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CASE INFORMATION

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 * $578,727.85 Of Funds Held in 127 Accounts At U.S. Bank, N.A.
 * In the Superior Court of the State of Washington in and for the County of
   King
 * 22-2-14410-6 SEA
 * (866) 221-3033

ABOUT THIS CASE

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR RECIPIENTS OF THE SEIZURE NOTICE LETTER FROM THE
WASHINGTON ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE RELATED TO UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE FRAUD AND
IDENTITY THEFT 

The FAQ provided below is for guidance purposes only and does not supersede
information, instructions, or obligations set forth in the Superior Court’s
Order and Notice of Seizure. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU ACT PROMPTLY TO PRESERVE
YOUR RIGHTS IN THIS MATTER. FAILURE TO ACT WITHIN THE TIMEFRAME ESTABLISHED BY
LAW MAY RESULT IN FORFEITURE OF YOUR RIGHTS AND INTEREST IN FUNDS HELD AT A
FINANCIAL INSTITUTION. 

1.     Q: Why did I receive this Seizure Notice letter?

A: The letter is required by law to inform you that a court has authorized the
Attorney General for the State of Washington to seize funds (the “Funds”) from
an account in your name at the financial institution referenced in the letter. 

2.     Q: What is a seizure?

A: In the case of money in a bank account, a seizure means a bank account has
been suspended, and money in the account is frozen and cannot be withdrawn
without court permission. If the account holder does not object by filing a
Notice of Claim, the court will order the money forfeited to the State of
Washington. 

3.     Q: Why is the State of Washington seizing the Funds?

A: The Washington Attorney General’s Office determined after an investigation
that the Funds were obtained through unlawful activity. 

4.     Q: Unlawful activity? What kind of unlawful activity?

A: Wire fraud and money laundering. The Superior Court for King County,
Washington has found that the Washington Employment Security Department paid out
unemployment insurance benefits based upon false claims—namely, the use of
stolen personally identifiable information of victims of identity theft. 

5.     Q: How do I file a Notice of Claim?

A: Please refer to the enclosed letter for complete details. If you dispute the
seizure of funds, you must submit a written objection (called a “Notice of
Claim”) to the Attorney General’s Office in order to preserve your rights to
contest the seizure and forfeiture of the funds. The Notice of Claim must be
postmarked within 45 days of the date of the Seizure Order, by November 12,
2022. You should include full contact information in your Notice of Claim, as
well as the account number listed on the Seizure Notice letter. The Notice of
Claim may be sent by any method authorized by law or court order, including
first-class mail to: 

Washington Attorney General’s Office

Attn: Sara Cearley

Complex Litigation Division

800 Fifth Ave, Ste 2000

Seattle, WA 98104-3188 

6.     Q: What will happen if I don’t file a Notice of Claim?

A: After 45 days, as prescribed by law, the Funds will be deemed forfeited to
the State of Washington, and the Court will order the bank to return the Funds
to the State. 

7.     Q: There must be some mistake. I was legitimately unemployed and filed
for benefits under my name and account number. What do I do now?

A: To dispute the seizure of funds, you must submit a Notice of Claim to the
Attorney General’s Office, postmarked by November 12, 2022. 

8.     Q: My identity was stolen, and I didn’t file a claim for unemployment
benefits. What do I do now?

A: If your identity was stolen and you are not making a claim to the Funds, you
don’t need to do anything in response to the Seizure Notice letter. We cannot
advise you on how to remedy identity theft, but it is important to follow
expert’s advice on responding to and preventing identity theft. 

9.     Q: There must be some mistake. Someone I know transferred these funds
into my account. They told me the funds belonged to them and were legitimate.

A: The Attorney General has determined that the funds were obtained
fraudulently. If you dispute this determination, you must file a Notice of Claim
following the procedures outlined above. 

10. Q: The Funds do not belong to me. They were sent to my account for someone
else. Can they file a Notice of Claim?

A: Yes. If you accepted the Funds into your account on behalf of someone else,
that person may file a Notice of Claim following the same procedures previously
outlined. 

11. Q: My account has already been frozen by the bank. Do I need to notify the
bank that you intend to seize the Funds from my account?

A: No. Unless you intend to contest the seizure and forfeiture by submitting a
Notice of Claim, you are not required to take any action. 

12. Q: I do not intend to contest the seizure. What should I do next?

A: Nothing. If you do not intend to contest the seizure and forfeiture, you are
not required to take any action.            

13. Q: Will the Attorney General be taking the entire balance of my account?

A: The Attorney General will only seize the fraudulent funds, not funds in an
account legitimately. In some instances the seized amount will be the entire
account balance. 

14. Q: Do I need a lawyer to help me file a Notice of Claim?

A: Ultimately, the decision whether or not to hire a lawyer is a personal
decision and the Attorney General’s Office makes no recommendations in this
regard. 

15. Q: Am I going to be arrested?

A: This is a civil proceeding, not a criminal matter. The focus of this
proceeding is to return back to Washington the Funds obtained as a result of
unemployment insurance benefits fraud. 

16. Q: If I file a Notice of Claim, will someone from the Attorney General’s
Office contact me?

A: Yes, once your Notice of Claim is received and reviewed, someone from the
Attorney General’s Office will contact you.

CASE DOCUMENTS

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 * Complaint
 * Declaration of Quijas
 * Seizure Motion
 * Order

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