims. (Kelly Rev., ¶

1.) The Court further finds that his methodology was reasonable and consistent

with the legal standard for the computation of equitable monetary relief. (See

Court’s Conclusions of Law, ¶¶ 518-22, 53-37.)

A. LOA Did Not Adequately Identify Refunds It Purportedly

Provided to Consumers.

379. LOA responded to a discovery request for it to identify the total

number and dollar amount of refunds it issued or reimbursements or exchanges

provided under its warranty by identifying the total number of “credits and

allowances” it provided to retailers. (Trial Ex. 582-LOA 2d Supp. Resp. Int. No.

17.)

380. LOA testified that the “credits and allowances” it identified in its

response to the FTC’s Interrogatory No. 17 included items such as automatic

refund credits and other automatic allowances built into retailer contracts. These

contractual credits do not represent dollars refunded to consumers who purchased

LOA’s deceptively advertised products. (LOA Depo. (Halliwell) 180:9-182:14,

182:23-188:4, 191:1-193:21; Nov. 2 Trial Tr. (Clifton) 163:12-164:13, 167:15-

168:6, 169:2-170:2, 174:12-175:2.)

381. LOA proffered a witness, Kathy Clifton (“Clifton”), to attest to the

number and dollar amount of refunds it provided to consumers.

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382. The FTC issued specific document requests and interrogatories to LOA

for it to identify the amount and number of refunds, exchanges, and warranty

claims on its LED Lamps. Two of those discovery requests sought information

solely about refunds and exchanges for products sold through Costco. (Trial Ex.

580-LOA Resp. Int. Nos. 16-17, Trial Ex. 645-LOA Resp. Req. for Prod. Nos. 8-

10.)

383. The exhibits and data that Clifton relies upon in Trial Exhibit 446 were

all responsive to the FTC’s discovery requests. However, defendants did not

provide this information to the FTC in discovery at all or in a timely manner prior

to trial. Thus, the Court excluded this evidence at trial. Moreover, as the Court

ruled at trial, LOA had failed to comply with the production requirements for

compilations under Federal Rule of Evidence 1008, and the Court excluded Trial

Exhibit 446, as well as Trial Exhibits 444 and 447. (Nov. 1 Trial Tr. 47 (Ex. 446);

id. 49 (Ex. 447); Nov. 2 Trial Tr. 157 (Ex. 444).)

384. Much of LOA’s evidence of the amount of refunds or credits it claims

it issued to retailers was admitted at trial. Clifton testified about a few of the

summaries presented in her direct examination. From her testimony on those

summary exhibits which the Court admitted, it is evident that not all of the dollars

she identifies as refunds represent dollars that actually reached consumers. For

example, the Costco charge-backs summarized in Trial Exhibit 443 include freight

charges for returned product. These do not represent funds provided to consumers. 

Moreover, her summary of some of LOA’s contracts with large retailers include

credits for things like sales commissions. As Clifton admitted, these are not dollars

that consumers received. (Nov. 2 Trial 163:12-164:13, 167:15-168:6, 169:2-

170:2, 174:12-175:2.) 

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385. To the extent the FTC had any information from LOA regarding

refunds issued to consumers, neither LOA or its witnesses identified the amount of

purported refunds, credits, or warranty claims with sufficient specificity, and in the

case of its response to the FTC’s interrogatory on this subject, LOA identified

contractual credits which do not represent dollars returned to consumers.

386. LOA has not produced admissible evidence or sufficient evidence to

identify how many refunds or exchanges of LED Lamps it provided to consumers

under its warranty or the dollar amount associated with any purported exchanges or

refunds.

387. While the record presented a theoretical basis for credits against the

damages claimed by the FTC, the combination of impermissible categories of

credits and allowances and the Court’s evidentiary rulings eviscerated the showing

which LOA advanced through Clifton. Thus, no reduction is appropriate.

388. LOA has provided no evidence to show errors in the FTC’s calculation

of consumer harm. In its Proposed Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, LOA

points to no credits or allowances which it contends should be offset against gross

revenues. (LOACL ¶¶ 45-48.)

B. LOA’s Benefits Conferred Theory.

389. LOA contends that no damages were sustained because the energy

savings calculated by its expert A. Michael Cowley are likely in excess of $100

million. (LOAFF, ¶ 478; Cowley, ¶¶ 87-103.) Apart from the fact that the

conferral of benefits is not legally cognizable (Court’s Conclusions of Law, ¶¶

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538-39), Cowley overlooks the fact that consumers did not get what was

represented, either I in terms of life or replacement equivalents. Indeed, Cowley’s

calculations consistently assume a usage far below LOA’s lifetime representations. 

(Cowley, ¶¶ 100, 104 (2,000 hours); ¶ 101 (4,000 hours); LOAFF, ¶ 490 (800 to

2,000 hours).) Cowley’s calculations prove that consumer were entitled to far

more than they got even using his methodology. 

390. Any finding of fact more properly characterized as a conclusion of law

fact shall be deemed so. 

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

I. Jurisdiction and Venue.

391. The Central District of California has subject matter jurisdiction over

the FTC’s claims pursuant to 15 U.S.C. §§ 45(a) and 53(b), and 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331,

1337(a), and 1345.

392. Venue in the Central District of California is proper under 15 U.S.C. §

53(b), and 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b) and (c).

393. LOA’s marketing, sale and offering for sale of its LED lamps were in

or affecting commerce, as “commerce” is defined in Section 4 of FTC Act, 15

U.S.C. § 44.

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II. Violations of Section 5(a)

394. Section 5(a) of the FTC Act prohibits “unfair or deceptive acts or

practices in or affecting commerce.” 15 U.S.C. § 45(a). An act is deceptive if: (1)

there is a representation, omission or practice; (2) that is likely to mislead

consumers acting reasonably under the circumstances; and (3) the representation,

omission or practice is material. FTC v. Stefanchik, 559 F.3d 924, 928 (9th Cir. 

2009); FTC v. Gill, 265 F.3d 944, 950 (9th Cir. 2001) [hereinafter Gill II]; FTC v.

Medlab, Inc., 615 F. Supp. 2d 1068, 1076 (N.D. Cal. 2009); FTC v. Direct

Marketing Concepts, Inc., 569 F. Supp. 2d 285, 297 (D. Mass. 2008) [hereinafter

Direct Marketing I], aff’d 624 F.3d 1 (1st Cir. 2010) [hereinafter Direct Marketing

II].

