AmTrust Urges N.Y. Federal Court to Allow Fraud Lawsuit Against Italian Arbitrator to Proceed

NEW YORK — AmTrust Financial Services Inc. is urging a New York federal court to allow its lawsuit to proceed against an Italian arbitrator whom it says was bribed to rig arbitrations against AmTrust in order to induce the insurance firm to pay a hefty settlement or incur a huge damages award.

In a Sept. 30 filing in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, AmTrust says it has adequately pled its fraud and RICO claims against arbitrator Marco Lacchini.

In December 2009, AmTrust began underwriting medical malpractice in Italy through its London-based subsidiary, AmTrust Europe …