Racketeering
| Racketeering (crime) | |
|---|---|
| extortion of money or advantage by threat or force. |
Legal Definition of racketeering
- the extortion of money or advantage by threat or force.
- a pattern of illegal activity (as extortion and murder) that is carried out in furtherance of an enterprise (as a criminal syndicate) which is owned or controlled by those engaged in such activity
"Classical" protection racket
The criminal organization is compartmentalized in two branches:
- One causes harm and threatens (i.e sets fire on a local restaurant)
- The other day an agent arrives at the doorsteps of the devastated owner and offers "protection" — for a "little fee" or "offers" an insurance contract.
"Decent" people
The restaurant owner is supposed to know the background of those agents, but he can do nothing about it (or feels like he can do nothing about it). In a state of learned helplessness, Stockholm syndrome and/or heightened dependency he may become convinced of the claimed "good intentions" or his need for "protection".
Examples abound.
