The 8.156 RICO-Racketeering Act-Not Charged as Separate Count in Indictment (18 U.S.C. Sec. 1961(1)) is a federal law that prohibits certain activities related to organized crime. This law, also known as the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, is designed to punish criminal organizations by allowing prosecutors to charge individuals with crimes that were committed as part of a pattern of criminal activity. Under this law, a person cannot be charged with a separate count of racketeering in an indictment. However, any act of racketeering may be used as evidence to support other charges brought against the individual in the indictment. The law defines racketeering as any act or threat involving murder, kidnapping, gambling, arson, robbery, bribery, extortion, or dealing in controlled substances. The RICO Act also covers any activity that is illegal under state or federal law, and any act that is performed in furtherance of the criminal activity.