In 1970, Congress enacted the Organized Crime Control Act, Title IX of which is known as the "Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act" (RICO). Congress enacted the 1970 act "to strengthen the legal tools in the evidence gathering process, [to] establish new penal prohibitions, and [to] provide enhanced sanctions and new remedies." RICO covers violence, the provision of illegal goods and services, corruption in labor or management relations, corruption in government, and criminal fraud. Congress found that "the sanctions and remedies available" under the law in 1970 were "unnecessarily limited in scope and impact." It then provided a wide range of new criminal and civil sanctions to control these offenses, including imprisonment, forfeiture, injunctions, and treble damage relief for "person[s] injured" in their "business or property" by violations of the statute. At the time, these sanctions were called for by no less than the president, the President's Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice, and the American Bar Association. In response, the Senate passed the bill 73 to 1. The House passed an amended bill 431 to 26. The Senate then passed the House bill after debate, but without objection, and the president signed the legislation on 15 October 1970. Since 1970, twenty-nine states have enacted similar state RICO legislation.
The criminal enforcement mechanism of RICO provides for imprisonment, fine, and criminal forfeiture. RICO authorizes imprisonment of up to twenty years or life, where the predicate offense authorizes life. Fines are up to $25,000 or, alternatively, up to $250,000 if an individual is convicted or up to $500,000 if an entity is convicted, or twice the gain or loss. Forfeiture is of illicit proceeds, related property, or any interest in an enterprise.
In 1970, Congress also enacted the "Continuing Criminal Enterprise" (CCE) provisions of Title II of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970...............
