A King County court has ordered a $7 million judgment against John B. Elliott, Shanelle Sunde, and their companies for improperly managing deceased persons' estates. According to the Washington State Attorney General’s office release, the defendants appointed themselves as probate administrators without heirs’ knowledge and collected fees and commissions from estate assets valued at over $28 million. The scheme affected about 200 estates between March 2019 and January 2024.
King County Superior Court Judge Suzanne Parisien ruled that the defendants violated the Washington Consumer Protection Act and state probate laws. The judgment includes restitution, penalties, legal fees, costs, and a permanent injunction preventing Elliott and Sunde from serving as probate administrators. The court directed the defendants to pay over $4 million in restitution to affected parties within 30 days.
In addition, the state of Washington will receive $3 million in penalties, attorney fees, and costs to support consumer protection enforcement through the Attorney General's Civil Justice Operating Fund. Assistant Attorneys General Matt Geyman, Ben Carr, and Lauren Holzer led the legal efforts on this case.
