TOBACCO

RJR Alleges LeBow-Icahn Violated Securities Laws: RJR Nabisco Holdings Corp. said it filed a lawsuit against financiers Bennett LeBow and Carl Icahn, claiming they have violated securities laws by conspiring to buy a controlling stake in the company. The New York-based maker of Camel and Winston cigarettes filed the complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. In a statement, RJR said it believes the two are trying to gain control of the company in order to take over RJR’s tobacco operations and merge them with the Liggett subsidiary of LeBow-controlled Brooke Group Ltd., which makes L&M; and Chesterfield cigarettes. LeBow and Icahn own 4.8% of RJR shares, making them the firm’s second-largest shareholder.