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The U.S. Department of Justice, on behalf of the federal government, is suing the tobacco industry under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act – RICO – for $280 billion, the largest civil RICO suit in history.  Unlike the state lawsuits that led to the Master Settlement Agreement and other settlements in 1998 between the tobacco industry and the states, the DOJ lawsuit is not about reimbursing the government for medical expenditures for sick smokers.  Instead, DOJ is suing for an alleged decades-long conspiracy to deceive the public about the dangers of smoking and the addictive nature of nicotine.

 The case has survived numerous motions to dismiss by big tobacco, and is set to go to trial on September 21, in spite of further motions to delay.  The case will not be over quickly – there are millions of pages of evidence and hundreds of witnesses expected to be called.  There is a separate related appeal to cap damages which will not be decided until later in the fall.

Former FDA Head Kessler Blasts Big Tobacco in Testimony for Upcoming Racketeering Case [09/14/04] *

Not Just Blowing Smoke: More on $280B Suit Against Big Tobacco [09/13/04]

Lawyers in $280B Racketeering Suit Against Big Tobacco Seek Secret Memo [09/13/04]

Federal Judge Still Will Not Delay $280B Racketeering Trial [09/08/04]

Double Danger For Big Tobacco: $280B Racketeering Suit and FDA Regulation of Tobacco Products [09/07/04]

Federal Judge Presses Forward on $280B Case Against Big Tobacco [09/01/04]

Fed. Judge Briefly Delays Tobacco Industry Racketeering Trial [08/18/04]

Judge Rejects BAT's Bid to Exclude Documents in $280B Racketeering Case [08/11/04]*

Fed. Appeals Court to Hear Arguments for Penalty Limitations in $280B Racketeering Case [08/06/04]

Judge Fines Philip Morris $2.75 M for Destroying Emails in Federal Racketeering Case [07/22/04] *

U.S. Wins on 2 of 3 Motions in $280 Billion Racketeering Case [07/15/04] *

Federal Judge Refuses to Dismiss Allegations in Racketeering Case [07/09/04] *

Federal Judge Orders BAT to Turn Over Memo in Racketeering Case [06/02/04] *

Judge Says Government Can Seek Illegal Tobacco Industry Profits [05/25/04] *

Federal Judge Still Refuses to Dismiss $289 Billion Racketeering Case [05/07/04]

US Tobacco Industry Faces Several Important Court Decisions [05/04/04] *

Judge Denies Motion to Dismiss Racketeering Suit [03/18/04] *

Judge Says US May Pursue Big Tobacco Profits Earned before 1970 [03/11/04] *

Federal Judge Refuses to Dismiss Part of $289 Billion Racketeering Suit [02/25/04] *

Judge Limits Number of Counts in Tobacco Suit [02/04/04]

Big Tobacco Loses Bid to Dimiss $289 Billion Lawsuit [01/26/04]

* Contains link to official court ruling, opinion or testimony