Attorney general: Snohomish couple scammed elderly, vets

SEATTLE (AP) — Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson says he has filed a lawsuit against a Snohomish couple.

He says Peter and Carolyn Cook scammed elderly residents who were applying for Medicaid and veterans benefits.

Ferguson says the Cooks ran a business called C&C Consulting. They offered clients help with navigating applications for state and federal programs.

But the attorney general says the Cooks had no training to provide consulting services and broke the law by failing to get Veterans Administration accreditation. He says they also sold clients annuities that gave no return on their investment.

The state says the Cooks violated the Consumer Protection Act. It is seeking penalties of $2,000 per violation as well as restitution for consumers.