Federal investigators scrutinized Whitaker's role in patent company accused of fraud.

Federal investigators last year looked into whether Matthew G. Whitaker, as an advisory board member of a Miami patent company accused of fraud by customers, played a role in trying to help the company silence critics by threatening legal action, according to two people with knowledge of the inquiry.

Whitaker, named this week by President Trump as acting attorney general, occasionally served as an outside legal adviser to the company, World Patent Marketing, writing a series of letters on its behalf, according to people familiar with his role.

But he rebuffed an October 2017 subpoena from the Federal Trade Commission seeking his records related to the company, according to two people with knowledge of the case.

The FTC alleged in a 2017 complaint that the company bilked customers with fraudulent promises that it would help them market their invention. The FBI has also investigated World Patent Marketing, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday.

Whitaker was not named in the FTC complaint. World Patent Marketing, without admitting fault, settled the case for more than $25 million earlier this year, according to court documents.

Justice Department officials declined to comment on Whitaker’s handling of the FTC subpoena.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/federal-investigators-scrutinized-whitakers-role-in-patent-company-accused-of-fraud-according-to-people-with-knowledge-of-case/2018/11/09/e826a404-e456-11e8-ab2c-b31dcd53ca6b_story.html?utm_term=.afcf3ad04c35&wpisrc=al_news__alert-politics--alert-national&wpmk=1

Anyone in this administration who isn't corrupt?