The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) / 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1962(c) (Introductory Paragraph) is a federal law that provides civil and criminal penalties for individuals or groups who engage in a pattern of racketeering activity. RICO is designed to combat organized crime, fraud, and other criminal activities by allowing private individuals to bring civil lawsuits against those who have committed these acts. The law also allows for criminal liability and provides for increased fines and penalties for those found guilty. RICO contains three different types of criminal offenses: (1) predicate offenses, (2) conspiracy to commit predicate offenses, and (3) the use of proceeds from predicate offenses. Predicate offenses include activities like bribery, extortion, and money laundering. Conspiracy to commit these offenses involves an agreement between two or more persons to commit at least two predicate offenses. The use of proceeds from predicate offenses involves using money or other property obtained from criminal activities to fund other criminal activities or investments.