395. In order to show that a representation, omission or practice is likely to

mislead consumers acting reasonably under the circumstances, the FTC must prove

either that LOA lacked a reasonable basis for its representations or that the

representations were false. Medlab, 615 F. Supp. 2d at 1079; FTC v. Pantron I

Corp., 33 F.3d 1088, 1096 (9th Cir. 1994).

396. To decide whether a defendant made certain representations or

omissions, a court must first review the advertisements. See FTC v. Gill, 71 F.

Supp. 2d 1030, 1043-44 (C.D. Cal. 1999) [hereinafter Gill I], aff’d, 265 F.3d 944

(9th Cir. 2001).

397. A particular advertising claim will be deemed to have been made if

consumers, acting reasonably under the circumstances, would interpret the

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statements to contain that message. In re Kraft, Inc., 114 F.T.C. 40, 120 (1991),

aff’d, 970 F.2d 311 (7th Cir. 1992), cert. denied, 507 U.S. 909 (1993).

398. Advertisements that are “capable of being interpreted in a misleading

way should be construed against the advertiser.” Gill I, 71 F. Supp. 2d at 1045-46

(quoting Resort Car Rental Systems, Inc. v. FTC, 518 F.2d 962, 964 (9th Cir.

1975)).

399. The FTC is not required to show that every reasonable consumer 

would have been, or in fact was, misled. See Stefanchik, 559 F.3d at 929.

400. The existence of some satisfied customers does not constitute a defense

under the FTC Act. Id.

401. The existence of a warranty and/or return policy is irrelevant to the

legal question of whether an advertiser violated Section 5(a). Pantron I, 33 F.3d at

1103; FTC v. Cyberspace.com LLC, 453 F.3d 1196, 1201 (9th Cir. 2006).

402. An advertisement is likely to mislead consumers acting reasonably

under the circumstances if the claim is false. Medlab, 615 F. Supp. 2d at 1079; see

also Pantron I, 33 F.3d at 1096.

403. A representation is also likely to mislead consumers acting reasonably

under the circumstances, and therefore is deceptive, if the advertiser lacks a

“reasonable basis” to support the claims made in the advertisement. Pantron I, 33

F.3d at 1096; Thompson Medical Co. v. FTC, 791 F.2d 189, 193 (D.C. Cir. 1986);

Direct Marketing I, 569 F. Supp. 2d at 298.

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404. Advertisers are required to have substantiation not just for express

statements but for all reasonable interpretations of their advertisements. Federal

Trade Commission, Policy Statement Regarding Advertising Substantiation 2–3

(1984), appended to In re Thompson Medical Co., 104 F.T.C. 648, 1984 FTC

LEXIS 6, at *435-36 (Nov. 23, 1984), aff’d 791 F.2d 189 (D.C. Cir. 1986).

405. Defendants bear the burden of establishing what substantiation they

relied on when they made the claims in their ads. FTC v. QT, Inc., 448 F. Supp. 2d

908, 961 (N.D. Ill. 2006), amended in part by 472 F. Supp. 2d 990 (N.D. Ill. 2007),

aff’d, 512 F.3d 858 (7th Cir. 2008). The FTC then bears the burden of establishing

that the defendant’s substantiation is inadequate. Id.

406. The appropriate level of substantiation for an express or implied

efficacy claim is determined by looking to the following factors: (1) the product

involved; (2) the type of claim; (3) the benefits of a truthful claim; (4) the ease of

developing substantiation for the claim; (5) the consequences of a false claim; and

(6) the amount of substantiation experts in the field would agree is reasonable. In

re Thompson Medical, 1984 FTC LEXIS 6, at *387.

407. In order to have a reasonable basis for the representation, the advertiser

must have “some recognizable substantiation for the representation prior to making

it in an advertisement.” Direct Marketing I, 569 F. Supp. 2d at 298.

408. The type of advertising claim determines what constitutes a

“reasonable basis” for the claim. Thompson Medical, 791 F. 2d at 194. 

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409. Where an advertiser makes claims using specific figures or facts, a

high level of substantiation, such as scientific or engineering tests, is required. 

Thompson Medical Co., 104 F.T.C. 648, 1984 FTC LEXIS 6, *387. 

410. Where advertisers “lack adequate substantiation evidence, they

necessarily lack any reasonable basis for their claims.” Direct Marketing II, 624

F.3d at 8.

411. To determine whether the claim at issue is material, courts examine

whether the representation is likely to affect a consumer’s conduct. Direct

Marketing I, 569 F. Supp. 2d at 299; Medlab, 615 F. Supp. 2d at 1081.

412. Information about a product’s purpose, safety, efficacy, or cost is

material. Direct Marketing I, 569 F. Supp. 2d at 299 (citing Novartis Corp. v.

FTC, 223 F.3d 783, 786 (D.C. Cir. 2000)).

413. Express claims or deliberately made implied claims are presumed to be

material. Pantron I, 33 F.3d at 1095-96; In re Thompson Medical, 1984 FTC

LEXIS 6, at *373.

414. Implied claims may be material when they address the central

characteristics of the product or service offered. Kraft, 970 F.2d at 322; FTC v.

Figgie Int’l, Inc., 994 F.2d 595, 603-04 (9th Cir. 1993) (finding that defendant

“misled customers about the ‘single most useful piece of information’ they could

have used”).

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A. LOA’s Replaces Watts Claims Were Unsubstantiated and False.

415. In making both the Replaces Watts and Lifetime claims, LOA made

express claims using specific facts and figures.

416. LOA’s packaging shows it made the Replaces Watts claims on the

Replaces Watts Lamps.

417. The Court has already ruled that LOA’s Replaces Watts claims were

express, and therefore per se material. Moreover, the Court ruled that even if they

were implied claims, they were material because the claims relate to the efficacy of

the product. (MSJ Order, p. 7.)

418. In addition, the Court has ruled that LOA did not have adequate

substantiation at the time it made its Replaces Watts claims on the fourteen

Replaces Watts Lamps.

419. Thus, LOA made unsubstantiated claims in violation of Section 5(a)

regarding the amount of light its LED Lamps would produce.

420. LOA had its Replaces Watts Lamps tested to measure each of their

lumen outputs. Those tests show that LOA’s Replaces Watts Lamps produced

only a small fraction of the amount of light (in lumens) compared to incandescent

lamps of similar wattage.

