Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

SEATTLE --Attorney General Christine Gregoire said today Cyco.net, Inc., a New Mexico firm, has agreed to stop selling tobacco products in Washington.

Cyco.net and its president, Richard Urrea, were sued under the Consumer Protection Act for selling cigarettes to minors over the Internet.

The lawsuit was filed after an undercover investigation where a minor was able to buy cigarettes on a website provided by Cyco.net.

The lawsuit alleged that the defendants violated the Consumer Protection Act not only by selling tobacco to minors, but also by implying that purchases made on their website were tax-free. Washington consumers who buy cigarettes online are required to pay taxes on those purchases.

Under a settlement filed in King County Superior Court today, Cyco.net is prohibited from advertising, shipping or selling tobacco products of any kind to Washington residents or businesses.

The settlement also prohibits Cyco.net from engaging in any conduct that violates Washington’s Consumer Protection Act, and requires the payment of $10,000 in attorney’s costs and fees.

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