STATEWIDE – About 6,000 Washington residents turned out today for the first statewide LEGIT Shred-a-thon, carrying bags and boxes of papers containing personal information to be shredded. Organizers deemed the identity theft prevention campaign, which included simultaneous shred events at 29 locations, a huge success.

“The old saying ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’ is especially true with identity theft,” said King County Deputy Prosecutor Susan Storey, who chairs LEGIT. “Today, we collected identity theft prevention by the bag and boxful.”

EVERETT — A loan officer accused of stealing funds from her customers’ mortgage loan proceeds was sentenced today to six months in jail and another six months of home monitoring, Attorney General Rob McKenna announced.

The Financial Crimes Unit of the state Attorney General’s Office brought charges against Ellen V. Milam, 38, of Everett, on Feb 2, 2007, at the request of the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions. Milam entered a plea of guilty as charged on Mar 23, 2007, in Snohomish County Superior Court to six counts of theft in the second degree.

Media and public can meet identity theft experts, destroy documents for free, win prizes and more

Olympia -The state has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision that ruled Washington's blanket primary

OLYMPIA - The conclusion of an 11-month inquiry into alleged violations of humane slaughter, worker safety and food safety laws at the IBP, Inc. beef

Washington is among 12 states' attorneys general taking action against fraudulent credit repair companies as part of "Operation Payback," a nationwide crackdown announced this morning by the Federal Trade Commission in Washington, D.C. In all, the 12 states and the FTC filed law suits against 13 firms.

The Washington State Attorney General's Office has filed a lawsuit against DTM Financial Services of Walpole, Mass. in U.S. District Court in Seattle.

The violations outlined in Washington's lawsuit against the DTM Corporation include:

SEATTLE - The State Attorney General's Office last year saved Washington consumers nearly $5 million dollars - a record amount - primarily through the help of volunteers.

Consumers received $4,921,836 in restitution and other savings as a result of the Attorney General's Office mediation efforts with businesses. In 1994, consumers were saved $4,662,262, up 21 percent over 1993.

OLYMPIA- State Attorney General Christine Gregoire today announced the findings of an extensive investigation that revealed significant problems with the construction of 10 Eastern Washington schools in the last five years.

"Obviously, it's wiser, safer and cheaper to build schools right the first time," said Gregoire "The investigation confirms these problems were not unique or isolated to one or two projects. One thing is clear, schools need more help."

OLYMPIA - Washington Attorney General Christine Gregoire today supported President Clinton¹s proposal to regulate tobacco as an addictive drug.

"This is a bold action by the Clinton administration and it is absolutely necessary to help prevent thousands of Washington children from facing a life of addiction, smoking-related health problems and early death," Gregoire said.

 SEATTLE -Attorney General Christine Gregoire filed a lawsuit against Sunrise Resorts and Recreation, Inc. of Renton, WA., a camping club with a long history of consumer complaints.

According to the lawsuit, Sunrise sales representatives failed to disclose important facts about the Sunrise camping club and its facilities. For example, consumers were not told that in 1987, Sunrise filed a Chapter 11 reorganization in Federal Bankruptcy Court and since then had been operating under a Chapter 11 reorganization plan.