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421. For all of the Replaces Watts Lamps tested, the lumen output data

shows that LOA made false claims about the amount of light its Replaces Watts

Lamps would produce. Those lamps are:

a. “replaces 45 watts” – 520-870 lumens

I. 2002LEDP30-65K: 184-195 lumens

ii. 2002LEDR30-65K: 172-275 lumens

iii. 2003LEDP38-65K: 122-416 lumens

iv. 2004LEDDL-35K: 140-201 lumens

 b. “replaces 40 watts” – 315-495 lumens

I. 2025LEDE12-30K: 41-90 lumens

ii. 2025LEDE12-65K: 67-113 lumens

iii. 2026LED-30K: 42-90 lumens

iv. 2026LED-65K: 84 lumens

c. “replaces 20 watts” – 156-240 lumens

I. 2001LED53-OUT-65K: 27-30 lumens

ii. 2001LEDE26-65K: 52-93 lumens

iii. 2001LEDG53-65K: 32 lumens.

422. As a result, LOA violated Section 5(a) of the FTC Act by making false

claims about the amount of light the Replaces Watts Lamps identified in paragraph

421a through c above would provide to consumers who purchased them.

B. LOA Made Unsubstantiated and False Lifetime Claims.

423. LOA’s packaging (Trial Exs. 159, 289, 320, 321) shows it made the

Lifetime claims on the Lifetime Lamps. In fact, LOA has conceded it made the

Lifetime claims. (Stipulated Facts 26, 31.)

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424. Like the Replaces Watts Claims, LOA’s Lifetime claims are express

claims that LOA made using specific facts and figures.

425. A reasonable consumer would interpret LOA’s Lifetime claims to

mean that LOA’s Lifetime Lamps would last for the number of hours stated on the

package (i.e. 30,000 hours, 20,000 hours, or 12,000-15,000 hours).

426. LOA’s Lifetime claims were material both because the claims were

express, and because the claims concerned the efficacy of LOA’s LED Lamps.

427. In order to have adequate substantiation, LOA must have scientific or

engineering data to support its lifetime claims of 30,000 hours, 20,000 hours, and

12,000-15,000 hours.

428. According to the FTC’s expert, Dr. Houser, the definition for the end

of LOA’s Lifetime Lamps’ useful lives is the point at which the lamps’ light output

diminishes to seventy % of its original output – a point that is called L70.

429. Prior to at least February 27, 2008, LOA had no scientific or

engineering data to support any lifetime claim. Thus, LOA lacked any

substantiation for all of the lifetime claims it made on the Lifetime Lamps sold

prior to February 27, 2008. (Houser, ¶ 81.)

430. Until at least August 2008, the only substantiation LOA cites for its

Lifetime claims on its lamps is a one line email from one of its LED suppliers, Para

Light. This email stating an estimate of the supplier’s LED’s lifetime is not

scientific or engineering data. (Id., ¶¶ 82-83.)

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431. LOA’s reliance upon this one line from Para Light does not constitute

a reasonable basis for its 30,000 hour lifetime claims on its Lifetime Lamps. Thus,

all Lifetime Lamp sales prior to August 2008 were made with unsubstantiated

claims. (Id., ¶¶ 82-83.)

432. From approximately August 2008 to the end of June 2009, LOA relied

upon a mix of test data reflecting tests conducted on both LEDs and some of its

Lifetime Lamps. 

433. None of the LED or integrated lamp lumen depreciation tests support a

lifetime claim of 30,000 hours under L70, which is the appropriate marker for the

end of life for LOA’s Lifetime Lamps. (Id., ¶¶ 84-97, 109.)

434. None of the LED test data supports LOA’s 20,000 hour lifetime

claims. Test data from Unity shows that the amount of lumen depreciation

experienced by the LEDs tested was too great to substantiate a 20,000 hour lifetime

claim. (Id., ¶ 98.) Another test report from Unity indicates that its LED

depreciated to 72.2 % of its original light output within 1,008 hours of testing.

(Trial Ex. 140; Houser, ¶¶ 91, 109-110.) This data does not support LOA’s

30,000 hour lifetime claims, either.

435. For the specific models tested in this time period, none of the tests

support a lifetime of either 30,000 or 20,000 hours. Specifically, three of the four 

the models tested (2002LEDP30-65K, 2003LEDP38-65K, 2002 LEDR 30-65K,

and 2025LED-65K ) reached the end of their useful lives (as defined by L70) within

the 961 hour test period. (Houser, ¶¶ 91, 109.) The fourth had reduced to 78.0%

after 198 hours. (Id., ¶ 91.)

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436. Even if the test results were favorable, test data for one integrated

Lifetime Lamp is not substantiation for other types of Lifetime Lamps. LOA

cannot extrapolate tests conducted on specific integrated Lifetime Lamps to other

Lifetime Lamps that differ in lamp type. (Id., ¶¶ 91, 109.)

437. Thus, LOA made unsubstantiated Lifetime claims on its Lifetime

Lamps through at least the end of June 2009. (Id., ¶¶ 91, 109.)

438. The final pieces of substantiation that LOA relies upon to support its

Lifetime claims are tests conducted on two of its Lifetime Lamps (2025LEDE12-

30K and 2026LED-30K). (Id., ¶ 100.)

439. The tests conducted on these two models did not represent the actual

operating conditions present in those lamps as they were sold to retailers and

consumers. Moreover, the tests do not constitute proper substantiation for the two

models at issue (2025LEDE12-30K and 2026LED-30K). (Id.)

440. These tests cannot form a reasonable basis for Lifetime claims on any

of the other Lifetime Lamps. (Id.)

441. LOA has no other substantiation to support its Lifetime claims of

30,000 hours, 20,000 hours or 12,000-15,000 hours after June 2009. Thus, it has

no reasonable basis to make any of its lifetime claims after June 2009.

442. LOA does not and did not have sufficient scientific or engineering tests

to support its lifetime claims of 30,000 hours, 20,000 hours, or 12,000-15,000

hours. (Id., ¶¶ 80-100.)

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443. LOA lacked a reasonable basis for all of its Lifetime claims. Thus,

LOA made unsubstantiated claims on its Lifetime Lamps in violation of Section

5(a). 

444. The information LOA relies upon as substantiation also shows that its

Lifetime claims on the Lifetime Lamps were false. All of the data LOA relies upon

contradicts its Lifetime claims. Thus, LOA’s own substantiation is evidence of the

falsity of its Lifetime claims. (Id., ¶¶ 80-100.)

