OLYMPIA – Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced settlements with operators of LA Weight Loss diet centers in Washington. The settlements resolve allegations that LA Weight Loss misrepresented program costs to get consumers to enroll, then pushed the sale of protein bars and supplements after they had signed a contract.

The state reached agreements with three businesses: LA Weight Loss Centers, Inc., and LA Weight Loss Franchise Company, both of Horsham, Penn., and NWM Inc., of Lake Oswego, Ore. Combined, they operate 19 diet centers in Washington.

“This was a tragic accident that shattered Paula Joyce’s family. Everyone involved in this case feels enormous sympathy for the Joyce family and we’re all relieved that finally, eight years after the accident, we’ve reached an agreement that will bring resolution to the litigation.

“Today the Supreme Court reversed the trial court’s decision in Joyce v. Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC) and ordered a new trial because errors in the jury instructions misstated the law and denied the people of Washington a fair trial. The decision overturns the $22.4 million jury award in this case, which has grown to more than $33 million with interest —the largest tort verdict against the state in history.

OLYMPIA – Attorney General Rob McKenna will announce a comprehensive new statewide strategy to help local communities fight the production and sale of meth at a news conference next Tuesday morning in downtown Seattle.

General McKenna will be joined to outline “Operation: Allied Against Meth” by King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng, King County Sheriff Sue Rahr, Snohomish County Prosecutor Janice Ellis and U.S. Attorney John McKay, as well as Susan York, executive director and founder of Lead on America, a Snohomish County community-based anti-drug organization.

TACOMA– Two people were arraigned in Pierce County Superior Court today on fraud and identity theft-related charges filed by the Attorney General’s Office.

Sophia R. Sanders, 39, pled not guilty to two counts of Identity Theft in the First Degree, one count of Theft in the First Degree, 14 counts of Theft in the Second Degree and three counts of Medicaid False Statement. These felony crimes are punishable by up to ten years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine.

OLYMPIA - Senior U.S. District Judge Alan McDonald today ruled on summary judgment in United States. v. Manning that Initiative 297, the Cleanup Priority Act, is unconstitutional in its entirety.

SEATTLE – Attorney General Rob McKenna convened Washington’s first statewide summit to address identity theft on Wednesday in SeaTac, bringing together nearly 300 leaders from the public and private sectors to discuss how to tackle what has become the fastest-growing crime in the United States.

“Our identity is our most personal possession,” McKenna told summit participants. “It’s who we are. We must fight against those criminals who would try to take that away.”

OLYMPIA -- Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced he has appointed Sr. Assistant Attorney General Maureen Hart as the new Solicitor General.

The Solicitor General is responsible for coordinating cases at the U.S. Supreme Court and at appellate levels in both state and federal courts, as well as preparing formal Attorney General Opinions.

OLYMPIA, Wash. – An individual care giver in Grays Harbor County pled guilty today to one count of Theft in the First Degree for collecting from the state-federal medical assistance program more than $6,700 in payments for care she never provided.

According to the affidavit filed by a state Medicaid Fraud Investigator, Krista Richters claimed to provide care for the maximum 100 hours per month from February 2004 through October 2004. In the affidavit, she admitted she had not worked even “one hour.”

SEATTLE -- The Attorney General’s Office is warning consumers to beware of “phishing” scammers on the Internet. Phishing is an attempt to trick consumers into disclosing personal and/or financial information.

The emails appear to come from legitimate financial institutions, such as U.S. Bank and Citibank. Many of these schemes contain links to “look-alike” websites that are loaded with actual trademarked images. The websites then instruct consumers to “re-enter” their credit card numbers, social security numbers, bank PINs, or other personal information.