Dear Friends,
 
Fighting fraud and abuse took center stage at the Attorney General’s Office in June.  We filed a lawsuit against a Snohomish County couple who we allege scammed elderly residents applying for Medicaid and veteran’s benefits.  We prosecuted a woman who masqueraded as a nurse, and convicted an adult family home provider for abusing a man in his care.
 
We also had an active month in the Federal courts. We went to bat in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to help defend Seattle’s $15-an-hour minimum wage ordinance. Additionally, several recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions, including rulings on marriage equality and the Affordable Care Act, were wins for Washington. 
 
This month, as I mark my 50^th Rotary visit, I’d like to thank Rotarians across the state for their hospitality and civic dedication.

In this issue:

My office filed a consumer protection lawsuit against a Snohomish couple we believe used their “consulting” firm to scam seniors seeking help applying for Medicaid and veterans benefits.

Our lawsuit accuses the owners of C&C Consulting, Peter and Carolyn Cook, of charging elderly clients and veterans thousands of dollars for services they were not qualified to provide or never delivered. 

Among other deceptions, the Cooks claimed to be able to help clients apply for government benefits, even though they had no training to do so.  They did not have accreditation from the Veterans Administration, which is required by law, to provide such assistance to veterans.  

More than 75 clients, including at least 10 veterans, paid the Cooks $2,500 to $5,900 for fraudulent services, worthless annuities, “legal services” — the Cooks are not attorneys — and other phony fees.  In the end, many of the Medicaid and VA aid applications submitted for the clients were either delayed or denied.

Our lawsuit seeks penalties in the amount of $2,000 per violation and restitution for consumers.

KOMO News

Snohomish couple sued for deceptive veterans assistance plans

Seattle Times

State attorney general: Couple scammed vets, elderly

First, she forged a nursing license to become a fake Medicaid healthcare provider.  Then she fled Washington when the fraud came to light.  After 16 years on the run, the AG’s office caught up with Elene Allonce.  Now she will serve six months in jail for defrauding taxpayers. 
 
Allonce’s con game began in 1998 when she used a copy of a real nurse’s license to fabricate a fake license for herself.  She used the fake papers to obtain a real nursing job in a Medicare facility.  Allonce fled justice in 1999 when the AG’s office charged her for the license forgery.   
 
Unfortunately, Allonce’s fraud spree continued for years before she was caught in New York and convicted for identity theft and fraud.  Her six-month sentence for her Washington crime will now be served concurrently with the 12-year federal sentence she received for a separate fraud scheme involving $10 million in false billings to Medicare.  
 
Bothell/Kenmore Reporter
Jail time for fake nurse who forged credentials to access Medicaid dollars

The Attorney General’s Office won its first felony-level criminal mistreatment conviction for elder abuse last month when we successfully prosecuted an adult family home owner.  Alfredo Tia, the owner and care provider at Joportia Adult Family Home in Auburn, was convicted of abusing a man in his care.  The 69-year-old victim was a resident in the home for nearly a year until he was admitted to a hospital for severe pressure ulcers.
 
When a hospital social worker reported suspected abuse, our Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated.  Tia left the country as the Department of Social and Health Services was shutting down the home.  In April, he was arrested for second-degree criminal mistreatment at Sea-Tac Airport as he returned from the Philippines.
 
Prosecuting elder abuse cases is a priority for my office. It sends a clear message that elder abuse has no place in our state.  When Medicaid patients in Washington are mistreated, my office will seek justice. 

Seattle Times
Former Auburn adult family home owner pleads guilty to criminal mistreatment

With some local jurisdictions in Washington increasing the minimum wage, the Attorney General’s Office released guidelines to assist local businesses considering using a surcharge to cover their cost. In a nutshell, it is legal for businesses to impose a surcharge to cover their costs as long as the charge is clearly disclosed to customers and used for the purpose described.
 
In related news, last month I filed an amicus, or “friend of the court,” brief in the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in support of Seattle’s $15-an-hour minimum wage ordinance in the case of International Franchise Association v. City of Seattle.  The brief defends the authority of our state and local governments to protect Washington workers.  More about the case and our brief are available here.
 
CBS Local
Attorney General Rules Minimum Wage Surcharges Must Be Disclosed To Customers

In King v. Burwell, the court upheld the Affordable Care Act.  I joined with Attorneys General from 17 other states to file a friend-of-the-court brief opposing this misguided lawsuit against Obamacare.  An adverse ruling would have undermined the entire health insurance marketplace, ultimately disrupting Washington’s healthcare program.
 
The court also agreed with the legal position of 42 states, including Washington, in a case involving the testimony of a child abuse victim (Ohio v. Clark).  The Court ruled that out-of-court statements made to non-law enforcement individuals can potentially be used in criminal prosecutions. This decision will help ensure that those who commit child abuse, domestic violence, or other crimes are brought to justice.
 
Peninsula Daily News
U.S. Supreme Court makes same-sex marriage the law of the land