Mealey's (February 6, 2019, 9:50 AM EST) -- WILMINGTON, N.C. — Area and independent franchisees of a restaurant chain cannot pursue claims that three individuals who formed a franchise for the business violated the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, a federal judge in North Carolina ruled Feb. 4, holding that the plaintiffs did not sufficiently allege that the men engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity over a substantial period of time (Trident Atlanta LLC, et al. v. Charlie Graingers Franchising LLC, et al., No. 18-cv-10-BO, E.D. N.C., 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17295)....