Seattle IRS agent charged with soliciting bribe from pot shop owner



SEATTLE (AP) — An Internal Revenue Service agent has been arrested on charges related to soliciting a bribe and accepting payment from a Seattle marijuana business owner.

Paul G. Hurley of Seattle was charged Monday in U.S. District Court with soliciting and agreeing to receive a bribe and two counts of receiving a bribe by a public official.

Court records say the 42-year-old Hurley reportedly asked for $20,000 cash from the business owner in exchange for giving lenience in an audit, although the owner never requested it.

Seattlepi.com reports (http://goo.gl/v96dty ) that Hurley said he was living paycheck to paycheck and was saving the owner over $1 million in the audit.

Hurley appeared in court Monday and was released on his own recognizance pending future hearings.