# United States v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters, 708 F. Supp. 1388 (S.D.N.Y. 1989)

Canonical: https://mobfiles.org/items/courtlistener-us-v-ibt-708-f-supp-1388/

Judge David N. Edelstein denied the union's motions to dismiss the Government's 1988 civil RICO complaint against the Teamsters, its General Executive Board, "the Commission of La Cosa Nostra" and 26 alleged members of La Cosa Nostra, and granted default judgments against some defendants.

United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, decided 6 March 1989, eight days before the parties' Consent Decree of 14 March 1989.

The opinion describes the suit: "The complaint names as defendants the International Brotherhood of Teamsters ('IBT' or 'Union'), its General Executive Board ('GEB' or 'Board'), the individual members of the Board, the Commission of La Cosa Nostra ('LCN'), and 26 alleged members of La Cosa Nostra." The Government sought the ouster of the Board and a court liaison officer to oversee reforms in the union's elections and discipline. Rudolph W. Giuliani was the United States Attorney.

Judge Edelstein denied the motions to dismiss and the union's motions for joinder and transfer. Three individual defendants and "the Commission of La Cosa Nostra" had not answered or appeared, and the court gave the Government leave to enter default judgments against them. It denied the Government's motion for summary judgment against five other defendants who had earlier criminal convictions. A footnote records that Salvatore and Nunzio Provenzano had entered consent judgments, and that "Anthony Provenzano has passed away since the filing of the complaint." The complaint's allegations about named persons are allegations, and a default judgment is not a finding after trial.

## Sources

- CourtListener (Free Law Project), text of the opinion: https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/2389725/united-states-v-international-brotherhood-of-teamsters/