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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Alleged scammer arrested in Mexico

A Florida man who escaped prosecution in an online phone scam that cost businesses millions of dollars has been arrested, federal officials said this week.

Officials said the suspect, Edwin Pena, had hired Spokane resident Robert Moore in 2005 to scan computer networks to find those that could be hacked. After identifying unsecured networks, Moore gave their addresses to Pena, who created a voice-over-Internet system that billed companies for phone service.

Government authorities arrested both men in 2006. Pena jumped bail and was on the run until his recent arrest in Mexico, federal prosecutors said. In fall 2007 Moore pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit computer fraud and received a two-year prison sentence. Pena, charged with one count of computer fraud and one count of wire fraud, faces up to 25 years in prison. Authorities say Pena pocketed more than $1 million in the scam.

Avista’s Malquist plans to retire

Avista Corp. Executive Vice President Malyn Malquist will retire March 31.

Malquist, 56, wants to devote more time to family, the community, fishing and consulting, Avista spokeswoman Jessie Wuerst said. Malquist joined Avista as senior vice president in September 2002 and soon became chief financial officer. He was named executive vice president last year. Chairman Scott Morris praised Malquist for helping to restore the company’s financial health and investment-grade credit rating.

Mark Thies has assumed Malquist’s duties as chief financial officer.

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J.

Trump to self: You’re fired

Donald Trump fired himself Friday from the casino company that bears his name.

Spurned by bond holders who rejected his effort to buy Trump Entertainment Resorts, the real estate mogul and his daughter Ivanka are resigning from its board of directors.

He called the troubled casino company he once controlled “worthless to me now.” He is the largest shareholder, owning more than a quarter of its stock, yet stressed that it comprises “substantially less than 1 percent of my net worth.”

The company won a fourth extension Wednesday on restructuring nearly $1.3 billion in debt, and some analysts have predicted it will file for bankruptcy protection for a third time.

“If I’m not going to run it, I don’t want to be involved in it,” Trump said Friday. “I’m one of the largest developers in the world. I have a lot of cash and plenty of places I can go.”

Tom Sowa Bert Caldwell Associated Press