Racketeering Page 3

(i) Except as provided in subsection (l), no party claiming an interest in property subject to forfeiture under this section may -

(1) intervene in a trial or appeal of a criminal case involving the forfeiture of such property under this section; or

(2) commence an action at law or equity against the United States concerning the validity of his alleged interest in the property subsequent to the filing of an indictment or information alleging that the property is subject to forfeiture under this section.

(j) The district courts of the United States shall have jurisdiction to enter orders as provided in this section without regard to the location of any property which may be subject to forfeiture under this section or which has been ordered forfeited under this section.

(k) In order to facilitate the identification or location of property declared forfeited and to facilitate the disposition of petitions for remission or mitigation of forfeiture, after the entry of an order declaring property forfeited to the United States the court may, upon application of the United States, order that the testimony of any witness relating to the property forfeited betaken by deposition and that any designated book, paper, document, record, recording, or other material not privileged be produced at the same time and place, in the same manner as provided for the taking of depositions under Rule 15 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure.

(l) (1) Following the entry of an order of forfeiture under this section, the United States shall publish notice of the order and of its intent to dispose of the property in such manner as the Attorney General may direct. The Government may also, to the extent practicable, provide direct written notice to any person known to have alleged an interest in the property that is the subject of the order of forfeiture as a substitute for published notice as to those persons so notified.

(2) Any person, other than the defendant, asserting a legal interest in property which has been ordered forfeited to the United States pursuant to this section may, within thirty days of the final publication of notice or his receipt of notice under paragraph (1), whichever is earlier, petition the court for a hearing to adjudicate the validity of his alleged interest in the property. The hearing shall be held before the court alone, without a jury.

(3) The petition shall be signed by the petitioner under penalty of perjury and shall set forth the nature and extent of the petitioner's right, title, or interest in the property, the time and circumstances of the petitioner's acquisition of the right, title, or interest in the property, any additional facts supporting the petitioner's claim, and the relief sought.

(4) The hearing on the petition shall, to the extent practicable and consistent with the interests of justice, be held within thirty days of the filing of the petition. The court may consolidate the hearing on the petition with a hearing on any other petition filed by a person other than the defendant under this subsection.

(5) At the hearing, the petitioner may testify and present evidence and witnesses on his own behalf, and cross-examine witnesses who appear at the hearing. The United States may present evidence and witnesses in rebuttal and in defense of its claim to the property and cross-examine witnesses who appear at the hearing. In addition to testimony and evidence presented at the hearing, the court shall consider the relevant portions of the record of the criminal case which resulted in the order of forfeiture.

(6) If, after the hearing, the court determines that the petitioner has established by a preponderance of the evidence that-

(A) the petitioner has a legal right, title, or interest in the property, and such right, title, or interest renders the order of forfeiture invalid in whole or in part because the right, title, or interest was vested in the petitioner rather than the defendant or was superior to any right, title, or interest of the defendant at the time of the commission of the acts which gave rise to the forfeiture of the property under this section; or

(B) the petitioner is a bona fide purchaser for value of the right, title, or interest in the property and was at the time of purchase reasonably without cause to believe that the property was subject to forfeiture under this section;

the court shall amend the order of forfeiture in accordance with its determination.

(7) Following the court's disposition of all petitions filed under this subsection, or if no such petitions are filed following the expiration of the period provided in paragraph (2) for the filing of such petitions, the United States shall have clear title to property that is the subject of the order of forfeiture and may warrant good title to any subsequent purchaser or transferee.

(m) If any of the property described in subsection (a), as a result of any act or omission of the defendant -

(1) cannot be located upon the exercise of due diligence;

(2) has been transferred or sold to, or deposited with, a third party;

(3) has been placed beyond the jurisdiction of the court;

(4) has been substantially diminished in value; or

(5) has been commingled with other property which cannot be divided without difficulty; the court shall order the forfeiture of any other property of the defendant up to the value of any property described in paragraphs(1) through (5).

