Lawyer Sanctioned For Frivolous RICO Claims Against Catholic Church

AM New York yesterday reported that federal district judge Paul A. Crotty imposed an $8000 fine on attorney John A. Aretakis for bringing a series of baseless lawsuits claiming that a cover-up of priest sexual abuse by leaders of the Roman Catholic Church amounted to a violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations statute (RICO). Aretkis claims there was nothing frivolous in his allegations of "an organized, institutional, long-ranging criminal conspiracy" by church officials who were trying to protect priests accused of abusing children. The Rule 11 sanctions came as part of a ruling Friday in which the court dismissed a racketeering lawsuit in which Newark, NJ priest, Robert Hoatson, claimed he was forced out of a parochial school job for criticizing the church's handling of abuse cases. If available, a RICO claim might be brought even though state statutes of limitations had expired.