Racketeering (RICO) Conspiracy

Rico, the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Not just an act to commit criminal conspiracy, a Rico conspiracy offense is a conspiracy to participate in the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity.

Racketeering is the act of acquiring a business through illegal activity, operating a business with illegally-derived income, or using a business to commit illegal acts, typically those allowing extortion.

The list of federal crimes specific to a Rico offense are bribery, fraud, gambling offenses, money laundering, financial and economic crimes, obstructing justice or a criminal investigation, murder for hire and the sexual exploitation of children.

At the state level racketeering includes murder, kidnapping, gambling, arson, robbery, bribery, extortion, dealing in obscene matter and drug crimes.

U.S. law