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Court Is Skeptical U.S. Has Claim To Tobacco Profits

A U.S. federal appeals-court panel questioned whether the federal government could continue to seek $280 billion in past profits as part of its racketeering case against the tobacco industry.

At least two of three judges on the panel appeared to be skeptical about the government's effort to seek disgorgement of industry profits. The panel is considering an appeal of a lower-court ruling that allowed the federal government to seek profits if it won the broader racketeering case.