Analysis of the Ferguson v Allure case

Caylen Williams

Co-Presenters: Ashlyn Bascombe, Stephanie Bempica, Carlos Coreas, Tyler Veltre, Brianna Vargas, Om Patel

College: College of Business and Public Management

Major: BS.FINANCE

Faculty Research Mentor: Dawn Adams-Harmon

Abstract:

Attorney Bob Ferguson oversaw the trial of Allure Esthetic, a Seattle-based plastic surgery provider, from 2018 to its settlement in 2024. Allure Esthetic was tried on several counts of illegal business activity to inflate service ratings on online platforms. The allegations included: monetary bribery, coercing clients into signing unlawful non-disclosure agreements, threatening legal action against clients who accepted the bribes beforehand, HIPAA violations, and more. The case details the offense by the plastic surgery clinic through client testimony and evidence of the inflated reviews from internet browsers. In 2024, the federal courts found Allure guilty and ruled that a five-million-dollar settlement would be required for victim relief and compensation. This overview of the settlement focuses on the prosecution and defense of Allure Esthetic, analyzing the defense case built in favor of the clinic, and the contrasting strategies used by the prosecution to prove the unethical business practices of Allure.