Former U.S. Attorney Catherine Hanaway Now Advising Company at Center of Complaints

Well, that didn't take long.

Last month Catherine Hanaway left her post as the federal government's top prosecutor in St. Louis to take a job with the law firm founded by former Missouri governor, senator and U.S. attorney general, John Ashcroft.

Now comes word that Hanaway has landed one of her first clients for the law firm. It's none other than Wentzville-based U.S. Fidelis, the auto-warranty company that the Better Business Bureau claims is the target of more than 1,000 complaints in the past three years. Some 40 states are now investigating the company's business practices and last month Missouri sued U.S. Fidelis when the company failed to respond to a subpoena request.

Yesterday Hanaway told the St. Louis Business Journal that she is helping to conduct an independent, internal review of U.S. Fidelis' policies, practices and procedures. "We have been asked to give a candid assessment of their compliance with the law," said Hanaway.

U.S. Fidelis markets itself as a "faith-based company" with a "commitment to treating every customer with honesty and integrity." The company even uses an angel's halo in its logo. 

One of the founders of U.S. Fidelis, Darain Atkinson, is a convicted convicted thief, burglar, check-forger and counterfeiter who's now building himself a $17-million mansion in Lake Saint Louis.

Let's pray Hanaway can get him off the hook.