Connecticut

When eBay announced in May that it had become the latest high-profile company to suffer a large-scale data breach, several top state law enforcement officials were quick to issue statements expressing concern and pledging to conduct investigations. In the ensuing week, numerous states teamed up to launch a joint probe of eBay's breach and its broader security practices, according to an official at the Connecticut attorney general's office, which along with the AGs in Illinois and Florida is leading the investigation. Connecticut Assistant Attorney General Matt Fitzsimmons said that "a fair number" of states have joined the probe.  

Gift retailer Harry & David has opened a special lineup of new pop-up stores and kiosks for the 2013 holiday season. From California to Connecticut, customers will now be able to purchase Harry &...

As every business owner knows, it's important to comply with local, state and federal tax laws. But compliance can be a challenge. It's not always easy to figure out what taxes are owed on which items, even if you sell goods in one state only. If you operate in multiple states, that can complicate matters exponentially. Tax rates and taxable item categories can vary considerably from state to state. Cities can also impose their own taxes on certain items and services. And sometimes, tax regulations just don't make much sense, which leads to confusion for business owners who are struggling to accurately collect taxes from customers. Here are seven examples of bizarre taxes found in states:

Japanese retailer Uniqlo will open 10 new U.S. stores over the next two months in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Northern California, and wants to expand with 20 more in 2014. But first, it needs to figure out Los Angeles. "Southern California is a very important market to us, and it's a priority market to us," said the company's COO. "We will think through the specific strategy for L.A., but right now, we're studying it. Do we open multiple stores right away versus have a flagship and wait a year to open up the suburban areas?"

Amazon.com famously started life in the "no taxes ever" column. More recently, the Bezos-driven behemoth emerged from its chrysalis with a pair of sales tax wings. Starting Sept. 1, Amazon added two states, Virginia and Georgia, to its growing stable of states in which it collects sales tax and remits it to the state. Amazon already collects sales tax in Arizona, California, Kansas, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington. Plus, Amazon taxes are coming soon to Connecticut, Massachusetts, Nevada and Indiana.

A former executive at jeweler Tiffany & Co pleaded guilty Friday to stealing more than $2 million worth of jewelry from her one-time employer. Ingrid Lederhaas-Okun, 46, a former vice president of product development, pleaded guilty to a count of interstate transportation of stolen property less than a month after she was arrested in connection with the theft. Among the items stolen were bracelets, earrings and pendants made of diamonds, platinum and gold. Under a plea agreement, Lederhaas-Okun, a resident of Connecticut, has agreed to forfeit more than $2.11 million and pay $2.24 million in restitution.