The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, better known as “RICO,” is a federal law which provides for extended penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization.[1] The law was part of the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970, signed into law by President Nixon, which was intended to provide prosecutors with a tool to combat the Mafia as well as other groups engaged in organized crime. Under RICO, a person who c