Dechert’s Alleged Hacks Draw Uncommon Civil Racketeering Claims

Two lawsuits against Dechert LLP for its alleged role in an international “hack and dump scheme” will likely face challenges in proving the global law firm is civilly liable under a racketeering law, an unusual claim in cyberattack cases, attorneys say.

Last month, an Iranian American aviation executive and a former Wall Street Journal reporter separately sued Dechert and a litany of other entities, both claiming civil violations of the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act after the firm allegedly led a hacking campaign to steal and reveal documents and communications that damaged their respective businesses.

That statute is ...