What is racketeering? The crime, explained

CNN — The Chicago Mafia. Since then, the federal government has used racketeering to go after a dozen college athletics figures and test administrators in the largest college admissions scandal ever prosecuted, former President Donald Trump and musicians like R. Kelly, Young Thug and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. Blakey has helped draft racketeering laws in at least 22 states It’s not a specific crime Simply put, racketeering means engaging in an illegal scheme. Prosecutors must prove a pattern involving at least two instances of racketeering activity to convict someone under the law. It has to affect interstate commerce According to the US Justice Department, to convict someone of racketeering, prosecutors must prove five different criteria: • A criminal enterprise existed • The enterprise affected interstate commerce • The defendant was associated with or employed by the enterprise • The defendant engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity • The defendant participated in at least two acts of racketeering activity The minimum sentence for racketeering varies by jurisdiction and severity of the crime.