445. In addition, LOA’s own internal tests show that all of the Lifetime

Lamps it tested would reach the end of their useful lives (L70) well within 7,000

hours. LOA’s best performing lamp had a maximum lifetime (under L70) of 3,075

hours. (Id., ¶¶ 110-23.)

446. LOA claimed it was continually making improvements in its LED

Lamps to increase light output and lifetime. Thus, the lamps LOA tested starting

in October 2009 were better performing lamps than those it produced in 2008, or

even earlier in 2009.

447. LOA’s own internal tests show that all of its Lifetime claims were

false. LOA’s own data indicates that LOA’s Lifetime Lamps did not last more

than 3,000 hours – an amount not much greater than the average incandescent

lamp. (Id., ¶¶ 110-23.)

448. In addition, the DOE conducted lumen depreciation tests on three of

LOA’s lifetime Lamps in its CALiPER program. The test results for these three

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lamps (2002LEDR30-65K, 2003LEDP38-65K, and 2025LEDE12-65K) show that

all had reached L70 within 1,000 hours. (Id., ¶¶ 117-23.)

449. The CALiPER tests provide further support of the falsity of the

lifetime claims made on LOA’s 2002LEDR30-65K, 2003LEDP38-65K, and

2025LEDE12-65K lamps. None of these lamps lasted as long as the average 

incandescent lamp. (Id.)

450. Based on LOA’s internal test results and those from the CALiPER

program, LOA’s lifetime claims on the following lamps were all false: 

2001LEDE26, 2002LEDR30-65K, 2003LEDP38-65K, 2025LEDE12-30K,

2025LEDE12-30K, 2025LEDE12-65K, 2026LED-65K, 2026LED-65K,

2026LED-30K, 2035LED-30K, and 2025LED-65K. (Id., ¶¶ 110-23.)

451. LOA violated Section 5(a) of the FTC Act in making false claims

about how long its Lifetime Lamps would last. 

 

 III. Equitable, Monetary, and Other Relief.

A. Injunctive Relief.

452. Under Section 13(b) of the FTC Act, “in proper cases the Commission

may seek, and after proper proof, the court may issue, a permanent injunction.” 15

U.S.C. § 53(b); see also Pantron I, 33 F.3d at 1102; FTC v. H.N. Singer, Inc., 668

F.2d 1107, 1110 (9th Cir. 1982).

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453. This case is a “proper case” for injunctive relief under Section 13(b)

because defendants made false and unsubstantiated claims in violation of Section

5. See Pantron I, 33 F.3d at 1102; see also FTC v. Minuteman Press, 53 F. Supp.

2d 248, 260 (E.D.N.Y. 1998) (“proper case” includes any violation of the FTC

Act).

454. In addition to the requested permanent injunctive relief, “the

Commission may frame a remedy which extends beyond the precise illegal conduct

found” and includes “fencing-in” provisions. FTC v. Colgate-Palmolive Co., 380

U.S. 374, 395 (1965); Sears, Roebuck & Co. v. FTC, 676 F.2d 385, 391 (9th Cir.

1982).

455. A corporation is liable for violations of the FTC Act if it “engaged in

misrepresentations or omissions of a kind usually relied upon by reasonably

prudent persons and [] consumer injury resulted.” Pantron I, 33 F.3d at 1102.

456. Injunctive relief against an individual for violations of the FTC Act is

appropriate when the defendant participated directly in the violative conduct or had

authority to control it. FTC v. Garvey, 383 F.3d 891, 900 (9th Cir. 2004);

Stefanchik, 559 F.3d at 931; FTC v. Publishing Clearing House, 104 F.3d 1168,

1170 (9th Cir. 1997).

457. Authority to control “can be evidenced by active involvement in

business affairs and the making of corporate policy.” (Minute Order, Mar. 31,

2011, Docket No. 87, p. 4. (quoting FTC v. Am. Standard Credit Systems, Inc.,

874 F. Supp. 1080, 1089 (C.D. Cal. 1994)).) In addition, an individual defendant’s

“status as a corporate officer” or “authority . . . to sign documents on behalf of a

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corporate defendant” is “sufficient to show the requisite control.” Id. (quoting

FTC v. Dinamica Financiera, Case No. CV 09-03554 MMM (PJWx), 2010 U.S.

Dist. LEXIS 88000, at *40 (C.D. Cal. Aug. 10, 2010)).); Publishing Clearing

House, 104 F.3d at 1170-71.

458. The particular kind of injunctive relief requested here accomplishes the

primary purposes of the FTC’s administrative powers: (1) to enjoin the illegal

conduct alleged in the First Amended Complaint; and (2) to prevent future

violations of the law. Colgate-Palmolive, 380 U.S. at 394-95.

459. In determining whether to exercise the broad relief available under

Section 13(b), courts examine whether: (1) a cognizable danger of recurrent

violation exists; or (2) some reasonable likelihood of future violations exists. 

United States v. W.T. Grant Co., 345 U.S. 629, 633 (1945); FTC v. Evans Prods.,

Co., 775 F.2d 1084, 1087-88 (9th Cir. 1985).

460. To determine whether the type of injunctive relief requested is

appropriate, the “ultimate question” is the likelihood that defendants will commit

the kind of deceptive practices prohibited in the proposed order. Sears, 676 F.2d at

391 (internal quotation marks omitted). 

461. Courts often analyze three factors to determine whether defendants are

likely to commit future violations: (1) the deliberateness of the violation; (2) the

violator’s past conduct with respect to advertising practices; and (3) the

adaptability or transferability of the deceptive practice to other products. Sterling

Drug, Inc. v. FTC, 741 F.2d 1146, 1155 (9th Cir. 1984) (citing Sears, 676 F.2d at

392).

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462. The fact that the defendants are currently complying with the law

“does not preclude an injunction.” Id. (citing Sears, 676 F.2d at 392). All three

factors need not be present to award a permanent injunction. Telebrands Corp. v.

FTC, 457 F.3d 354, 358-59 (4th Cir. 2006). 

463. Further, no one factor predominates and the importance of any one

factor may depend on which others are present and to what degree. Sears, 676

F.2d at 392 (“The more egregious the facts with respect to a particular element, the

less important it is that another negative factor be present.”); see also Telebrands,

457 F.3d at 358; Kraft, 970 F.2d at 327 (same). 

464. For the first factor – the deliberateness of the violation – the Court may

consider facts such as whether defendants had substantiation to make the claims at

issue. See Telebrands, 457 F.3d at 359 (noting that the first factor favored a

permanent injunction because defendant’s violations did not involve inflated

claims, but claims made without substantiation). 

