Liability for torts and crimes.
Federated Financial Reserve Corp. leases consumer and business equipment. as part of its credit approval and debt-collection practices, Federated hires credit collectors, whom it authorizes to obtain credit reports on its customers. Janice Caylor, a Federated collector, used this authority to obtain a report on Karen Jones, who was not a Federated customer but who was the ex-wife of Caylor's roommate, Randy Lind. When jones discovered that Lind had her address and how he had obtained it, she filed a suit in a federal district court against federated and others. Jones claimed in part that they had violated the fair credit reporting act, the goal of which is to protect consumers from the improper use of credit reports. Under what theory might an employer be held liable for an agent-employee's violation of a statute? Does that theory apply in this case? Explain. (Jones v. Federated Financial Reserve Corp., 144 F.3rd 961 (6th Cir. 1998))