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Oklahoma Judge Rejects Unclaimed Property Fund Challenge

State Impact-Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — An Oklahoma County judge has rejected legal challenges to the state's Unclaimed Property Act and legislation that funded state government for the last three years.

District Judge Thomas Prince handed down the rulings Friday, rejecting allegations in lawsuits filed by Oklahoma City attorney Jerry Fent that the actions were unconstitutional. Fent says he plans to appeal each ruling.

In one lawsuit, Fent claimed the state operated a Ponzi scheme by raiding the Unclaimed Property Fund and using that money to fund state government operations. Attorney General Scott Pruitt's office argued the state can use unclaimed property for public purposes and return its value to those who claim it.

Fent also claimed billions of dollars' appropriated by the Legislature in the last three annual general appropriations bills were unconstitutional.