Illinois Cabaret $1.18M Fingerprint Privacy Settlement

RCI Management Services Inc., RCI Dining Services (Harvey) Inc., Pooh-Bah Enterprises Inc.

Patrons who provided a fingerprint in connection with a purchase at Scarlett’s Cabaret in Washington Park, Illinois, or Rick’s Cabaret in Chicago, Illinois, between Sept. 17, 2017, and June 18, 2025, may qualify to submit a claim for a VIP membership card valued at $1,000 from a class action settlement.

RCI Management Services Inc., along with RCI Dining Services (Harvey) Inc. and Pooh-Bah Enterprises Inc., agreed to pay $2,950,000 to settle a class action lawsuit alleging it collected customer fingerprints without providing required disclosures or obtaining written consent as mandated by the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act.

Who is eligible for a BIPA settlement payout?

Class members must meet the following criteria:

They provided an ink fingerprint in connection with a transaction one of the following locations:

Rick’s Cabaret in Chicago, Illinois
Scarlett’s Cabaret in Washington Park, Illinois

The transaction occurred between Sept. 17, 2017, and June 18, 2025.

What is the settlement benefit?

VIP membership card: Eligible class members will receive a VIP membership card, valued at a $1,000 and valid for one year, at the club selected on the claim form.

VIP Membership Card benefits include:

Free entry for the cardholder and one guest at any time
Unlimited access to VIP seating
Invitations to exclusive quarterly VIP events
Discounts on bottles of alcohol purchased
Complimentary food and non-alcoholic drinks during visits

Approved claimants will receive one VIP membership card for one club regardless of how many visits took place or number of fingerprints they provided. There is no cash option.

How to claim a VIP membership card

To receive a VIP membership card, class members must submit a claim form by Sept. 16, 2025. They can file a claim online or print a PDF claim form and mail it to the settlement administrator.

Settlement administrator's mailing address: Rapp v. RCI Management Services Inc. c/o Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 25226 Santa Ana, CA 92799

Is proof required to submit a claim?

No, documentation is not required to submit a claim. However, the settlement administrator may request additional documentation at a later date to valid claims.

Payout options

The settlement administrator will mail the VIP membership card for the selected club to the address provided.

$2.95 million BIPA settlement fund

The settlement fund of $2,950,000 will include:

Settlement administration costs: To be determined
Attorneys' fees: Up to $1,180,000
Attorneys' costs and expenses: To be presented to the court for approval
Service awards to class representatives: Up to $5,000 each
Approved claimant benefits: VIP membership cards valued at $1,700,000

Important dates

Deadline to file a claim: Sept. 16, 2025
Deadline to opt out: Sept. 16, 2025
Final approval hearing: Oct. 16, 2025

When is the RCI fingerprint settlement payout date?

VIP membership cards will be mailed to approved claimants approximately 75 calendar days after the settlement is granted final approval.

Why was there a class action settlement?

The class action lawsuit alleged RCI Management Services Inc., RCI Dining Services (Harvey) Inc., and Pooh-Bah Enterprises Inc. collected customer fingerprints at their clubs without making the disclosures or obtaining the written consent required by the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act.

The defendants deny these allegations but agreed to settle to avoid the cost and risk of continued litigation.