Federal Magistrate Judge Says Yes to Novel Civil RICO Claim

ByPFAS Primer Team

A federal magistrate judge has recommended allowing civil racketeering claims to proceed in a lawsuit over PFAS in the drinking water of a Massachusetts town. In 2022, several residents of the town filed suit asserting a federal RICO claim and other claims against various companies alleging a conspiracy to dump PFAS waste in a composting facility to avoid the high disposal cost associated with hazardous waste. Although the magistrate judge found the plaintiffs’ allegations against certain companies implausible, he nevertheless greenlit their RICO claims against the manufacturers allegedly dumping waste into the facility and the organic composting facility.

September 1, 2023 | Ryan, et al. v. Greif Inc., et al., No. 4:22-cv-40089 (D. Mass.).

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