Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

RICO

American  
[ree-koh] / ˈri koʊ /

noun

  1. Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act: a U.S. law, enacted in 1970, allowing victims of organized crime to sue those responsible for punitive damages.


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Under RICO, federal prosecution has frequently targeted public officials who use their office for personal gain, including governors, members of Congress, mayors, and state legislators throughout the country.

From Slate • May 21, 2025

All of the defendants were charged with violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations, or RICO, law, an expansive anti-racketeering statute.

From Seattle Times • May 8, 2024

A Fulton County indictment filed in May 2022 accused Young Thug and 27 other people of conspiring to violate Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 13, 2023

The sprawling 19-person indictment alleges violations of Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations, or RICO, law.

From Reuters • Aug. 24, 2023

The law, known as RICO, was once one of Giuliani’s favorite tools when he was cracking down on mobsters and Wall Street titans as Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor in the 1980s.

From Washington Times • Aug. 17, 2023