465. The fact that defendants persisted in making the deceptive claims

despite receiving repeated warnings about the falsity of their claims may also be

relevant. Kraft, 970 F.2d at 327.

466. When defendants persist in making claims that they cannot meet,

injunctive relief that prevents them from making misrepresentations in the future is

warranted. See FTC v. Zamani, No. SACV 09-0977-DOC(MLGx), 2011 WL

2222065, at *12 (C.D. Cal. June 6, 2011); FTC v. Magui Publishers, Inc., Civ. No.

89-3818RSWL(GX), 1991 WL 90895, at *15 (C.D. Cal. Mar. 28, 1991)

(injunctive relief warranted because “defendants persisted in their conduct despite

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having knowledge that it was illegal”); FTC v. Medical Billers Network, Inc., 543

F. Supp. 2d 283, 323 (S.D.N.Y. 2008).

467. A defendant’s assertions of good faith that are based on its failure to

ascertain the law related to its chosen line of business reinforces, and does not

excuse, the need for permanent injunctive relief. FTC v. LoanPointe, LLC, No.

2:10-CV-225DAK, 2011 WL 4348304, at *9 (D. Utah Sept. 16, 2011).

468. When the Court evaluates the second factor – likelihood of recurrent

violation – “[t]he existence of past violations may give rise to an inference that

there will be future violations.” SEC v. Murphy, 626 F.2d 633, 655 (9th Cir.

1980).

469. Past violations need not be present if other factors are sufficiently

proven and weigh in favor of the permanent injunction. Kraft, 970 F.2d at 327

(finding the seriousness and deliberateness of the violations “took precedence over

the absence of any prior Kraft violations”).

470. A court should be more willing to find a possibility of recurrence

“[w]hen the violation has been founded on systematic wrongdoing, rather than an

isolated occurrence.” CFTC v. Hunt, 591 F.2d 1211, 1220 (7th Cir. 1979); Gill, 71

F. Supp. 2d at 1047; FTC v. Sharp, 782 F. Supp. 1445, 1454 (D. Nev. 1991).

471. Deceptive practices are transferable to other products when the

defendant’s other products can be marketed using similar (deceptive) techniques. 

Sears, 676 F.2d at 392; Minuteman Press, 53 F. Supp. 2d at 261 (injunctive relief

was warranted, in part, because defendants’ current jobs allowed them to “remain

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in a position to commit future violations”); FTC v. Nat’l Urological Group, 645 F.

Supp. 2d 1167, 1209-10 (N.D. Ga. 2008) (current business “could serve as a

platform for continuing violations of the FTC Act”); Telebrands, 457 F.3d at 361-

62 (“Only Telebrands’s imagination and budget would limit its ability to use

similar tactics in the future.”).

1. Injunctive Relief Against LOA Is Warranted.

472. In advertising and marketing its LED Lamps with false and

unsubstantiated claims, LOA misrepresented the light output and lifetime of its

LED Lamps. Those misrepresentations are claims consumers rely upon in

selecting lighting products. Because LOA’s LED Lamps did not perform as

advertised, consumers were harmed because what they purchased was something

different than advertised.

473. Due to the nature of the claims and LOA’s misrepresentations of those

claims, injunctive relief against LOA is appropriate and warranted.

2. Both Usman Vakil and Farooq Vakil Had the Ability to Control,

and Thus Injunctive Relief Is Appropriate Against Them.

474. Injunctive relief against both Usman Vakil and Farooq Vakil is also

warranted and appropriate in this case. As the sole owners and highest-ranking

officers at LOA (President and Executive Vice President, respectively), both

Usman Vakil and Farooq Vakil had the authority to control LOA’s LED Lamp

business at all times relevant to this case. 

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475. Usman Vakil was actively involved in LOA’s day-to-day affairs. 

Usman Vakil admits that he set the standard for LOA’s employees to “substantiate

everything.” There is no evidence that anyone had the ability to over-rule any

decisions Usman Vakil would and did make about any matter related to LOA’s

operations or its LED Lamp business. 

476. Similarly, Farooq Vakil was also actively involved in LOA’s daytoday affairs. In the time Farooq Vakil was in the office and during the early

stages of LOA’s LED Lamp sales, he inquired about the compatibility of LOA’s

LED Lamps with a supplier’s LEDs. For all aspects of LOA’s business not

managed by Usman Vakil, LOA’s employees reported to Farooq Vakil. 

477. From at least August 2009, both Usman Vakil and Farooq Vakil

actually asserted control over LOA’s LED Lamp business. 

478. The evidence supports a finding that both Usman Vakil and Farooq

Vakil had the authority to control LOA’s LED Lamp business.

3. Tailored Injunctive Relief.

479. The particular type of relief the FTC requests accomplishes two

important goals: (1) it enjoins defendants’ illegal conduct; and (2) it seeks to

prevent future violations of the law.

480. The Court finds that it is reasonably likely that defendants will commit

the kinds of deceptive practices at issue in this case.

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481. Although defendants disclaim any knowledge of their deceptive acts

and practices, the Court finds that in continuing to make claims that were not

properly substantiated for more than two years, defendants acted deliberately.

482. In addition, the fact that defendants continued to make false and

unsubstantiated Lifetime claims even after receiving test data showing that the

claims were not only unsubstantiated, but false, lends to a finding of

deliberateness. This is particularly so when some of the data defendants received

showing the falsity of LOA’s Lifetime claims came from third party tests

conducted on certain LED Lamps through the CALiPER program, which is part of

the DOE.

483. Moreover, defendants’ claims of good faith, although not a defense or

a mitigating factor for injunctive relief, is unsupported when that good faith is, at

least in part, premised on an argument that because the lighting community was

purportedly undecided and shifting on which test standards to adopt, they could not

acquire proper substantiation. Such an argument ignores Section 5(a) of the FTC

Act, which requires manufacturers to have a reasonable basis before making a

claim.

484. The Court finds a sufficient likelihood of recurrent violation. 

Defendants have previously been involved in litigation over false claims about its

compact fluorescent products. In addition, the type of activities that led to

defendants making false and unsubstantiated claims appears to be a systemic one,

involving delegation of much authority with no procedures in place to ensure

corporate “policy” is followed. That defendants never had proper substantiation

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for their Lifetime claims during more than three years of sales of their products is

evidence of a systemic problem warranting injunctive relief. 

