Legal Definitions - Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organization (RICO) statue

Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organization (RICO) statue

A federal law that makes it illegal for organized criminal groups to use legitimate businesses to carry out illegal activities.

One example of RICO in action is when the government used it to prosecute the leaders of the Gambino crime family in New York City. The leaders were accused of using their control over legitimate businesses, such as construction companies and waste management companies, to carry out illegal activities like extortion and money laundering.

Another example is when the government used RICO to prosecute members of a motorcycle gang who were using their legitimate motorcycle repair shop as a front for drug trafficking.

RICO is designed to target organized criminal groups that use legitimate businesses to carry out illegal activities. The law allows the government to prosecute not only the individuals involved in the illegal activities, but also the businesses that they use to carry out those activities. The examples illustrate how RICO has been used to target criminal groups that use legitimate businesses as a cover for their illegal activities.