Ex-employee of KVI charged with rigging call-in contest

A former promotions employee of KVI-AM radio and 14 other people were charged Tuesday with theft stemming from an alleged scheme to rig a call-in contest sponsored by the station.

The former employee, Ryan Elizabeth Keeley, 26, was accused by the King County Prosecutor's Office of helping the other defendants, who were friends or associates of the friends, to each win $1,000 by picking their names in a contest called the "Secret Listener Salute" in early 2007.

Contestants were supposed to be selected randomly from one of two databases containing the names of potential listeners. Listeners were to call the station within 30 minutes when they heard their names called on air to collect the $1,000 prize.

Keeley, through various means, arranged for the other defendants to sign up for the contest and be selected, then call to collect their prizes, according to charging papers. In return, Keeley received some of the proceeds, including as much as half from some of the defendants, the charging papers say.

Keeley, who left the station in July 2007, was charged with first-degree theft, and the other defendants were each charged with second-degree theft, according to prosecutors.

Arraignments were set for Feb. 16 for Keeley and the other defendants, who were each issued a summons to appear in court.