RICO (“Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act”) is a federal statute designed to target larger criminal operations that may function in multiple states, often with a “clean” business to cover up the illicit activities.
Originally envisioned as an effort to take down the Mafia, one of RICO’s more important functions is to allow an organization’s leadership to be tried for the crimes that it has ordered.
RICO cases are predicated on a pattern of illegal activity related to an enterprise, and conviction on each count can carry a sentence as long as 20 years, with a $25,000 fine.
People convicted under RICO are also subject to civil suits from private parties who were harmed by the racketeering, who are entitled to collect up to triple damages.
The Department of Justice doesn’t only file RICO charges against mobsters.
Today, RICO is used widely to prosecute criminal dealings conducted in a for-profit manner.
Penalties are severe, and the Federal Government has many tools to try to force you to cooperate or plead to lesser, but significant, charges.
Our NYC-based federal criminal defense attorneys are experienced with RICO prosecutions.
Call us today at (212) 577-6677 for an immediate consultation.