Section 15.17. Enjoining violations

Any  violation  of this article or of
  section 14.05, 14.06 or 14.07 of this chapter  shall  be  deemed  to  be
  unlawful  for the purposes of invoking sections three hundred forty-nine
  and three hundred fifty of article twenty-two-A of the general  business
  law,  and  any person who engages in repeated violations of this article
  shall be deemed to have demonstrated the persistent fraud or  illegality
  necessary  to  invoke  subdivision  twelve of section sixty-three of the
  executive law. The attorney general may  bring  an  action  pursuant  to
  article  twenty-two-A  of  the  general  business  law  or  a proceeding
  pursuant to subdivision twelve of section sixty-three of  the  executive
  law  to  enjoin  violations of this article and seek restitution for any
  person entitled thereto. In any such action or proceeding, the  attorney
  general  may  recover, in addition to any other relief provided in those
  statutes, a civil penalty of not more than five hundred  dollars  to  be
  forfeited  to the state, provided, however, that with respect to actions
  brought pursuant to this section to which article  twenty-two-A  of  the
  general  business  law  applies, the foregoing civil penalty shall be in
  lieu of any penalty set forth  therein.  In  connection  with  any  such
  proposed  action  or  proceeding,  the attorney general is authorized to
  take proof and make a determination of the relevant facts, and to  issue
  subpoenas in accordance with the civil practice law and rules.