U.S. federal judge dismisses Greenpeace lawsuit against Dow Chemical, Sasol North America, alleging injuries from corporate espionage, racketeering

Alison Gallant

LOS ANGELES , September 9, 2011 (Industry Intelligence) – The Dow Chemical Co. and Sasol North America succeeded in having a lawsuit filed against them by Greenpeace International dismissed by a federal judge Sept. 9, Bloomberg reported the same day.

Dow and Sasol had been sued by the environmental advocacy group, which alleged it had suffered injuries stemming from corporate espionage and racketeering activity. Dow, Sasol and two unnamed public relations firms were accused of conspiring to infiltrate the group from 1998 to 2000 in order to ascertain privileged information to subvert Greenpeace’s campaigns. Greenpeace said the companies broke into locked trash cans near its Washington headquarters, slipped into meetings and intercepted electronic communications

One of the specific allegations -- wire fraud -- actually targeted a group called the Calcasieu League for Environmental Action Now—an affiliate of Greenpeace, according to the Bloomberg article. U.S. District Judge Rosemary M. Collyer cited this as the basis of the dismissal as Greenpeace was not a direct victim of any racketeering activities and therefore the connection between its injuries and alleged actions is too tenuous to pursue damages under federal racketeering laws.

The primary source of this article is Bloomberg, New York, New York, Sept. 9, 2011.

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