AGO News Releases for 2013

Pasco—Franklin County Superior Court Judge Vic L. VanderSchoor sentenced Dennis Merle Huston of Pasco, Wash., to 16 years today after Huston pled guilty to a complicated embezzlement scheme involving millions of dollars dating back to March 1990.

Attorney General Bob Ferguson reiterated Washington state’s support for marriage equality today as the US Supreme Court hears two landmark cases. Washington joined more than a dozen other states in two “friend-of-the-court briefs” in these cases in late February.

As Americans celebrate National Medal of Honor Day today, Attorney General Bob Ferguson unveiled one of the first major pieces of his veterans’ initiative: new Web-based resources for Washington’s veterans, active-duty military service members and their families.

SEATTLE – The Public Counsel Division of the Washington State Attorney General’s Office will recommend Friday that the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC) continue investigating the so-called “hedging” strategies used by utility companies in their natural gas purchasing strategies.  Public Counsel will also further recommend that the WUTC order that certain hedging costs not be passed to customers.

The Washington State Senate today approved a bipartisan measure proposed by Attorney General Bob Ferguson to extend current courthouse protections to all residents accessing the courts.

Attorney General Bob Ferguson today joined 37 other states and the District of Columbia in a $7 million settlement with search engine giant Google for collecting data from unsecured wireless networks nationwide while taking photographs for its Street View service

BELLINGHAM, WA – March 14, 2013 – The operator of the now-closed Bayside Café in Bellingham has been charged with the theft of at least $286,000 in sales tax he collected from customers but failed to remit to the Washington State Department of Revenue.

OLYMPIA-- Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced today that Washington has joined with other states and the federal government in a $22.5 million settlement with Par Pharmaceutical Companies, Inc. (“Par”). The states allege Par promoted sales of the drug Megace ES for uses not approved as safe and effective by the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) and not covered by the State Medicaid programs.

The Attorney General’s Office has learned people are receiving e-mails that appear to be from the AGO Webmaster or other “@atg.wa.gov” e-mail addresses with subject lines offering stock tips and other news. These are spoofs to trick people into parting with their personal information or lure them into clicking on a document or link that will infect their computer with viruses or malware.

EVERETT – March 6, 2013 – A Bothell contractor was charged today with stealing nearly $23,000 in sales tax between 2004 and 2010 and covering up the theft by filing fraudulent tax returns.