Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Nick Brown

Internet Cancer Cure Site Ordered Shut Down

OLYMPIA - March 15, 2002 - A Thurston County Superior Court judge today ordered an Internet-based cancer cure promoter to stop marketing a controversial cancer treatment that has no proven success rate.

Judge William Thomas McPhee, ordered David L. Walker of Olympia, owner and operator of DLW Consulting, to temporarily shut down his website and stop promoting the unusual treatment, which involves ingesting dietary supplements and an herbal mixture known as "Indian Mud."

AG Warns of Canadian Lottery, Sweepstakes Scam

SEATTLE – The Washington state Attorney General’s Office is warning consumers to be on guard against a Canadian lottery or sweepstakes telemarketing scam that promises huge prizes in return for the advance payment of fees.

The warning comes after the Attorney General’s Tacoma Consumer Resource Center received four calls this week reporting the scam along. Similar reports have been made to Consumer Resource Centers elsewhere in the state in recent weeks.

Washington Joins Fraud-Enforcement Sweep of Travel Related Scams

Seattle, March 13, 1997 - Washington's Attorney General's Office today filed lawsuits against two local travel companies and a publicly traded Florida company as part of an FTC and multi-state sweep called Operation Trip-Up.

The lawsuits were filed against Vacation Time Worldwide of Bothell, BudgeTravel of Pasco and Vacation Break USA of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Since May 1996, Washington has filed 10 actions against travel sellers.

AG Taps Everett Lawyer's Account to Recoup Penalty in Lobbying Case

OLYMPIA - August 28, 1998 - The Attorney General's Office today seized money in the bank account of an Everett attorney who failed to pay a seven-year-old court judgment stemming from his violations of the state Public Disclosure Act.

The 1991 judgment against attorney Geoffrey Gibbs was entered following settlement of the state's civil suit against Gibbs for disclosure act violations he committed between 1987 and 1989. At the time, he was serving as executive director and lobbyist in Olympia for the Washington State Food Dealers' Association.

State Settles Cases With Major Drug Maker

Seattle - Attorney General Christine Gregoire today announced settlements -- one in principle -- with drug maker Bristol-Myers Squibb, which was accused of illegally trying to extend exclusive rights to two widely prescribed medications.

The two cases, which represent a combined value of $155 million, involve the company's attempts to keep less expensive, generic versions of the anti-anxiety drug BuSpar and the cancer medication Taxol off the market.