Law firm raided by feds pledges cooperation, suggests ex-employees are to blame
A 14-attorney West Virginia law firm was raided Tuesday by the feds, news reports say.
Martin & Seibert, which defends civil litigation, said it is cooperating fully with the FBI and suggested that ex-employees are behind the incident, a Herald-Mail Media article says.
The FBI “aggressively seized property and detained personnel” during the search of the firm’s headquarters in Martinsburg, the firm said in a written statement provided to the news media.
“While an action of this magnitude comes as a surprise to the firm, we were fully aware of current threats and claims against the firm by former, disgruntled employees,” the statement says. It contends that social media efforts were made to defame the firm and its business practices during the past year.
“After those personal attacks proved unsuccessful, it appears as if a larger attack was coordinated,” the statement adds.
FBI agents at the firm declined to comment, but the statement says the firm is “confident we will rise above these allegations and return our focus back to our clients” as the probe proceeds.
It isn’t clear what specific claims led to the investigation.
The Journal News and WHAG also have stories.
