A US Southern District of New York Judge dismissed on all counts the RICO complaint made by Rio Tinto Plc (“Rio”) in August 2014 against BSG Resources (“BSGR”), Beny Steinmetz and other defendants including Brazilian mining company VALE SA.
The unequivocal dismissal of the case with prejudice on Friday 20th of November 2015, by the Honorable Judge Richard Berman, bars Rio from re-pleading its case and represents a significant victory for BSGR in its efforts to ensure the truth in relation to Simandou is properly set out.
The court’s decision was based on the following:
This pointless claim, doomed to fail from the moment it was launched, is the latest in a long line of Rio’s attempts to harass BSGR and deprive it of its legitimate interest in the Simandou project to the great detriment of Guinea and it people.
Rio’s attempts to divert attention from its own scandalous behavior has had the opposite effect, casting a spotlight on the decades in which it failed to live up to its commitments and its own nefarious activities. Commenting on the US court’s decision on the Rio RICO complaint, James Libson, Executive Partner at Mischon de Reya LLP and legal counsel to BSGR, said:
“On the basis of this decision and what has been learnt in the process BSGR is exploring its options to ensure it is fully compensated for the billions of dollars of damage caused to it by Rio’s unlawful conduct.”
For further information please contact:
Buchanan Tel: +44 (0)20 7466 5000
Bobby Morse/Anna Mischniewicz Email: [email protected]