Dallas-Led Locke Lord Team Obtains Dismissal of Racketeering Claims on Behalf of Varsity Brands Founder Jeff Webb

Paul Coggins and Brendan Gaffney (both of Dallas) led a Locke Lord team that obtained the dismissal of racketeering claims on behalf of Jeff Webb, the founder and former CEO of Varsity Brands. The plaintiff, a former cheerleader identified as John Doe, asserted civil conspiracy claims in violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act‎. Hon. Pamela Barker of the Northern District of Ohio ruled that the RICO claims against the corporate defendants failed because there’s no showing that the unidentified plaintiff suffered an injury to business or property. The court also ruled that Doe failed to allege that Mr. Webb joined any RICO enterprise, or that he or the corporate defendants shared any unlawful common purpose with any other defendants, therefore granting the defendants’ motions to dismiss. Additional assistance was provided by Katie Wright (Dallas).
Posted on August 8, 2023