485. Finally, the deceptive acts here are easily transferable to LOA’s other

lighting products. LOA produces light bulbs and lots of them. Its product line

includes fluorescents, compact fluorescents, and now, power LEDs. Claims about

LOA’s lighting products’ light output and lifetime are now part of the uniform

label printed on light bulbs. All of the defendants remain in position to commit the

same deceptive acts again. 

486. For all of these reasons, the Court finds that defendants: (a) acted with

sufficient deliberateness; (b) have had prior experience with false claims; and (c)

are in position to repeat their deceptive acts with the other lighting products they

sell. As a result, injunctive relief is warranted.

B. Equitable Monetary Relief.

1. Equitable Monetary Relief: LOA.

487. To obtain equitable monetary relief for consumers under Section 13(b)

of the FTC Act, the FTC must establish that a company “engaged in

misrepresentations or omissions of a kind usually relied on by reasonably prudent

persons and that consumer injury resulted.” Pantron I, 33 F.3d at 1102.

488. To demonstrate reliance and resulting consumer injury, the FTC must

prove that defendant made material representations, that they were widely

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disseminated, and that consumers purchased the defendant’s product. Figgie Int’l,

994 F.2d at 605-06.

489. The FTC need not prove that every consumer relied upon the

misrepresentations in order to prevail. Stefanchik, 559 F.3d at 929 n.12 (quoting

FTC v. Amy Travel Serv., Inc., 875 F.2d 564, 572 (7th Cir. 1989)); Figgie Int’l,

994 F.2d at 605-06. That there may have been modest rates of returns does not

vitiate the misrepresentations or the need for equitable relief. (See LOAFF, ¶ 468.)

490. Requiring the FTC to prove subjective reliance by each consumer

would “thwart effective prosecutions of large consumer redress actions and

frustrate the statutory goals of [Section 13(b)].” Figgie Int’l, 994 F.2d at 605

(internal quotation marks omitted).

491. The Commission need only prove that material misrepresentations

were widely disseminated and that consumers purchased products bearing those

deceptive claims. (Id. at 605-06.)

492. Here, LOA made the Replaces Watts and Lifetime claims at issue. 

493. In making both the Replaces Watts and Lifetime claims, LOA

misrepresented the amount of light its LED Lamps would produce and how long

they would last. 

494. LOA designed its product packaging, including the Replaces Watts and

Lifetime claims, with the expectation that consumers would rely on the information

contained on its packaging. 

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495. LOA widely disseminated its LED Lamps in product packaging that

contained, at various times, both the Replaces Watts and Lifetime claims. 

496. LOA has admitted that it was and is aware of the importance of light

output and lifetime claims on product packaging for light bulbs. 

497. Consumers purchased over 3 million of LOA’s LED Lamps in

packaging with deceptive and/or false claims, and thus, were harmed. (Trial Exs.

295-99, 469.)

498. As a result, LOA is liable for equitable monetary relief.

2. Equitable Monetary Relief: Usman and Farooq Vakil.

499. An individual defendant who is liable for injunctive relief is liable for

equitable monetary relief if the individual had sufficient “knowledge” of the

company’s violative conduct. FTC v. Network Services Depot, Inc., 617 F.3d

1127, 1138 (9th Cir. 2010); FTC v. Affordable Media, LLC, 179 F.3d 1228, 1234

(9th Cir. 1999); Publishing Clearing House, 104 F.3d at 1171.

500. The requisite degree of knowledge can be demonstrated by showing

actual knowledge of material misrepresentations, reckless indifference to the truth

or falsity of the misrepresentations, or an awareness of a high probability of fraud

along with an intentional avoidance of the truth. Network Services, 617 F.3d at

1138; Cyberspace.com, 453 F.3d at 1202; Publishing Clearing House, 104 F.3d at

1170-71). 

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501. Several courts have found “the degree of participation in business

affairs is probative of knowledge.” See, e.g., Amy Travel, 875 F.2d at 574;

Medical Billers, 543 F. Supp. 2d at 320.

502. Reckless indifference to the truth or falsity of the misrepresentations

standard is evaluated objectively, and does not require any analysis of a

defendant’s subjective state of mind. Network Services, 617 F.3d at 1140 & n.12;

FTC v. Solomon Trading Co., No. CIV 91-1184-PHX-SMM, 1994 U.S. Dist.

LEXIS 19696, at *12 (D. Ariz. June 28, 1994); Sharp, 782 F. Supp. at 1450.

503. The FTC need not show intent to defraud for any of the elements

demonstrating knowledge. Publishing Clearing House, 104 F.3d at 1171. The

issue is whether the individual defendant “knew or should have known” of the

company’s violative conduct. FTC v. Freecom Communications, Inc., 401 F.3d

1192, 1203 (10th Cir. 2005).

504. The extent of an individual’s involvement in the business affairs of a

company engaged in deception “is sufficient to establish the requisite knowledge

for personal restitutionary liability.” Affordable Media, 179 F.3d at 1235; Amy

Travel, 875 F.2d at 574; Am. Standard Credit Systems, 874 F. Supp. at 1089.

505. Additionally, awareness of consumer complaints is sufficient to

establish the “knowledge” requirement for individual liability. Cyberspace.com,

453 F.3d at 1202; see FTC v. MacGregor, 360 F. App’x 891, 894 (9th Cir. 2009);

FTC v. Bay Area Bus. Council, Inc. 423 F.3d 627, 638 (7th Cir. 2005) (“To claim

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ignorance in the face of the consumer complaints and returned checks amounts to,

at the least reckless indifference to the corporations’ deceptive practices”).

506. Evidence of “high refund and return rates” may show that the

individual knew of the misrepresentations, or was at least recklessly indifferent to

the truth of those representations. MacGregor, 360 F. App’x at 894.

507. A corporate officer acts with reckless indifference when he delegates

responsibility to others (who then deceive the officer regarding the truth of the

claims), fails to investigate complaints, and constructs an implicit or explicit

“Chinese wall” between the delegator and delegee . Network Services, 617 F.3d at

1141; see also Sharp, 782 F Supp. at 1451-53 (rejecting arguments that corporate

officers’ reliance on others insulated them from liability for reckless indifference).

508. The Court finds the degree of Usman and Farooq Vakils’ participation

in LOA’s business is sufficiently probative of knowledge. The Vakils are the

highest ranking officers of the company who have final authority over all aspects

of LOA’s operations. 

