AT&T Co faces charges of racketeering and anti-trust violations in a lawsuit filed by Westel de Venezuela SA seeking $90m in damages. The New York Federal Court suit claims that AT&T has attempted to monopolise trade and commerce in the telecommunications, computer and data terminal industries in the Republic of Venezuela through a pattern of racketeering activity and in furtherance of a scheme to defraud by driving Westel out of the market and misappropriating its technology, proprietary business information, business opportunities and personnel. Westel was AT&T’s representative from 1977 and charges AT&T with inducing it to buy obsolete and faulty equipment at inflated prices and then slandering it by advising its customers that Westel was at fault for subsequent malfunctions and failures of the kit.
