Tod Curtis, Mount Prospect, Illinois owner of Ye Olde Town Inn, has won an unusual lawsuit over his claim that village officials and a developer had attempted to force him out of his business in order to begin building a new project. Curtis had in 2008 cited a federal racketeering law, claiming the village and Oz Development, LLC, joined forces to evict his business—in outright violation of the RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization) Act. Despite a judge’s attempts to toss out the lawsuit, Curtis avoided a jury trial, and agreed to settle. Mount Prospect—22 miles northwest of downtown Chicago—and its insurer, according to lawyer Riccardo DiMonte, will pay $6.5 million: $2 million toward attorney fees and legal costs. Mount Prospect must shell out $439,002, the remainder coming from an insurer.
DiMonte told chicagotribune.com that Curtis is "pleased to have all the lawsuits behind him." The village of Mount Prospect, having savored 40 years of Curtis's slices, can only rejoice.
