The Economist explains

Why was RICO, a mafia-targeting act, used to charge Donald Trump?

The legislation is a powerful and increasingly flexible tool

Donald Trump shakes hands with Rudy Giuliani in 2016
Image: Getty Images

THE MAFIA, a sex cult and several titans of Wall Street have all been brought down by America’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisations (RICO) Act, a legal tool designed to tackle organised crime. Now a version of it could be used to nail a former president after a grand jury in Georgia indicted Donald Trump, along with 18 of his associates, on August 14th. What are RICO charges and how might they apply to Mr Trump?

From the August 19th 2023 edition

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