State Racketeering Laws in the U.S.
Published: September 2025
This page provides a list of state laws on racketeering, with links to the relevant statutes. In addition to the Federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, 32 states have racketeering laws. While the laws were originally designed to combat organized crime, such as the mafia, authorities and private actors have recently used broad racketeering provisions to target people involved in protest movements or other civic activity.
State racketeering laws vary in significant ways across states, but—like the Federal RICO Act—generally provide steep criminal penalties for specified (“predicate”) offenses if committed in connection with an associated group of people. In some states these predicate offenses can include low level misdemeanors, such as obstructing traffic, that may occur at protests. Many state racketeering laws also make it a serious offense to “conspire” to commit prohibited racketeering offenses, allowing authorities to target individuals who have not directly engaged in any underlying unlawful activity. State laws can also have civil enforcement provisions, enabling private parties to sue on the basis of alleged injury from racketeering activity and seek extensive damages.
While state racketeering laws have important limitations on their use, their broad provisions can provide prosecutors and others excessive discretion to bring racketeering charges or civil suits in a politicized manner, including against individuals or organizations that are part of protest movements.
Additional ICNL analysis of these laws and the First Amendment concerns they raise is forthcoming and will be posted here. For more information visit the U.S. program page
| Arizona | “Organized Crime, Fraud, and Terrorism,” Az. Rev. Stat. §§13-2301 to 2315 |
| California | “California Control of Profits of Organized Crime Act,” Cal. Penal Code §§186 to 186.8 |
| Colorado | “Colorado Organized Crime Control Act,” Co. Rev. Stat. §§18-17-101 to 109 |
| Connecticut | “Corrupt Organizations and Racketeering Activity Act,” Conn. Gen. Stat. §53-393 |
| Delaware | “Organized Crime and Racketeering,” 11 Del. Code §§1501 to 1511 |
| Florida | “Offenses Concerning Racketeering and Illegal Debts,” Fla. Stat. §§895.01 to 09 |
| Georgia | “Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act,” Ga. Code. Ann. §§16-14-1 to 12 |
| Hawaii | “Organized Crime,” Haw. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§842-1 to 12 |
| Illinois | “Illinois Street Gang and Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Law,” 720 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. §§5/33G-1 to 9 *This law was repealed as of June 1, 2025, however Illinois subsequently enacted a bill that would extend the law to June 1, 2027. |
| Indiana | “Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations” Ind. Code §§35-45-6-1 to 2 |
| Iowa | “Ongoing Criminal Conduct,” Iowa Code §§706A.1 to 5 |
| Louisiana | “Louisiana Racketeering Act,” 15 La. Rev. Stat. §§1351 to 1356 |
| Michigan | “Criminal Enterprises,” Mich. Pen. Code §§750.159f to 159x |
| Minnesota | “Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations,” Minn. Stat. §§609.901 to 912 |
| Mississippi | “Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act,” Miss. Code Ann. §§97-43-1 to 11 |
| Nebraska | “Public Protection Act,” Neb. Rev. Stat. §§28-1352 to 1356 |
| Nevada | “Racketeering,” Nev. Rev. Stat. §§207.350 to 520 |
| New Jersey | “Racketeering,” N.J. Rev. Stat. §§2C:41-1 to 6.2 |
| New Mexico | “Racketeering Act,” N.M. Stat. Ann. §§30-42-1 to 42-6 |
| New York | “Enterprise Corruption,” N.Y. Pen. Code §§460.00 to 460.80 |
| North Carolina | “Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations,” N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 75D-1 to 14 |
| North Dakota | “Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations,” N.D. Cent. Code. §§12.1-06.01to 08 |
| Ohio | “Pattern of Corrupt Activities,” Ohio Rev. Code Ann. §§2923.31 to 36 |
| Oklahoma | “Oklahoma Racketeer-Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act,” Okla. Stat. §§22-1401 to 1419 |
| Oregon | “Oregon Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act,” Or. Rev. Stat. §§166.715 to 735 |
| Tennessee | “Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act of 1989,” Tenn. Code §§39-12-201 to 210 |
| Utah | “Pattern of Unlawful Activity Act,” Utah Code §§76-10-1601 to 1609 |
| Virginia | “Virginia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act,” Va. Code §§18.2-512 to 517 |
| Washington | “Criminal Profiteering Act,” Wash. Rev. Code §§9A.82.001 to 902 |
| Wisconsin | “Wisconsin Organized Control Act,” Wisc. Stat. §§946.82 to 88 |