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. The lawsuit claims that McDevitt engaged in RICO violations when he schemed to acquire control of Tessemae’s fraudulently.
In June 2020, the lawsuit was brought to the United States District Court in Baltimore. 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. 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.
Natural salad dressings and condiments are what Tessemae’s LLC produces. The founder was Tesse Vetter, a mother of three athletic boys who wanted them to stay healthy and eat their veggies. 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 also offers many keto-approved products that are delicious, as a proud partner of Dr. Axe Keto Diet. The company is based in Essex, Maryland, and has a loyal customer base that appreciates its natural and healthy products.
The lawsuit against McDevitt and his co-defendants will probably go to trial later this year or early next year. Due to McDevitt’s alleged racketeering and fraud, Tessemae’s LLC hopes to recover the damages it suffered. McDevitt and his co-defendants maintain their innocence and deny any wrongdoing.
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. It involves allegations of RICO violations, fraud, racketeering,negligence-legal malpractice, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and RICO violations. RICO violations are federal crimes that target racketeering activity connected to an enterprise. Racketeering activity includes 35 offenses, such as murder, kidnapping, drug dealing, bribery, mail and wire fraud.
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 was originally passed in 1970 to prosecute the Mafia, but has since been used for other crimes as well. 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. One of the predicate offenses for RICO violations is wire fraud.