Category Archives: RICO claims
What Is The RICO Act?
The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) of 1970 is a federal law passed specifically to fight organized crime. The law strengthened legal tools in evidence gathering by establishing new penal prohibitions and providing enhanced sanctions and new remedies for dealing with the unlawful activities of those engaged in organized crime. Common racketeering… Read More »
Civil RICO Update; Court Requires Cigarette Companies To Issue Corrective Statement
On December 6th, 2022, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a joint announcement with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) resolving the federal government’s long-running civil RICO lawsuit against many of the nation’s largest cigarette companies. As part of the agreement, these companies will take additional corrective action. In this… Read More »
Federal Appeals Court Dismissed Civil RICO Claims Against Southwest And Boeing
According to a report from the Aero News Network, a federal appeals court has dismissed a civil RICO lawsuit against Southwest Airlines Boeing. The civil racketeering claim is related to a pair of international 737 Max-8 accidents that claimed hundreds of lives in 2018 and 2019. The civil RICO lawsuit was dismissed on the… Read More »
Civil RICO Claims: What Constitutes A “Pattern” Of Racketeering Activity?
Through a civil RICO claim, a plaintiff can seek treble damages. Recovery may be available for three times their actual losses. That being said, it is not easy to establish liability in a recovery case. There are specific criteria that must be met—including proving a pattern of racketeering activity. Here, our Miami RICO claims… Read More »
Civil RICO Lawsuit Alleges Contractor Embezzled Nearly $600,000 In Vermont Project
According to a report from VTDigger, a contractor has been accused of embezzlement of more than $600,000 from a non-profit organization in a civil RICO lawsuit filed in a state court in Vermont. The plaintiff ValleyNet—a nonprofit that operates the internet provider “ECFiber”—alleges that a contractor named John Van Vught diverted funds before disappearing…. Read More »
Dechert Sued For Civil RICO Violation For Alleged Misconduct Of A Partner
According to a report from the American Bar Association (ABA) Journal, Dechert LLP —a large global law firm with a main office in Philadelphia, PA—is facing a civil RICO lawsuit. The law firm is being sued for allegedly being “willfully blind” to alleged unethical professional conduct by one of its London-based partners. Here, our… Read More »
Cities And Towns In Rhode Island File A Civil RICO Lawsuit Against Consulting Firm McKinsey
According to a report from GoLocalProv, several municipal governments in Rhode Island have filed a civil RICO lawsuit against the national consulting firm McKinsey & Company. The civil racketeering claim relates to McKinsey’s alleged role in the opioid epidemic. Notably, there is already multi-district litigation ongoing regarding this matter. Here, our West Palm Beach… Read More »
Federal Civil RICO Claims: RICO Conspiracy Lawsuits
Racketeering is illegal. The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act is a federal law that prohibits racketeering. Florida has its own state RICO law. Notably, these statutes have both criminal and civil elements. A person, business, or organization that suffered financial harm due to racketeering activity can file a lawsuit directly against the… Read More »
Federal Judge Dismisses Majority Of Cayuga Nation’s Civil RICO Lawsuit
According to a report from Auburn Citizen, a federal judge has dismissed a civil racketeering lawsuit filed by the Cayuga Nation. The Cayuga Nation of New York is a federally recognized Native American tribe. The group alleged that Pipekeepers Tobacco & Gas—a smoke shop located in Upstate New York—has committed a civil RICO violation…. Read More »
What To Know About Causation And Civil RICO Claims
Through a civil racketeering lawsuit, a plaintiff can hold a defendant liable for three times the actual losses sustained due to a civil RICO violation. However, establishing liability in a civil racketeering case is never easy. There is a high bar that plaintiffs need to clear. One of the most important elements of bringing… Read More »
