RICO

• The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act was specifically designed for groups of people who jointly engage in unlawful activity, such as threats of murder, kidnapping, arson, extortion and other major crimes. For those willing to confess to their acts or turn in others, the clock starts ticking for the statute of limitations on the day they make the confession and separate themselves from their conspirators.
  
  

Acts of Conspiracy

• Conspiracy is a continuing offense, meaning there is no time limit in which to gather information, indict and convict a person guilty of such acts. Under due process of law, however, a government cannot hold onto a person's case indefinitely. An alleged criminal has to have his day in court (the "right to a speedy trial" as stipulated in the Constitution) to either be convicted or exonerated of the charges for which he is being held, detained or kept under legal surveillance.
  
  

Federal Conspiracy Laws

• Conspiracy cases are generally when two or more people agree to commit a crime in concert (together). Some states allow certain protections to keep people who were considering breaking the law from being convicted. Thinking about a crime and active intent are not the same thing. A crime does not need to be committed to consider the law broken, only true intent [by actions or activity] to break the law must be proven.