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 racketeering activities as part of an ongoing criminal enterprise. In Colorado, as in other states, federal RICO statutes apply and are enforced by federal law enforcement agencies. Under RICO, individuals who lead or are part of criminal organizations can be prosecuted for crimes they directed others to commit or helped in committing, in relation to the criminal enterprise. This includes a range of illegal activities such as gambling, money laundering, loan sharking, or extortion, even if these activities are conducted through seemingly legitimate businesses like laundry services or restaurants. The law is detailed in 18 U.S.C. § 1961-1968, with Section 1962 outlining the substantive offenses, Section 1961 defining key terms, and Section 1963 prescribing penalties such as imprisonment, fines, and forfeiture of assets derived from the criminal activities.