Dear Friends,

Sun, sand, Super Bowl scams and taxpayer savings are all in the mix this month as the Attorney General’s Office tackles a unique range of legal issues.  

My consumer protection team is cracking down on deceptive landlord practices and improving living conditions for renters, mostly migrant workers, residing in a Mattawa mobile home community.  They are also responding to the Premera data breach and helping Seahawks fans harmed by a Super Bowl ticket scam.

AGO torts attorneys recently won a defense verdict that will save taxpayers $40 million.

In this issue:   

I filed a consumer protection complaint against a Mattawa landlord who used shady sales and rental contracts to avoid responsibility for the poor living conditions of his tenants, mostly migrant workers. 

Sun and Sand mobile home park owner Gary Chavez, a Seattle resident, is accused of using fake "sales" agreements to evade local ordinances that require landlords to protect the health and safety of renters.    

Despite the welcoming name, Chavez's Sun and Sand property is actually home to badly dilapidated units. Conditions include leaking window sills that cause rot, water damage on walls, holes in the floor and infestations of cockroaches and bedbugs.

I'm not going to tolerate business owners who take advantage of a vulnerable population. 

Tri-City Herald

Mattawa trailer park owner accused of fake sales to avoid repairs

NBC News

An Inside Look at the Conditions at the Sun & Sand Mobile Home Park in Mattawa

NW News Network

Cockroaches, Bedbugs, Mold Alleged In Central Washington Mobile Home Park Lawsuit

For some Seahawks fans, the Super Bowl heartbreak struck hours before the interception, when they learned just before game time that their pre-paid ticket orders were a sham.

My consumer protection team recently filed a lawsuit against SBtickets.com, LLC accusing the company of playing a deceptive marketing game with Super Bowl tickets.  The company "sold" tickets it didn't actually have, while promising their customers a “100% Guaranteed, no tricks or gimmicks" deal.  

Their game plan involved taking prepaid orders for higher priced tickets, then scoring the tickets at cheaper prices later.  When last-minute Super Bowl ticket prices soared, the company failed to fill all of its orders and many Seahawks fans were left without tickets.

My consumer protection team filed suit when fans who believed they had tickets, many who had spent thousands on their trip to the Super Bowl, were left empty handed.  I urge anyone who may have been a victim of this or other ticket scams to file a complaint with my office.

KOMO TV

State to sue Super Bowl ticket seller over failure to deliver 

State AG asks Super Bowl ticket scam victims to come forward

KUOW

Bogus Super Bowl Tickets Spark Washington Attorney General Lawsuit

The massive data breach reported by Premera is another disturbing example of why our state needs stronger notification laws.  This breach, traced to a May 2014 cyber attack, has the potential to affect millions of Washingtonians.

I'm pleased to report the Legislature is currently considering my request to strengthen notification requirements when data breaches occur. HB 1078 passed the House March 4 and is now before the state Senate. 

The legislature is also considering my request to continue funding the identity theft task forces that bring together local law enforcement and financial fraud experts to prosecute identity thieves.  In 2013, the task forces conducted 555 investigations and made arrests in 535 cases involving 1,392 counts, resulting in 495 convictions.  (SB 5058 / HB 1090)

Anyone who may have been affected by the Premera breach should visit www.premeraupdate.com for more information. 

I am also urging all consumers to visit the Attorney General’s Office website for information on how to protect yourself from identity theft and how to recover if your personal information has been compromised.  

USA Today

Premera says data breach affects up to 11M people

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Premera Blue Cross hacked:  Millions of Washington consumers affected

The AGO's Torts legal team defends taxpayers against the hundreds of millions of dollars in legal claims that are filed each year against the state.  They have an impressive success rate.  Just last week, one of my trial teams won a defense verdict in a $40 million lawsuit against the state (Hamblin v. DSHS), which means taxpayers will pay nothing in this case. While these important victories largely go unnoticed, the Torts team is among Washington taxpayers' most valuable assets.

Tacoma News Tribune

Jury sides with state in Eatonville adoption abuse lawsuit

In a recent trip to Lewis County, I met with the Law Enforcement Council, visited the Editorial Board of The Chronicle, and spoke to members of the Centralia Rotary club.

Read about the issues we discussed, including marijuana legalization and one of my top priority requests to the legislature, House Bill 1067, reauthorizing the AG's authority to fight Medicaid fraud.

The Chronicle

Attorney General Seeks Tool to Continue Medicaid Investigations