The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act—commonly referred to as the RICO Act or simply RICO—is a federal law that provides for criminal prosecution of racketeering activities as part of an ongoing criminal organization. 18 U.S.C. §1961. RICO is designed to address the infiltration of legitimate business enterprises by organized crime and other illegal ventures—such as laundry services, retail stores, restaurants, nightclubs, and labor unions—to commit gambling, money laundering, loan sharking, or extortion.

Under RICO, leaders of criminal organizations can be held liable for crimes they order others to commit, or assist them in committing, in furtherance of the ongoing criminal organization. Section 1962 sets forth three substantive offenses and makes it a crime to conspire to commit any of the three substantive offenses. Section 1961 provides definitions for terms used in the RICO statute. And section 1963 establishes criminal penalties, including imprisonment, fines, and criminal forfeiture.

The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) is a federal statute that targets organized crime by enabling the prosecution of criminal activities performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization. In Nevada, as in all states, federal RICO laws apply and can be enforced by federal law enforcement agencies. RICO allows for the prosecution of individuals who participate in or lead criminal enterprises, even if they did not personally commit the criminal acts, as long as they were involved in ordering, assisting, or otherwise facilitating the criminal conduct. The law covers a range of activities including but not limited to gambling, money laundering, loan sharking, and extortion, and it is not limited to traditional organized crime groups but can also apply to illegitimate operations within legal businesses. Violations of RICO can result in severe penalties, including imprisonment, fines, and the forfeiture of assets. While RICO is a federal law, Nevada may have its own statutes addressing similar criminal organization activities, but RICO specifically provides a broad and powerful tool for federal prosecutors to combat organized crime across state lines.