Case Citation
Legal Case Name

CEDRIC KUSHNER PROMOTIONS, LTD. v. KING Case Brief

Supreme Court of United States2001
533 U.S. 158 121 S.Ct. 2087 150 L.Ed.2d 198 Criminal Law Corporations

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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis

General Brief
3 min read

tl;dr: A corporate employee who is also the corporation’s sole owner can be sued under RICO as the “person” who conducted the affairs of the “enterprise” (the corporation), as the two are legally distinct entities.

Legal Significance: This case clarifies that the RICO “person” and “enterprise” distinctness requirement is satisfied by the formal legal separation between a natural person and the corporate entity they own and operate, expanding the statute’s reach to closely-held corporations.

CEDRIC KUSHNER PROMOTIONS, LTD. v. KING Law School Study Guide

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Case Facts & Court Holding

Key Facts & Case Background

Cedric Kushner Promotions, Ltd. sued Don King, the president and sole shareholder of Don King Productions, under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), 18 U.S.C. § 1962(c). Kushner alleged that King, acting as an employee within the scope of his authority, conducted the affairs of his corporation, Don King Productions, through a “pattern of racketeering activity.” The lower courts dismissed the complaint, reasoning that for a § 1962(c) claim, the liable “person” and the “enterprise” must be distinct entities. The Second Circuit held that because King was the sole owner and president acting within his corporate authority, he was legally indistinct from the corporation itself. Therefore, the complaint failed to allege the two separate entities required by the statute. The Supreme Court granted certiorari to resolve a conflict among the circuit courts on this issue.

Court Holding & Legal Precedent

Issue: Does the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) permit a plaintiff to allege that a corporate employee, who is also the corporation’s sole shareholder, is the “person” and the corporation itself is the “enterprise” for purposes of liability under 18 U.S.C. § 1962(c)?

Yes. The Court held that a corporate employee, even one who is Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse

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Legal Issue

Does the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) permit a plaintiff to allege that a corporate employee, who is also the corporation’s sole shareholder, is the “person” and the corporation itself is the “enterprise” for purposes of liability under 18 U.S.C. § 1962(c)?

Conclusion

The decision confirms that the corporate form cannot be used as a Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nos

Legal Rule

To establish liability under 18 U.S.C. § 1962(c), a plaintiff must allege Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis

Legal Analysis

The Court's analysis began with the plain language of RICO. Section 1962(c) Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur

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Flash Summary

  • Under RICO § 1962(c), a corporate employee, even a sole shareholder,
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatu

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