Federal court dismisses RICO charges against Mr. Special Supermarkets and Edwin Alonso
A federal district court in Puerto Rico has rejected claims under the RICO statute against the supermarket chain and its executor. The judge characterised the action as a "deliberate attempt to relitigate" succession disputes.
Federal judge dismisses organised crime claim linked to Santos Alonso estate
The United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico has dismissed claims under the federal RICO statute (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisations Act) and Puerto Rico's Organised Crime Act brought against Mr. Special Supermarkets, Edwin Alonso and other defendants, according to elvocero.com.
The ruling was set out in an Opinion and Order issued on 12 August 2026, in which the court concluded that the organised crime allegations were directly linked to succession disputes whose jurisdiction falls to Puerto Rican state courts.
Lawsuit filed in September 2025
The legal action was filed on 5 September 2025. The plaintiffs alleged a purported organised crime scheme related to the administration of the estate of Santos Alonso, founder of the supermarket chain.
In his will, Santos Alonso appointed Edwin Alonso as executor of the estate and delegated to him the administration of assets including Mr. Special Supermarkets, Inc., SA Properties, Inc., SA Investment LLC, Mayagüez Tourist Development and Mariola, Inc. The court acknowledged that the heirs had already attempted, without success, to challenge the powers granted to Edwin Alonso by will.
Judge questions timing and purpose of federal action
In evaluating the lawsuit, the judge noted that the federal action constituted "a deliberate attempt to relitigate" disputes that the plaintiffs had already lost or which remain under review before state courts.
"The Court also cannot ignore the timing of this federal action, which was filed after many years of litigation and several appeals before state courts," the Opinion and Order states.
The judge further determined that the allegations presented in the federal forum were virtually identical to those already discussed in state jurisdiction, describing the lawsuit as a reformulation of those claims under a federal cause of action. "This cries out for improper motive and favours the abstention of the Court," the judge concluded.
Dismissal of all organised crime charges
With this ruling, all organised crime claims brought against Mr. Special Supermarkets and Edwin Alonso are dismissed, both under the federal RICO statute and under Puerto Rican legislation concerning organised crime.
Source: Google News PR — Crime