Meaning & use

racketeering

noun·Advanced

Organized criminal activity that runs illegal businesses or schemes, often involving extortion or fraud.

See it in a sentence

The mob boss was convicted of racketeering after years of running an illegal gambling ring.

Federal prosecutors used racketeering charges to dismantle the entire criminal organization.

A note on using this word

In the U.S., racketeering is closely tied to the RICO Act, a law used to prosecute members of organized criminal enterprises.

Words with a similar meaning

extortionorganized crime

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “racketeering”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.