Racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations — Definitions

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  • For purposes of this section and sections 487 through 490 of this title:
    • (a) “Racketeering activity” means

      • (1) any act or threat involving murder, kidnapping, gambling, arson, robbery, bribery, extortion, or dealing in narcotic or other dangerous drugs, which is chargeable under territorial law and punishable by imprisonment for more than 1 year;

      • (2) any act which is indictable under any of the following provisions of Title 18, United States Code: section 201 (relating to bribery), section 224 (relating to sports bribery), sections 471 through 509 (relating to counterfeiting), section 659 (relating to theft from interstate shipment) if the act indictable under section 659 is felonious, section 664 (relating to embezzlement from pension and welfare funds), sections 891–894 (relating to extortionate credit transactions), section 1084 (relating to the transmission of gambling information), section 1341 (relating to wire fraud), section 1503 (relating to obstruction of justice), section 1510 (relating to obstruction of criminal investigations), section 1511 (relating to the obstruction of State or local law enforcement), section 1951 (relating to interference with commerce, robbery, or extortion), section 1952 (relating to racketeering), section 1953 (relating to interstate transportation of wagering paraphernalia), section 1954 (relating to unlawful fund payments), section 1955 (relating to the prohibition of illegal gambling businesses), sections 2314 and 2315 (relating to interstate transportation of stolen property), sections 2421–2424 (relating to white slave traffic);

      • (3) any act which is indictable under Title 29, United States Code, section 186 (relating to restrictions on payments and loans to labor organizations) or section 501(c) (relating to embezzlement from union funds); or

      • (4) any offense involving bankruptcy fraud, fraud in the sale of securities, or the felonious manufacture, importation, receiving, concealment, buying, selling, or otherwise dealing in narcotic or other dangerous drugs, punishable under any law of the United States.

    • (b) “Person” includes any individual or entity holding or capable of holding a legal or beneficial interest in property.

    • (c) “Enterprise” includes any individual, partnership, corporation, association, or other legal entity, and any union or group of individuals associated in fact although not a legal entity.

    • (d) “Pattern of racketeering activity” requires at least two acts of racketeering activity, one of which occurred after October 25, 1995 and the last of which occurred within 10 years (excluding any period of imprisonment) after the Commission of a prior act of racketeering activity.

    • (e) “Unlawful debt” means a debt

      • (1) which was incurred or contracted in gambling activity which was in violation of the law of the United States, a state or political subdivision thereof; or

      • (2) which is unenforceable under state or Federal law in whole or in part as to principal or interest because of the laws relating to usury; or

      • (3) which was incurred in connection with the business of gambling in violation of the law of the United States, a state or political subdivision thereof; or

      • (4) which was incurred in connection with the business of lending money or a thing of value at a rate usurious under State or Federal law, where the usurious rate is at least twice the enforceable rate.

    • (f) “Documentary material” includes any book, paper, document, record, recording, or other material.


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