Glossary
Criminal Enterprise
The FBI defines a criminal enterprise as a group of individuals
with an identified hierarchy, or comparable structure, engaged in
significant criminal activity. These organizations often engage in
multiple criminal activities and have extensive supporting networks.
The terms Organized Crime and Criminal Enterprise are similar and
often used synonymously. However, various federal criminal statutes
specifically define the elements of an enterprise that need to be
proven in order to convict individuals or groups of individuals under
those statutes.
The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) statute,
or Title 18 of the United States Code, Section 1961(4), defines an
enterprise as "any individual, partnership, corporation, association,
or other legal entity, and any union or group of individuals associated
in fact although not a legal entity."
The Continuing Criminal Enterprise statute, or Title 21 of the United
States Code, Section 848(c)(2), defines a criminal enterprise as
any group of six or more people, where one of the six occupies a
position
of organizer, a supervisory position, or any other position of management
with respect to the other five, and which generates substantial income
or resources, and is engaged in a continuing series of violations
of subchapters I and II of Chapter 13 of Title 21 of the United States
Code.
Organized Crime
The FBI defines organized crime as any group having some manner
of a formalized structure and whose primary objective is to obtain
money through illegal activities. Such groups maintain their position
through the use of actual or threatened violence, corrupt public
officials, graft, or extortion, and generally have a significant
impact on the people in their locales, region, or the country as
a whole.
Significant Racketeering Activity
The FBI defines significant racketeering activities as those predicate
criminal acts that are chargeable under the Racketeer Influenced
and Corrupt Organizations statute. These are found in Title 18 of
the United States Code, Section 1961 (1) and include the following
federal crimes:
- Bribery
- Sports Bribery
- Counterfeiting
- Embezzlement of Union Funds
- Mail Fraud
- Wire Fraud
- Money Laundering
- Obstruction of Justice
- Murder for Hire
- Drug Trafficking
- Prostitution
- Sexual Exploitation of Children
- Alien Smuggling
- Trafficking in Counterfeit Goods
- Theft from Interstate Shipment
- Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property
And the following state crimes:
- Murder
- Kidnapping
- Gambling
- Arson
- Robbery
- Bribery
- Extortion
- Drugs
Organized
Crime home |