Federal Prosecutors May Indict Capitol Rioters On Racketeering Charges

Reprinted with permission from Alternet

The Justice Department is weighing use of the Racketeer-Influenced And Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, designed to prosecute Mafia bosses for racketeering conspiracies, to charge far right group members who had a part in Donald Trump's January 6 attempted coup at the Capitol, Reuters reports.

The RICO law "was crafted to help prosecutors convict top Mafia leaders who ordered others to commit crimes. RICO cases are complex, often take years to develop, and require approval from Justice Department leadership."

Disgraced former president Donald Trump will be on trial in the U.S. Senate next week after the House of Representatives impeached him for inciting the January 6 insurrection.

"Obstructing an official government proceeding, the charge some Oath Keepers and Proud Boy members are currently facing, is considered a 'racketeering activity,'" Reuters adds.

Trump infamously told the Proud Boys to "stand back and stand by," and later, they were part of the insurrection, according to multiple reports. The group's leader, Enrique Tarrio, for years worked undercover as a "prolific" informant, Reuters has also reported.

Read Reuters' full RICO report here.