Racketeer Influenced And Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act

The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act is a US federal law enacted in 1970 that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization. The law defines a "racketeering activity" as one of 35 crimes, and a person who commits at least two such acts within a 10-year period can be charged with racketeering. Those found guilty can be fined up to $25,000 and sentenced to 20 years in prison per racketeering count, and must also forfeit all ill-gotten gains. A RICO-related charge is considered easy to prove in court, as it focuses on patterns of behavior. The law also permits a private individual to file a civil suit against a "racketeer", and allows for the recovery of treble damages.learn more on wikipedia