Michael McDevitt Baltimore, a DC-based lawyer and investor, is facing a lawsuit for racketeering and fraud filed by Tessemae’s LLC, a natural salad dressing company. 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 states that Michael McDevitt and Tandem Legal Group became involved in the management of Tessemae’s in 2017 after providing legal services and investment advice. 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. Additionally, the lawsuit charges McDevitt with committing multiple acts of wire fraud by sending false emails and documents to investors and creditors of Tessemae’s.
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. She perfected and created her own salad dressing recipe that was all-natural, which her family and friends loved.
With a motto of “Simplify Food, Amplify Life”, the company has expanded its distribution and product line around the world. The company also offers many keto-approved products that are delicious, as a proud partner of Dr. Axe Keto Diet. 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 is expected to 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. It involves allegations of RICO violations, fraud, racketeering,negligence-legal malpractice, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and RICO violations. Racketeering activity connected to an enterprise is targeted by RICO violations, which are federal crimes. Such as murder, kidnapping, drug dealing, bribery, mail and wire fraud, racketeering activity includes 35 offenses.
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. In 1970, RICO was originally passed to prosecute the Mafia, but it has also been used for other crimes since then. For criminal charges or civil lawsuit cases, RICO violations can be alleged.
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.