509. In addition, from at least August 2009 on, both Usman and Farooq

Vakil knew of, and asserted actual control over, LOA’s deceptive Lifetime claims. 

From at least that point forward, knowledge need not be inferred; it was actual. 

510. Prior to August 2009, however, Usman and Farooq Vakil disclaim

knowledge of LOA’s claims and whether they were properly substantiated or false. 

The Court finds sufficient knowledge on their part in the following facts:

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a. Usman Vakil decided that LOA would enter the LED lamp

business;

b. LOA’s lead engineer on its LED Lamps, Taj, testified that he

discussed engineering problems and design issues concerning

LOA’s LED Lamps with Usman Vakil;

c. in 2008, Farooq Vakil discussed circuit designs with Taj and

requested that Unity examine LOA’s LED Lamp circuit designs;

d. Usman and Farooq Vakil participated in meetings with LOA’s

LED suppliers, such as Unity;

e. both Usman and Farooq Vakil received copies of LOA’s early

product brochures for its LED Lamps, which brochures included

the lifetime and “incandescent comparison” claims);

f. Usman and Farooq Vakil received test data on components used in

LOA’s LED Lamps in 2008 that called into question the veracity

of LOA’s lifetime claims;

g. both Usman and Farooq Vakil knew of LOA’s need to obtain

lumen maintenance test data on its LED Lamps by the fall of 2008;

h. Usman Vakil knew about significant problems with the

manufacturing of LOA’s LED Lamps at LOA Shanghai;

I. both Usman and Farooq Vakil were informed of customer 

complaints from some of LOA’s largest retailers;

j. Usman and Farooq Vakil received test reports on LOA’s LED

Lamps and the LEDs used in those lamps, which showed LOA’s

lifetime claims were not only unsubstantiated, but false; and

k. Usman Vakil decided and set the price for LOA’s LED Lamps and

in doing so, he compared LOA’s LED Lamps to those of its

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competitors by evaluating things like the competitors’ lifetime

claims.

511. Even if the evidence of the Vakils’ knowledge were not sufficient, the

evidence demonstrates at a minimum that they acted with reckless indifference to

the truth or falsity of LOA’s claims on its LED Lamps.

512. Both Usman and Farooq Vakil claim they delegated most of their

responsibilities to their managers, such as Halliwell and Taj. Yet, neither Usman

nor Farooq Vakil put any procedures in place to ensure that the persons to whom

they delegated such responsibilities followed through with the Vakils’ instructions. 

513. Further, Farooq Vakil sent numerous emails to LOA employees during

2009 in which he identified and discussed the need for policies and procedures to

address quality control and production problems.

514. Both Usman and Farooq Vakil knew that one of LOA’s largest

customers, Costco, required LOA to take back several pallets of its LED Lamps

that Costco ordered. Costco took this action after receiving a copy of test data

from DOE’s CALiPER program showing that all of LOA’s LED Lamps that were

tested reached the end of their useful lives (under L70) within 1,000 hours. In

addition to returning product, Costco also required LOA to inform its customers of

this problem and provide refunds to any consumers who requested them. That the

Vakils continued to allow LOA to make false and unsubstantiated lifetime claims

after this kind of action from a major customer like Costco is evidence of reckless

indifference. 

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515. For all the reasons above, the Court finds sufficient evidence of Usman

and Farooq Vakils’ knowledge of LOA’s deceptive acts or at least reckless

indifference to the truth or falsity of the representations.

516. Equitable monetary relief apportioned jointly and severally among

LOA, Usman Vakil, and Farooq Vakil is appropriate.

C. Restitution and Disgorgement.

517. To determine the appropriate amount of monetary relief for both

restitution and equitable disgorgement, the FTC bears the initial burden of showing

that its “calculations reasonably approximated the amount of customers’ net losses,

and then the burden shifts to defendants to show that those figures were

inaccurate.” FTC v. Febre, 128 F.3d 530, 535 (7th Cir. 1997); FTC v. Medicor,

LLC, 217 F. Supp. 2d 1048, 1058 (C.D. Cal. 2002).

518. The proper measure of recovery for consumers is the full amount the

consumers paid. Stefanchik, 559 F.3d at 931; Gill II, 265 F.3d at 958; Figgie Int’l,

994 F.2d at 606. 

519. Whether consumers received something of value from a defendant is

not relevant in determining liability or restitution under the FTC Act. Figgie Int’l,

994 F.2d at 604; see also FTC v. John Beck Amazing Profits, LLC, 888 F. Supp.

2d 1006, 1018 (C.D. Cal. 2012) ; FTC v. Bronson Partners, LLC, 674 F. Supp. 2d

373, 385-86 (D. Conn. 2009).

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520. As the Ninth Circuit explained in Figgie, once a defendant is found

liable for deceptive acts or practices “[w]e would not limit their recovery to the

difference between what they paid and a fair price for [the product]. The seller’s

misrepresentations tainted the customers’ purchasing decisions. If they had been

told the truth, perhaps they would not have bought [the product] at all or only

some.” 994 F.2d at 606.

521. At a minimum, LOA’s gross revenue is a proper measure for monetary

liability in this case and any supposed value received by the consumer should not

be deducted. See, e.g., FTC v. Neovi, Inc., 604 F.3d 1150, 1159 (9th Cir. 2010)

(disgorgement of total revenue without any offset for development and operating

costs of defendant); Stefanchik, 559 F.3d at 931; Bronson Partners, 674 F. Supp.

2d at 385-86 (no offset for value of product); FTC v. Transnet Wireless Corp., 506

F. Supp. 2d 1247, 1271 (S.D. Fla. 2007) (award of total sales minus refunds

already provided to consumers).

522. LOA’s gross revenue (reflecting wholesale, not retail prices) is a 

conservative, yet proper measure for monetary liability in this case. 

523. The Court may also enter an award of equitable disgorgement – the

amount of LOA’s gross revenues from its illegal conduct in advertising and selling

its products with unsubstantiated claims. See generally Bronson Partners, 654 F.3d

359 (discussing appropriateness of disgorgement awards in FTC actions); and FTC

v. Medicor, LLC, 217 F. Supp. 2d 1048, 1057-58 (C.D. Cal. 2002) (entering award

of disgorgement for defendants’ violations of Section 5(a) of the FTC Act).

