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 law that targets organized crime by allowing for the prosecution of individuals involved in ongoing criminal enterprises. In Pennsylvania, as in other states, federal RICO statutes apply and are enforced by federal law enforcement agencies. RICO makes it possible to hold leaders of criminal organizations accountable for crimes they directed others to commit or assisted in, even if they did not commit the crimes themselves. The law focuses on a variety of illegal activities, including but not limited to gambling, money laundering, loan sharking, and extortion, which may infiltrate legitimate businesses. Under 18 U.S.C. § 1962, RICO outlines three substantive offenses and also criminalizes conspiracies to commit these offenses. Definitions of terms used within the RICO statute are provided in 18 U.S.C. § 1961, while 18 U.S.C. § 1963 details the criminal penalties for RICO violations, which can include imprisonment, fines, and the forfeiture of assets.