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 organization. In Delaware, as in all states, federal RICO statutes apply and can be enforced by federal law enforcement agencies. The law is particularly focused on the infiltration of legitimate businesses by criminal enterprises for the purpose of engaging in illegal activities such as gambling, money laundering, loan sharking, or extortion. Under RICO, leaders of a criminal organization can be prosecuted for crimes they directed others to commit or helped in committing, in relation to the criminal enterprise. The law outlines specific offenses under Section 1962, provides definitions in Section 1961, and sets forth penalties including imprisonment, fines, and forfeiture of assets under Section 1963. While RICO is a federal law, Delaware may also have state laws that address similar criminal activities, but RICO itself provides a powerful tool for federal prosecutors to dismantle organized crime networks that operate within the state.