Acting US Attorney General Matthew Whitaker once sat on the advisory boardof a troubled invention company, a connection first reported by the Miami New Times.
The company World Patent Marketing settled a case with the Federal Trade Commission in May 2018 after the agency sued for accusations of deceiving consumers than using threats, intimidation, and gag clauses to when they publicly complained.
On Friday the Wall Street Journal reported that the company is also under FBI investigation.
In May 2018 we interviewed Valley inventor Kim Dalhover about his experience with the company while trying to get his motorcycle safety sensor patented.
Related Story: Valley wants money back from World Patent Marketing
He said the company seemed legitimate at first. "There are tons of testimonials on there (company website) of people making money."
They would develop a market and patent his product for just over $13,000. But he says once he paid, all he got was a booklet about marketing strategies.
To get anything more, Dalhover said he'd have to pay $130,000 more.
It's robbery because they didn't do anything they said they were going to do," he said.
The FTC banned World Patent Marketing from the industry and imposed a $25.9 million judgment.
But victims like navy veteran Dalhover aren't expected to see any of that money since the company says it's broke.
Whitaker was not accused of wrongdoing in the FTC lawsuit. But we asked the US Department of Justice what his role was in the company. We did not receive a response by air time.
