Title: Washington Commanders Settle with Virginia Attorney General for $1.3 Million in Season-Ticket Deposit Investigation

In a major development, the Washington Commanders have reached a settlement with the Virginia attorney general following a two-year investigation into the handling of season-ticket deposits. The franchise will pay a total of $1.3 million, with over $600,000 designated for deposit refunds and an additional $700,000 allocated for penalties and investigation costs.

Attorney General Jason Miyares stated that the inquiry was launched on April 25, 2022, after allegations of financial improprieties surfaced during a congressional investigation. These allegations primarily centered around the team's treatment of season-ticket deposits. The investigation examined events that occurred while Dan Snyder owned the franchise; Snyder sold the team in July 2021 to a group led by Josh Harris.

The team cooperated with the attorney general's office, providing them with business, financial, and accounting documents. They also conducted their own internal investigation and shared their findings with the authorities. Miyares acknowledged the new ownership group's willingness to address the issue inherited from the previous regime, avoiding a potentially lengthy litigation process.

Miyares expressed his disappointment with how season-ticket holders were treated, remarking, "It was clear from our perspective that so many of the season-ticket holders were just treated as a commodity. This was a pretty blatant act for sure." He emphasized that consumer protection was of utmost importance and that the attorney general's office would hold bad corporate actors accountable.

According to the investigation, Washington unlawfully retained significant amounts of security deposits and imposed additional conditions on consumers seeking refunds. Additionally, it was discovered that the team failed to remit any unclaimed security deposits to a state unclaimed property office until at least 2023, despite sending form letters to former season-ticket holders in 2014.

As part of the settlement, the Commanders are required to refund all remaining security deposits on dormant accounts or submit them to state unclaimed property departments in accordance with state law. Furthermore, they must refund security deposits within 30 days of contract expiration. The franchise will pay $600,000 in civil penalties and an additional $100,000 for attorney fees and investigation costs.

A team spokesperson expressed satisfaction with the settlement, stating, "We are pleased that this settlement has been reached, resolving issues that occurred under prior ownership."

This is not the first time the Commanders have settled in relation to the season-ticket deposit matter. In April 2023, they reached a separate agreement with the D.C. attorney general's office, agreeing to pay $200,000 to fans and $425,000 to the district.

Overall, this settlement brings closure to a prolonged investigation into the Washington Commanders' handling of season-ticket deposits. The franchise, now under new ownership, has taken responsibility for past shortcomings and has vowed to prioritize the fair treatment of consumers moving forward.