(Added Pub. L. 91-452, title IX, Sec. 901(a), Oct. 15, 1970, 84Stat. 943; amended Pub. L. 98-473, title II, Sec. 302, 2301(a)-(c),Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2040, 2192; Pub. L. 99-570, title I, Sec.1153(a), Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 3207-13; Pub. L. 99-646, Sec. 23,Nov. 10, 1986, 100 Stat. 3597; Pub. L. 100-690, title VII, Sec.7034, 7058(d), Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4398, 4403; Pub. L.101-647, title XXXV, Sec. 3561, Nov. 29, 1990, 104 Stat. 4927.)

The Federal Rules of Evidence, referred to in subsec. (d)(3), are set out in the Appendix to Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.

1990

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 101-647 substituted "or both" for"or both." in introductory provisions.

1988

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 100-690, Sec. 7058(d), substituted"shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20years (or for life if the violation is based on a racketeering activity for which the maximum penalty includes life imprisonment),or both." for "shall be fined not more than $25,000 or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both".

Subsecs. (m), (n). Pub. L. 100-690, Sec. 7034, redesignated former subsec. (n) as (m) and substituted "act or omission" for"act of omission".

1986

Subsecs. (c) to (m). Pub. L. 99-646 substituted "(l)"for "(m)" in subsec. (c), redesignated subsecs. (e) to (m) as (d)to (l), respectively, and substituted "(l)" for "(m)" insubsec. (i) as redesignated. Subsec. (n). Pub. L. 99-570 added subsec. (n).

1984

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 98-473, Sec. 2301(a), inserted "In lieu of a fine otherwise authorized by this section, a defendant who derives profits or other proceeds from an offense may be fined not more than twice the gross profits or other proceeds."following par. (3).

Pub. L. 98-473, Sec. 302, amended subsec. (a) generally, designating existing provisions as pars. (1) and (2), inserting par. (3), and provisions following par. (3) relating to power of the court to order forfeiture to the United States.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 98-473, Sec. 302, amended subsec. (b)generally, substituting provisions relating to property subject to forfeiture, for provisions relating to jurisdiction of the district courts of the United States.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 98-473, Sec. 302, amended subsec. (c)generally, substituting provisions relating to transfer of rights, etc., in property to the United States, or to other transferees, for provisions relating to seizure and transfer of property to the United States and procedures related thereto.

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 98-473, Sec. 2301(b), struck out subsec. (d)which provided: "If any of the property described in subsection(a): (1) cannot be located; (2) has been transferred to, sold to, or deposited with, a third party; (3) has been placed beyond the jurisdiction of the court; (4) has been substantially diminished invalue by any act or omission of the defendant; or (5) has been commingled with other property which cannot be divided without difficulty; the court shall order the forfeiture of any other property of the defendant up to the value of any property describedin paragraphs (1) through (5)."

Pub. L. 98-473, Sec. 302, added subsec. (d).

Subsecs. (e) to (m). Pub. L. 98-473, Sec. 302, added subsecs. (d) to (m).

Subsec. (m)(1). Pub. L. 98-473, Sec. 2301(c), struck out "for at least seven successive court days" after "dispose of the property".

This section is referred to in sections 2516, 3293, 3554 of this title; title 7 section 12a; title 50 App. section 2410.

Sec. 1964. Civil remedies

(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 anytime 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.

(Added Pub. L. 91-452, title IX, Sec. 901(a), Oct. 15, 1970, 84Stat. 943; amended Pub. L. 98-620, title IV, Sec. 402(24)(A), Nov.8, 1984, 98 Stat. 3359; Pub. L. 104-67, title I, Sec. 107, Dec. 22,1995, 109 Stat. 758.)

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.

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.

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 andJudicial Procedure.

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.

This section is referred to in section 1965 of this title.

For additional information see also sections 1965 thru 1968.