In what is believed to be the first time Federal Civil RICO charges have been approved in regard to the franchising of hotels/motels, the Defendants are accused of a continuing pattern of fraud in the franchising of Villager Lodge. 

The lawsuits allege that the Defendants engaged in a conspiracy to fraudulently persuade potential franchisees into signing franchise agreements, based upon promises and inducements that the Defendants had no intention and of providing, and did not, provide. 

In addition to the Plaintiffs, the lawsuits allege that there were at least nine additional victims, referred to as �predicate acts�. There are believed to be many additional victims/predicate acts, and additional RICO lawsuits are expected to be filed.