Cheer groups move to dismiss abuse case, racketeering claims

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A series of lawsuits beginning in South Carolina have detailed the alleged sexual abuse of at least 20 cheerleaders across six states. The anonymous plaintiffs have accused coaches, choreographers and others of illicit drug provision, child pornography solicitation and rape.

The cases have spotlighted sexual abuse within cheerleading. The concerns have only grown since a prominent coach who starred on a popular Netflix show was arrested in 2020 on child pornography charges.

But the lawsuits don't stop there. Lawyers are also pursuing the same organized crime charges recently brought against high-profile sex abuse defendants like Harvey Weinstein and the Catholic Church.

Alongside the alleged violations of the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act have been claims that the growing sport's leading governing and commercial bodies and the investors backing them violated federal racketeering laws. Now, the man credited with transforming modern cheerleading, the sport's top corporations, the co-owner of a successful local gym and two private equity firms are moving to dismiss the first case in Greenville, South Carolina.

Congress passed the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act of 1970, also known as RICO, to help combat organized crime. The law carries stiff penalties. In addition to a maximum prison sentence of 20 years, a conviction can bring a payout totaling triple the damages suffered by the plaintiff.

The plaintiff must show that they suffered injuries to their business resulting from the enterprise's violation of any number of enumerated RICO crimes. The crimes must have been committed at least twice to establish a pattern and for similar purposes.

In the South Carolina case, the plaintiffs...