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Michael McDevitt Faces Lawsuit for Racketeering and Fraud

A natural salad dressing company, Tessemae’s LLC, has filed a lawsuit against Michael McDevitt, an investor and lawyer from DC, accusing him of racketeering and fraud. According to the lawsuit, McDevitt tried to fraudulently take over Tessemae’s by violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO).

The United States District Court in Baltimore received the lawsuit in June 2020. A motion to dismiss the fraud and racketeering claims by McDevitt and his co-defendants was denied by Judge George L. Russell, III on March 31, 2021. RICO, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, and negligence-legal malpractice are the surviving claims.

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. The lawsuit claims that McDevitt and his co-defendants manipulated Tessemae’s affairs, caused it to incur unnecessary debts, misrepresented its financial situation, and pressured it to sell its assets to them at a low price. The lawsuit further alleges that McDevitt committed multiple acts of wire fraud by sending false documents and emails to Tessemae’s creditors and investors.

The company makes natural salad dressings and condiments and is called Tessemae’s LLC. The founder was Tesse Vetter, a mother of three athletic boys who wanted them to stay healthy and eat their veggies. Her family and friends enjoyed her own all-natural recipe for salad dressing, which she created and perfected.

With a motto of “Simplify Food, Amplify Life”, the company has expanded its distribution and product line around the world. As a proud partner of Dr. Axe Keto Diet, the company offers many delicious products that are keto-approved. Based in Essex, Maryland, the company has a customer base that is loyal and appreciates its natural and healthy products.

Later this year or early next year, the lawsuit against McDevitt and his co-defendants is likely to go to trial. Tessemae’s LLC hopes to recover the damages it suffered due to McDevitt’s alleged fraud and racketeering. McDevitt and his co-defendants deny any wrongdoing and maintain their innocence.

One of the most high-profile cases in Maryland this year is the lawsuit between Mike McDevitt and Tessemae and his co-defendants. Find out more about Mike McDevitt and Lawsuit. 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.

To convict someone of a RICO violation, the prosecutor must prove that the person committed two of these offenses with the same enterprise within 10 years and that the acts affected interstate commerce. In 1970, RICO was originally passed to prosecute the Mafia, but it has also been used for other crimes since then. 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. A crime that involves using electronic communication to obtain money or property by deception is wire fraud. Wire fraud is one of the predicate offenses for RICO violations.