524. Disgorgement means LOA’s gross revenues from its sale of the

offending products. Bronson Partners, 654 F.3d at 374-75 (noting that “defendants

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in a disgorgement action are ‘not entitled to deduct costs associated with

committing their illegal acts,’” and citing SEC v. Cavanagh, No. 98-Civ-1818,

2004 WL 1594818, at *30 (S.D.N.Y. July 16, 2004), aff’d, 445 F.3d 105 (2d Cir.

2006)); Febre, 128 F.3d at 537 (noting that disgorgement prevents a defendant

from being unjustly enriched by its fraud); Medicor, 217 F. Supp. 2d at 1057-58. 

525. Here, the appropriate amount of equitable relief under both restitution

and disgorgement are the same: defendants’ gross revenues from the deceptively

advertised products.

526. Total sales, based upon LOA’s wholesale price, for the Replaces Watts

Lamps through and including the dates indicated in paragraphs 70-71 above

constitutes a conservative estimate of the amount of restitution owed to consumers

who purchased these lamps.

527. Similarly, total sales, based upon LOA’s wholesale price, for the

Lifetime Lamps from the first and last sales of those lamps constitutes a

conservative estimate of the amount of restitution owed to consumers who

purchased these lamps.

528. LOA made deceptive and false 30,000 hour lifetime claims on its LED

Lamps’ for at least as long as it made unsubstantiated and false Replaces Watts

claims on the Replaces Watts Lamps. Thus, these two periods of false and

deceptive claims overlap. 

529. However, LOA did not sell all of the same LED Lamp models with

false and deceptive Replaces Watts and Lifetime claims. LOA sold only one of the

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Replaces Watts Lamps (2001LED10-65K) in packaging that did not contain a

lifetime claim. For all other Replaces Watts Lamps, LOA also made false and

deceptive lifetime claims. 

530. Thus, to calculate total consumer harm arising from LOA’s sale of its

LED Lamps with false and deceptive light output and 30,000 hour lifetime claims,

the Court need only calculate the gross revenue earned by LOA for its sale of the

Lifetime Lamps, and then add to that number the gross revenue for LOA’s sale of

the one Replaces Watts Lamp for which it did not make a 30,000 hour lifetime

claim (2001LED10-65K). 

531. LOA’s gross revenue for the period of time it sold Replaces Watts

Lamp 2001LED10-65K with the false and deceptive Replaces Watts claims

(through April 2009) is: $250,729.80. 

532. LOA’s gross revenue for the Lifetime Lamps through August 2009

(when it reduced its 30,000 hour lifetime claim to 20,000 hours) is: 

$17,869,239.12. 

533. LOA’s gross revenue for its sale of the Lifetime Lamps for the period

of time it made 20,000 hour lifetime claims (September 2009 to August 2010) is: 

$3,045,852.15. 

534. LOA’s gross revenue for its sale of the lifetime Lamps for the period

of time it made 12,000 and 15,000 hour lifetime claims (September 2010 through

at least April 2011) is: $250,772.20. 

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535. LOA’s total gross sales for all of its LED Lamps that it falsely and

deceptively advertised through April 2011 equals: $21,165,863.47. 

536. LOA has not provided sufficient admissible evidence of any refunds it

issued to consumers either through retailers or its warranty program to reduce the

amount of equitable monetary relief that is appropriate in this case. 

537. Neither LOA nor its witnesses identified the amount of purported

refunds, credits, or warranty claims with specificity, and in the case of its response

to the FTC’s interrogatory on this subject and based upon Ms. Clifton’s testimony,

LOA identified contractual credits which do not represent dollars returned to

consumers. LOA produced no documents in response to the FTC’s document

requests to adequately identify any amount of refunds it may have provided to

consumers. For these reasons, defendants have not met their burden to provide

evidence of refunds to consumers to support a reduction of the amount of equitable

monetary relief that is appropriate in this case. Nor have the defendants provided

evidence to show any errors in the FTC’s calculation of consumer harm. 

D. Defendants Are Not Entitled To An Offset.

538. LOA’s claim for an offset due to a purported benefit consumers

obtained by using its lower-energy LED Lamps has no merit. Any additional cost

savings a consumer would obtain by purchasing LOA’s LED Lamps which

operated by using less electricity was part of the benefit consumers purchased and

paid for in the higher cost of LOA’s LED Lamps. Thus, none of the defendants are

entitled to an offset to either restitution or disgorgement.

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539. In any event, defendants are not entitled to any value which consumers

may have received. Figgie Int’l, 994 F.2d at 604-06 (“The fact that heat detectors

have some value does not alter this conclusion” that the defrauded consumer is

entitled to a full refund); John Beck Amazing Profits, 888 F. Supp. 2d at1018.

540. None of LOA, Usman Vakil, or Farooq Vakil are entitled to claim any

offset to the amount of equitable monetary relief awarded in this case.

541. LOA, Usman Vakil, and Farooq Vakil are hereby found jointly and

severally liable in the amount of $21,165,863.47.

E. LOA’s Warranty Is Not a Defense To FTC Act Liability.

542. Whether LOA had a warranty program for its LED Lamps and the

scope and nature of that warranty are irrelevant.

543. Whether LOA or the retailers to which it sold its products had warranty

or return policies simply is of no import. Cyberspace.com, 453 F.3d at 1201;

Pantron I, 33 F.3d at 1103.

544. LOA’s warranty is not a defense to any of the claims pled against any

of the defendants in this case.

F. Good Faith Is Not a Defense to FTC Act Liability.

545. The FTC has established defendants’ violations by proving the three

requisite elements of deception. The FTC need not prove that defendants intended

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to deceive consumers. Direct Marketing I, 569 F. Supp. 2d at 298 (citing Bay Area

Bus. Council, 423 F.3d at 635). “Because the statute does not require an intent to

deceive, the subjective good faith of the advertiser is not a valid defense to an

enforcement action brought under Section 5(a).” FTC v. Sabal, 32 F. Supp. 2d

1004, 1007 (N.D. Ill. 1998); FTC v. World Travel Vacation Brokers, 861 F.2d

1020, 1029 (7th Cir. 1988); Feil, 285 F.2d at 896 (“Whether good or bad faith

exists is not material, if the Commission finds that there is likelihood to deceive.”).

546. Consequently, defendants’ assertion of “good faith” is an insufficient

defense, and any evidence of such is immaterial.

547. Any conclusion of law more properly characterized as a finding of fact

shall be deemed so. 

The FTC is ordered to submit a proposed form of judgment embodying the

Court’s ruling on all claims adjudicated in this action.

DATED: September 17, 2013

____________________________________

JAMES V. SELNA

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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