Civil RICO

The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act of 1970 (“RICO”, 18 U.S.C.A. §§ 1961 et seq.) created a civil law cause of action (§ 1964) for violations of its provisions. Federal District Courts are empowered to award triple monetary awards, and attorney fees, and to issue equitable orders preventing and restraining violations, including the divestiture of interest in any enterprise, restrictions on future activities or investments of any person, and the dissolution or reorganization of the enterprise. To state a claim, a plaintiff must allege (1) that the defendant received money from a pattern of racketeering activity, (2) invested that money in an enterprise, (3) the enterprise affected interstate commerce, and (4) an injury resulting from the investment of racketeering income distinct from an injury caused by the predicate acts themselves.