Supreme Court Sides With Russian Citizen on Racketeering Claim

The US Supreme Court ruled for a Russian citizen trying to sue his former business partner under federal racketeering laws.

In a 6-3 decision, the court said the circumstances surrounding Vitaly Smagin’s injury make clear that it arose in the United States.

Smagin sued Ashot Yegiazaryan and Yegiazaryan’s bank CMB Monaco under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Smagin said Yegiazaryan subverted his efforts to collect on the $92 million he was awarded in arbitration proceedings in London.

The award, which Smagin got a federal district court in California to enforce in a judgment, came after he alleged ...