18 U.S.C. § 1964
Section 1964 · Civil remedies
This is § 901 of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
Amended 3 times on record
The circuits are split over this section — Whether economic harms such as lost employment or business opportunities flowing from a personal injury or wrongful deprivation of liberty constitute an injury to 'business or property' conferring standing under civil RICO, 18 U.S.C. § 1964(c).; Whether the loss of employment or an employment/business expectancy constitutes an injury to 'business or property' sufficient to confer standing for a civil RICO claim under 18 U.S.C. § 1964(c).; Whether the loss of employment or business opportunities constitutes an injury to 'business or property' sufficient to confer standing under civil RICO, 18 U.S.C. § 1964(c) and 2 more
Applied in 3,020 court decisions — leading case Alyeska Pipeline Service Company v. Wilderness Society (1975)
Most recently applied in Dissolution of Healy Ranch, Inc. (March 2026)
Applied most in the First Circuit Circuit (161 decisions)
Cases citing this section usually also cite 18 U.S.C. § 1962 · 18 U.S.C. § 1961 · 18 U.S.C. § 1341
How often courts cite this section
Court decisions citing this, by year.Markers show enactment, consequential amendments, and circuit splits over this section — watch for a citation surge after a change or a disagreement. The dip in the last several years is a data-coverage gap, not a real trend — our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so recent citations are undercounted.
(a) The district courts of the United States shall have jurisdiction to prevent and restrain violations of section 1962 of this chapter by issuing appropriate orders, including, but not limited to: ordering any person to divest himself of any interest, direct or indirect, in any enterprise; imposing reasonable restrictions on the future activities or investments of any person, including, but not limited to, prohibiting any person from engaging in the same type of endeavor as the enterprise engaged in, the activities of which affect interstate or foreign commerce; or ordering dissolution or reorganization of any enterprise, making due provision for the rights of innocent persons.
(b) The Attorney General may institute proceedings under this section. Pending final determination thereof, the court may at any time enter such restraining orders or prohibitions, or take such other actions, including the acceptance of satisfactory performance bonds, as it shall deem proper.
(c) Any person injured in his business or property by reason of a violation of section 1962 of this chapter may sue therefor in any appropriate United States district court and shall recover threefold the damages he sustains and the cost of the suit, including a reasonable attorney's fee, except that no person may rely upon any conduct that would have been actionable as fraud in the purchase or sale of securities to establish a violation of section 1962. The exception contained in the preceding sentence does not apply to an action against any person that is criminally convicted in connection with the fraud, in which case the statute of limitations shall start to run on the date on which the conviction becomes final.
(d) A final judgment or decree rendered in favor of the United States in any criminal proceeding brought by the United States under this chapter shall estop the defendant from denying the essential allegations of the criminal offense in any subsequent civil proceeding brought by the United States.
Editorial notes U.S. Code · Office of the Law Revision Counsel
Amendments
1995—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 104–67 inserted before period at end “, except that no person may rely upon any conduct that would have been actionable as fraud in the purchase or sale of securities to establish a violation of section 1962. The exception contained in the preceding sentence does not apply to an action against any person that is criminally convicted in connection with the fraud, in which case the statute of limitations shall start to run on the date on which the conviction becomes final”.
1984—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 98–620 struck out provision that in any action brought by the United States under this section, the court had to proceed as soon as practicable to the hearing and determination thereof.
Effective Date of 1995 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 104–67 not to affect or apply to any private action arising under title I of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.) or title I of the Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C. 77a et seq.), commenced before and pending on Dec. 22, 1995, see section 108 of Pub. L. 104–67, set out as a note under section 77l of Title 15, Commerce and Trade.
Effective Date of 1984 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 98–620 not applicable to cases pending on Nov. 8, 1984, see section 403 of Pub. L. 98–620, set out as an Effective Date note under section 1657 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.
Construction of 1995 Amendment
Nothing in amendment by Pub. L. 104–67 to be deemed to create or ratify any implied right of action, or to prevent Securities and Exchange Commission, by rule or regulation, from restricting or otherwise regulating private actions under Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.), see section 203 of Pub. L. 104–67, set out as a Construction note under section 78j–1 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade.