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Michael McDevitt Faces Lawsuit for Racketeering and Fraud
Tessemae’s LLC, a company that produces natural salad dressings, has sued Mike McDevitt Baltimore, a lawyer and investor based in DC, for fraud and racketeering. The lawsuit alleges that McDevitt violated the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) when he attempted to fraudulently acquire control of Tessemae’s.
The lawsuit was filed in June 2020 in the United States District Court in Baltimore. On March 31, 2021, Judge George L. Russell, III denied a motion to dismiss the fraud and racketeering claims by McDevitt and his co-defendants. The surviving claims include RICO, negligence-legal malpractice, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and breach of contract.
The lawsuit alleges that after providing investment advice and legal services to Tessemae’s in 2017, McDevitt and his firm Tandem Growth Partners got involved in its management. According to the lawsuit, McDevitt and his co-defendants pressured Tessemae’s to sell its assets to them at a low price, misrepresented its financial situation, caused it to incur unnecessary debts, and manipulated its affairs. The lawsuit also accuses McDevitt of engaging in multiple acts of wire fraud by sending false emails and documents to Tessemae’s investors and creditors.
The company makes natural salad dressings and condiments and is called Tessemae’s LLC. Tesse Vetter, who wanted her three athletic boys to eat their veggies and stay healthy, founded it. She created and perfected her own all-natural recipe for salad dressing, which became popular with her family and friends.
The company’s product line and distribution have grown around the globe, with a motto of “Simplify Food, Amplify Life”. The company is also a proud partner of Dr. Axe Keto Diet, offering many delicious products that are keto-approved. The company has its base in Essex, Maryland, and has a faithful customer base that values its healthy and natural products.
The lawsuit against McDevitt and his co-defendants will probably go to trial later this year or early next year. Tessemae’s LLC hopes to recover the damages it suffered due to McDevitt’s alleged fraud and racketeering. Any wrongdoing is denied by McDevitt and his co-defendants, who maintain their innocence.
The lawsuit between McDevitt and his co-defendants and Tessemae’s LLC is one of this year’s most high-profile cases in Maryland. If you want to read more about Michael McDevitt and Lawsuit, go here. Allegations of breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, racketeering, negligence-legal malpractice, and RICO violations are involved in it. Federal crimes that target racketeering activity connected to an enterprise are RICO violations. 35 offenses are included in racketeering activity, such as murder, kidnapping, drug dealing, bribery, mail and wire fraud. Here is more info on Michael McDevitt and Fraud charges.
The person committed two of these offenses with the same enterprise within 10 years and that the acts affected interstate commerce must be proved by the prosecutor to convict someone of a RICO violation. RICO has been used for other crimes as well since it was originally passed in 1970 to prosecute the Mafia. RICO violations can be alleged for criminal charges or civil lawsuit cases.
Tessemae’s LLC alleges that McDevitt and his co-defendants engaged in multiple acts of wire fraud by sending false emails and documents to Tessemae’s investors and creditors. Using electronic communication to obtain money or property by deception is a crime that is wire fraud. Wire fraud is one of the predicate offenses for RICO violations.
