Best Buy lawyer admits to altering documents in racketeering case

It looks like a fairly big shoe has dropped in the racketeering case against Best Buy and Microsoft, as a lawyer for the former company recently testified that he altered some documents before turning them over to plaintiffs in the lawsuit. The lawyer, Timothy Block, also said that no one else at either his law firm or at Best Buy were aware that he had changed the documents. As the AP reports, however, this follows complaints from the judge in the case that Best Buy has not been forthcoming with documents related to the lawsuit. The case itself, for those not up to speed, accuses Best Buy of signing up customers for MSN trial subscriptions without their knowledge, who then faced credit card charges after the trial period was over. For its part, Microsoft is being accused of allowing the practice to continue after it was aware of the problem. It doesn't look the case will be winding up anytime soon, however, as it's now been stayed while Best Buy tries to find some new outside counsel.

[Via Tech Dirt]

[Javi0084 @ Jun 7th 2007 11:57AM]

Good thing I never shop at Best Buy.

[Simon P @ Jun 7th 2007 12:29PM]

I got stung by exactly this little ruse. Couldn't figure it out at the time. I thought I'd actually been unlucky enough to be victim of a legit price change between looking at a product online and driving to the store to pick it up. I've followed this case with interest and look forward to my class-action settlement check of around 23 cents with much anticipation.

[Shinrai @ Jun 7th 2007 3:35PM]

That's the OTHER ruse. --;

[andy @ Jun 7th 2007 12:51PM]

Whew, I bet they're looking for new counsel for a long time. They want someone to come on board an extremely time comsuming, losing case with a client who has been smattered with unethical conduct, and I'm sure like most large corporations, want it done "on a budget." Good luck with that.

[hatuman @ Jun 13th 2007 1:11PM]

naw, Best Buy will be paying top dollar for their new counsel. The new attorneys will demand a hefty retainer and free reign to pursue the defense vigorously in order to set up Best Buy's case against the former attorneys for malpractice to lighten the judgment Best Buy will face when the case settles or is tried.

[yagisencho @ Jun 7th 2007 1:38PM]

"For its part, Microsoft is being accused of allowing the practice to continue after it was aware of the problem."

That sounds like it might be difficult to prove, unless there's an electronic paper trail of Microsoft employees directing Best Buy to do this. So far, it just sounds like Best Buy got addicted to subscription bounties and stuck their customers with the bill.

(And why hasn't AOL been charged as well? They offer the same types of bounties, foisted unknowingly on customers by Best Buy.)

[Landlocked @ Jun 7th 2007 2:42PM]

Off topic - but didn't Best Buy promise to get rid of mail-in rebates after so many people complained about them? Wasn't that info released like 2 years ago now?

[Britboyj27 @ Jun 7th 2007 5:59PM]

Landlocked, actually, Best Buy does not carry any 'cash' mail-in rebates anymore, with the exception of TiVo (who are good enough about not stiffing customers) and the occasional incentive one ($150 at the online NFL store for buying a Samsung TV before the Super Bowl).

ALMOST all 'rebates' on TV's and computers at Best Buy are instant, and taken at the register now.

[Perrey Z. @ Jun 7th 2007 10:43PM]

Nothing that Best Buy does surprise me anymore. From Overprice gadgets, fake in-store websites to mislead the consumer into paying more, to their infernal fast-talking-lying-all-the-way personnel and now this? this company should be shut down, ASAP!

[obiwan @ Jun 8th 2007 2:20AM]

best buy is a place for most americans that really dont get tech that well .. that being said if you're any sort of person with some increased knowledge about a particular type (or all products if your on endgadget alot) this place is an overpriced dump.. and has gotten more so as they struggle with large stores to compete against small savvy low cost/price competitors.. (this is why best buy will no longer build giant box stores). I was an employee at best buy and was told to 'push' this product because it combined 'savings for the customer with something they really needed' this was to be sold on anything that was above 200 dollars i think. A LOAD OF CRAP is what it was and i never sold it.. why would anyone want to sign up for an extended usage plan on outgoing tech. I did think this was very misleading to the customer.. but f it im not gonna sell it and if your gonna buy it.. caveat emptor.

[Jman @ Aug 21st 2007 2:32PM]

I am an employee of Best Buy currently. I read this and it really hits home. Since this lawsuit, my store's intranet now has a link to Best Buy local, and one to Best Buy national. The local site indicates our in store pricing, but for some funny reason, when I try to access the national pricing, which is the pricing the customer sees from home, the website says that it is currently "under construction." However, if I access yahoo, and search for best buy, and then access the link through the search, I get the national pricing site just fine.