Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Nick Brown

Attorney General Says Salesman’s Claims Violate Court Order

SEATTLE – The Washington State Attorney General’s Office filed a court petition to prevent a New Jersey-based traveling salesman from promoting products – including a machine he claims can make a car engine run on pickle juice or cola.

The petition filed Feb. 10 in Spokane Superior Court accuses Dennis Lee of violating a 2002 court order when he made a presentation last week at the Seattle Public Library.

PLUSA to reduce debt for former NorVergence telecommunications customers

Multi-state settlement benefits five Washington businesses that rented “Matrix” box with the unmet promise of lower phone and Internet bills

SEATTLE – Five small businesses in Washington state that lost phone and Internet services when their telecommunications provider, NorVergence, Inc., went bankrupt in 2004 will not have to pay the full amount due on their rental contracts, the Washington State Attorney General’s Office announced today.

States Reach Agreement With Rite Aid Over Tobacco Sales to Minors

OLYMPIA -- Attorney General Christine Gregoire announced today that Rite Aid has entered into an agreement with 20 states, including Washington, to help reduce the sale of tobacco to minors.

Rite Aid, the latest national retailer to reach such an agreement with state attorneys general, will adopt procedures to prevent tobacco sales to underage youth in its more than 3,000 stores across the country, including 134 stores in Washington.

McKenna Announces California Company Ordered to Pay $3.4 Million for Spam E-mails


Judge’s order comes in response to Washington’s first case under the federal anti-spam law

SEATTLE – A California marketing firm today was ordered to pay $3 million in civil penalties and $375,000 restitution to the Seattle School District for sending junk e-mails. Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced the U.S. District Court order against AvTech Direct, which came as a result of Washington’s first lawsuit under the federal anti-spam act.

Attorney General’s Office Sues, Settles with Washington-based SoftwareOnline.com

SEATTLE – The Washington State Attorney General’s Office announced a settlement today with Sammamish-based SoftwareOnline.com, Inc. Under the settlement filed today in King County Superior Court, the company will refund affected consumers and pay $190,000 to resolve allegations that it misrepresented the extent to which its software is necessary for security, bombarded potential customers with pop-up ads and used deceptive billing practices.

General Tobacco Joins Master Settlement Agreement

OLYMPIA -- Attorney General Christine Gregoire announced today that Vibo Corporation of Miami, Florida has joined the tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) and will pay Washington State $1.5 million immediately and approximately $35 million over the next ten years.

Vibo, which does business as General Tobacco, was the largest remaining tobacco company not signed on to the MSA. It is the exclusive U.S. importer of cigarettes from Protabaco, S.A., based in Bogota, Colombia, and sells a number of cigarette brands, including Bronco, GT One, Champion and Silver.

Internet Tobacco Sales to Minors Prohibited

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.