| Racketeering is a serious criminal offense that is | | | | - Counterfeiting |
| often combined with other charges to link a | | | | - Drug trafficking |
| defendant to a criminal organization. Like money | | | | - Human trafficking |
| laundering and mail fraud, it is often tacked on to a | | | | - Money laundering |
| series of charges to increase the criminal penalties if | | | | - Murder (for financial gain) |
| the individual is convicted. By definition, racketeering | | | | Committing two counts of any of the above |
| involves committing a criminal act for financial gain, | | | | offenses constitutes a pattern of racketeering |
| which can include a number of different offenses. If | | | | activity and could lead to an investigation to link the |
| you or someone you know has been charged with | | | | offender to an organized criminal enterprise. |
| racketeering, it may be in your best interest to | | | | Charges and Penalties |
| consult with a criminal defense attorney as soon as | | | | A racketeering charge in the state of Florida is |
| possible to prepare your defense for court. | | | | classified as a first degree felony, the most severe |
| The RICO Act | | | | level of charge a person can face behind only a life |
| The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations | | | | felony. A first degree felony conviction may carry a |
| (RICO) Act is a U.S. federal law that allows a | | | | number of severe penalties, such as: |
| defendant's criminal penalties to be increased if he or | | | | - Up to 30 years in prison for a state conviction |
| she is found to be involved in a criminal enterprise. An | | | | - Up to $10,000 in fines for a state conviction |
| offender may therefore face racketeering charges at | | | | - 10 or more years in prison for a federal conviction |
| both the state and federal levels. While racketeering | | | | - Fines totaling up to 3 times the gross amount of |
| charges used to be reserved for organized criminal | | | | funds illegally obtained |
| groups such as the mafia, it is now applied to a | | | | - Restitution payments to the racketeering victims |
| variety of groups and activities. To be charged with | | | | - Registration as a felon |
| racketeering, a person must have committed at least | | | | For More Information |
| two criminal offenses in the past 10 years that | | | | Clearly a racketeering conviction can lead to costly |
| qualify as racketeering activity. These may include: | | | | penalties that affect your life for years to come. To |
| - Any type of fraud | | | | learn more about racketeering charges and preparing |
| - Extortion | | | | your legal defense, visit the website of the West |
| - Embezzlement | | | | Palm Beach criminal defense lawyers of Eric N. Klein |
| - Bribery | | | | & Associates, P.A., today. |
| - Robbery or theft | | | | |