What is racketeering charges

Racketeering has always been closely associated with the organized crime structure of the mob. There are currently several federal laws that focus on eliminating racketeering. Enacted in , RICO laws specifically address racketeering and spell out the criminal penalties for being part of an organized crime operation. RICO charges are designed to allow the law to hold leaders of crime syndicates legally responsible for crimes they did not commit personally. Al Capone, the infamous leader of the Chicago Mafia, orchestrated gambling, protection, prostitution and bootlegging rackets.

These notorious groups dominated organized crime in Chicago and New York for decades -- until prosecutors brought them down with one sweeping charge: racketeering.

Now the federal government is using racketeering to go after a dozen college athletics figures and test administrators in the largest college admissions scandal ever prosecuted. Cheating scandals and mob activity may appear very different. But both fall under the broad umbrella of racketeering. So what exactly is racketeering? Despite a arrest over allegations that the singer sexually abused and urinated on a year-old girl, he continued to be a major name in the music industry, collaborating with artists including Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Usher and Jay-Z.

However, many broke off their ties with the singer in the wake of the Lifetime documentary series Surviving R Kelly , which gave a voice to many of his accusers, the majority of whom are young Black women.

One of the final witnesses described seeing him sexually abusing her around , when Aaliyah was only 13 or Jurors also heard testimony about a fraudulent marriage hatched to protect Kelly after he feared he had impregnated Aaliyah. The singer is facing numerous other legal battles, pleading not guilty to sex-related charges in Illinois and Minnesota.

Trial dates in those cases have yet to be set. Log In. Contact us Sign up for newsletters. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for Investopedia. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification.

I Accept Show Purposes. Your Money. Personal Finance. Your Practice. Popular Courses. Part Of. Types of Financial Crime and Fraud. Financial Crime and Fraud Examples. Control and Regulation. What Is Racketeering? Key Takeaways 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.

The U. Racketeering can be prosecuted at the state or federal level. Federal crimes of racketeering include bribery, gambling offenses, money laundering, obstructing justice or a criminal investigation, murder for hire, and sexual exploitation of children. Article Sources. Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts.

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