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Simple English definitions for legal terms
Hobbs Act
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A quick definition of Hobbs Act:
The Hobbs Act is a law that makes it illegal to use violence, robbery, or threats to interfere with businesses that operate across state lines. This law is meant to prevent organized crime from disrupting the economy. The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) is another law that targets organized crime. It allows for both criminal and civil lawsuits against people who participate in racketeering, which is a pattern of illegal activity. RICO applies to activities that involve interstate or foreign commerce. Some states have adopted similar laws based on RICO.
A more thorough explanation:
The Hobbs Act is a federal law that makes it illegal to interfere with interstate commerce through extortion, robbery, or physical violence. This means that if someone uses threats or violence to force a business to pay them money or give them something of value, they can be charged with a crime under the Hobbs Act.
The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) is a federal law that was created to combat organized crime. It allows law enforcement to investigate and prosecute individuals who participate in racketeering, which is any illegal activity that is carried out as part of a criminal organization.
For example, if a group of people are involved in a scheme to defraud investors out of their money, they could be charged with racketeering under RICO. The law applies to any activity that involves interstate or foreign commerce, which means that it can be used to prosecute criminal organizations that operate across state or national borders.
In addition to criminal prosecution, RICO also allows for civil lawsuits to be filed against individuals or organizations that engage in racketeering. These lawsuits can result in the plaintiff receiving three times the amount of damages that they suffered as a result of the racketeering activity.