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 Vermont, 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 directed, ordered, or assisted in the commission of those crimes. The law covers a range of criminal activities, including but not limited to gambling, money laundering, loan sharking, and extortion, and it is often used to prosecute individuals involved in organized crime who use legitimate businesses as fronts for illegal activities. Penalties under RICO can be severe and include imprisonment, fines, and the forfeiture of assets. While RICO is a federal law, states like Vermont may have their own laws addressing similar criminal conduct, but RICO itself provides a powerful tool for federal prosecutors to combat organized crime on a national level.