RICO Act

The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act is a 1970 United States federal law targeting people who conduct or participate in an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity.

Racketeering activity: Conduct involving specified crimes that can serve as predicate acts under RICO. RICO requires a pattern of these predicate offenses.
Criminal RICO: Federal prosecution under RICO’s criminal provisions for conducting an enterprise through racketeering. It is the government’s route to criminal penalties and, in some cases, forfeiture.
Organized Crime Control Act of 1970: A United States federal law enacted in 1970 that included RICO and other measures against organized crime. RICO entered federal law as one title of this broader act.
Continuing Criminal Enterprise statute: A federal law imposing penalties on leaders of certain continuing drug enterprises. Unlike RICO’s broad predicate list, this statute focuses on large-scale drug operations.
Pattern of racketeering activity: A related series of qualifying criminal acts meeting RICO’s continuity requirements. The pattern requirement distinguishes RICO liability from prosecution for an isolated offense.
Civil RICO: A private lawsuit seeking treble damages for injury caused by a RICO violation. RICO gives qualifying injured parties a remedy beyond criminal prosecution.
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act: The full statutory name of the federal law commonly called RICO. The acronym comes directly from the act’s formal title.
Hobbs Act: A federal law criminalizing robbery or extortion that affects interstate or foreign commerce. It can supply a RICO predicate, but also supports prosecution as a standalone offense.
Enterprise (RICO): A legal entity or association of people that functions as an ongoing unit for RICO purposes. The alleged racketeering acts must relate to an enterprise.
RICO forfeiture: Court-ordered confiscation of property connected to specified RICO violations. Forfeiture can strip defendants of proceeds or interests gained through racketeering.

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