PAUL H. KING, 58, a former resident of Mountlake Terrace, Washington, was sentenced today to 10 month in prison, 3 years of supervised release and $44,858 in restitution for Mail Fraud. KING was an attorney practicing in Snohomish and King Counties. From 1983 to 1989, he served in the Washington State Legislature representing the 44th District in Snohomish County. KING was sentenced today by visiting Chief U.S. District Judge Robert H. Whaley from the Eastern District of Washington. At sentencing Judge Whaley said, “I feel particular irritation that you did this with the license you had that requires so much honor.... The type of decisions you make as a lawyer, especially to make false claims to a government agency, make this more serious.”

According to the indictment filed in September 2008, between October 2004, and July 2005, KING conspired with the daughter of his former domestic partner, to defraud the Washington State Employment Security. KING submitted to the state Department of Licensing a Master Application for a business named “Stephen’s Sales and Service.” KING claimed the business planned to have a three person sales force in October 2004. On October 13, 2004, KING submitted Quarterly Tax Reports falsely claiming that he was an employee of “Stephen’s Sales and Service” who had worked 480 hours per quarter earning $12,840 per quarter from the third quarter of 2002, until the third quarter of 2004. On October 23, 2004, KING applied for and received unemployment benefits from Employment Security because of his fraudulent filings. In December 2004, KING filed similarly false statements on behalf of his former domestic partner’s daughter so she, too, received unemployment benefits to which she was not entitled. Between November of 2004, and May of 2005, PAUL KING was paid more than $12, 200 to which he was not entitled. Between January 2005, and July 2005, KING’s co-conspirator was paid more than $12,800 to which she was not entitled. In June of 2005, PAUL H. KING sent Washington State Employment Security a check for $12,480 to refund monies to the accounts.

Asking for a prison sentence at the high end of the range, Assistant United States Attorney Jim Lord noted that KING has used his expertise as a lawyer to attempt to defraud the employment security system. Mr. Lord wrote to the court that KING “routinely used his profession and knowledge of the legal system to unethically manipulate and influence others, including in the commission of the instant offense, influencing the 22 year old daughter of his girlfriend.” KING’s license to practice law is currently suspended pending a disciplinary hearing.

The restitution amount takes into account additional unemployment benefits KING applied for in 2002. The restitution was agreed to by both the government and KING.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and the Washington State Department of Employment Security. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jim Lord.

For additional information please contact Emily Langlie, Public Affairs Officer for the United States Attorney’s Office, at (206) 553-4110.

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