Organized Crime

Organized Crime

any group having some manner of a formalized structure and whose primary objective is to obtain money through illegal activities

CCE

(Continuing Criminal Enterprise) A drug trafficking crime that occurs when an individual participates in a criminal enterprise involving five or more people, aimed at selling narcotics and accumulating illegal profits.

Criminal Enterprise

A group of individuals with an identified hierarchy, or comparable structure, engaged in significant criminal activity.

RICO

The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations statute, or Title 18 of the United States Code, Section 1961(4)

Racketeering

Federal crime of conspiring to organize to commit crimes, especially on an ongoing basis as part of an organized crime operation.

Predicate Crime

One of 2 or more related acts of racketeering necessary to establish a pattern for the purpose of RICO prosecutions.

Conspiracy

A crime in which two or more parties are in concert in a criminal purpose.

Enterprise theory of investigation

An approach to criminal investigation that targets entire crime organizations instead of individual criminals within them.

Immunity

A guarantee that, as long as a witness complies with the court and testifies, the testimony cannot be used against him or her in any criminal action.

Informer

A member of an organized crime group who provides information and testimony for law enforcement investigations and prosecutions.

Recalcitrant Witness

A witness who refuses to testify in a criminal proceeding, even after being offered immunity.

Bribe

The payment of cash, goods or services to someone in exchange for some special service, product or behavior.

Injunction

A court order prohibiting a party from a specific course of action; or ordering a party to perform some action.

Exploitation

Utilization of another person or group for selfish purposes:

Persistent social relationship in which certain persons are being mistreated or unfairly used for the benefit of others

Extortion

The obtaining of money or property from another by wrongful use of actual or threatened force, violence, or fear, or under color of official right.

Money Laundering

The investing of illegally obtained money into business and real estate that are operated and maintained within the law.

3 steps to money laundering

Placement

Layering

Integration

Smuggling

Criminal offense – secret movement of goods across national borders to avoid customs duties or import/export restrictions

Trafficking (Goods, drugs, and humans)

The commercial exchange of goods; trade

Illegal or improper commercial activity  

Obstruction

the crime of offering interference of any sort to the work of police, investigators, regulatory agencies, prosecutors, or other (usually government) officials.

Undercover Operation

An investigative police operation designed to secretly uncover evidence against organized crime groups.

Forfeiture

The loss of money and/or property to the state as a criminal sanction.