Donald Trump’s indictment by a Georgia court has brought into the fore the RICO act, an act enacted in 1980 in Georgia to prosecute organized criminals. This is incidentally the same act which would be applied to the gang in the popular Netflix series, Money Heist. Here’s why
In a hypothetical scenario where the notorious gang depicted in the popular series "Money Heist" were to carry out their audacious heists in the state of Georgia, they would likely find themselves facing charges under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). While the Money Heist team may not fit the conventional mold of a formal criminal organization, the provisions of the RICO Act are structured in a way that can encompass a wide range of criminal enterprises, including those that might not adhere to traditional definitions.
The RICO Act, a federal law enacted in 1970 to combat organized crime and the influence of corrupt organizations, empowers law enforcement agencies to target and prosecute individuals involved in a "pattern of racketeering activity." This pattern requires the commission of at least two "predicate acts," which encompass a variety of criminal activities, such as robbery, extortion, money laundering, and other illicit actions.
While the Money Heist team operates with a degree of unorthodoxy, the RICO Act is designed to tackle not only formally structured criminal organizations but also loosely affiliated groups engaged in a series of criminal activities. Even though the Money Heist team isn't a traditional organized crime syndicate, the Act's reach is not confined solely to such entities.
The crucial aspect here is the RICO Act's focus on dismantling criminal enterprises and their impact on society, irrespective of their organizational structure. It is designed to address the intricate ways in which criminals collaborate and coordinate to perpetrate their illegal activities. Even if the Money Heist team lacks the formal hierarchical structure typical of conventional criminal organizations, their repeated engagement in elaborate heists involving multiple illegal acts could qualify as a "pattern of racketeering activity." This would potentially make them susceptible to prosecution under the RICO Act.
