Defamation/Impersonation Campaign as RICO Violation (with $9M in RICO Trebled Damages)

Eleventh Circuit judges upheld a $12.5 M verdict (including $9M under RICO ) in such a case.

In this action, Jason Hartman and his companies accused Defendants —a rival real estate investor and his associates—of committing a wide variety of misconduct as part of a smear campaign to harm Plaintiffs' reputation and steal clients.

Sells was aware of the positive effect on PIP 's business.

Hartman testified that due to the smear campaign, he lost speaking gigs at conferences and former clients stopped communicating.

The Eleventh Circuit rejected defendants' various objections.

Plaintiffs were awarded $9M under RICO (the jury $3M verdict trebled).