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.
The United States District Court in Baltimore received the lawsuit in June 2020. 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. 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 alleges that McDevitt and his co-defendants caused Tessemae’s to incur unnecessary debts, manipulated its affairs, pressured it to sell its assets to them at a low price, and misrepresented its financial situation. 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. Tesse Vetter, who wanted her three athletic boys to eat their veggies and stay healthy, founded it. Her family and friends enjoyed her own all-natural recipe for salad dressing, which she created and perfected.
The company’s product line and distribution have grown around the globe, with a motto of “Simplify Food, Amplify Life”. As a proud partner of Dr. Axe Keto Diet, the company offers many delicious products that are keto-approved. 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. 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. 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. 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 in civil lawsuit cases or for criminal charges.
By sending false emails and documents to Tessemae’s investors and creditors, Michael McDevitt and Defendents engaged in multiple acts of wire fraud, Tessemae’s LLC alleges. 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.