So what is the racketeer influenced corrupt Organization Act or the RICO statute
Well, this is a very powerful criminal law. It's a federal law that allows um
for individuals that are involved in a common enterprise that has some pattern of what is defined as racketeering
um to be charged collectively for being part of that enterprise er scheme
Uh It's commonly used for uh to uh reach out to people who hire other people to carry on criminal activity for them such
as the transportation of drugs or narcotics or weapons or something like that
So, anyone who's taking part in the scheme can be charged as well and it's also used to reach assets that were used in any
way in furtherance of that crime. So, um while money sometimes drains away or is
is, doesn't go directly to the individuals who are paid to commit the crime
the money that results from some level of criminal activity that can be traced to these individuals results in forfeiture of that property
So it's a very common way to get assets for individuals involved in that
that enterprise or pattern of racketeering. Now, the pattern of racketeering Act is basically any
any state or federal uh federally charged statute that can result in an indictment
So a felony activity under state or federal law, um where individuals knowingly act together in an enterprise to undertake that
or some pattern of that activity moving forward. So if officers uh make an arrest and identify individuals associated associated
with or provide some level of fund support, material information, etcetera, uh to this scheme or activity that involves multiple people along
that such as the transportation of drugs again, which again is an indictable offense under state law
Then federal statute through interstate commerce powers can reach these individuals. Other individuals charge them under the RICO statute and against the forfeiture
of any money resulting from this illegal enterprise