---
kind: "section"
citation: "18 U.S.C. § 1959"
title: "18"
title_heading: "Crimes and Criminal Procedure"
number: "1959"
heading: "Violent crimes in aid of racketeering activity"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/18/1959"
units:
  - "Part I — Crimes"
  - "Chapter 95 — Racketeering"
---

# §1959. Violent crimes in aid of racketeering activity

- (a) [Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1), as consideration for the receipt of, or as consideration for a promise or agreement to pay, anything of pecuniary value from an [enterprise](/usc/18/1961.md?p=4) engaged in [racketeering activity](/usc/18/1961.md?p=1), or for the purpose of gaining entrance to or maintaining or increasing position in an [enterprise](/usc/18/1961.md?p=4) engaged in [racketeering activity](/usc/18/1961.md?p=1), murders, kidnaps, maims, assaults with a dangerous weapon, commits assault resulting in [serious bodily injury](/usc/18/2246.md?p=4) upon, or threatens to commit a crime of violence against any individual in violation of the laws of any [State](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-9) or the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9), or attempts or conspires so to do, shall be punished—
  - (1) for murder, by death or life imprisonment, or a fine under this title, or both; and for kidnapping, by imprisonment for any term of years or for life, or a fine under this title, or both;
  - (2) for maiming, by imprisonment for not more than thirty years or a fine under this title, or both;
  - (3) for assault with a dangerous weapon or assault resulting in [serious bodily injury](/usc/18/2246.md?p=4), by imprisonment for not more than twenty years or a fine under this title, or both;
  - (4) for threatening to commit a crime of violence, by imprisonment for not more than five years or a fine under this title, or both;
  - (5) for attempting or conspiring to commit murder or kidnapping, by imprisonment for not more than ten years or a fine under this title, or both; and
  - (6) for attempting or conspiring to commit a crime involving maiming, assault with a dangerous weapon, or assault resulting in [serious bodily injury](/usc/18/2246.md?p=4), by imprisonment for not more than three years or a fine of[^1] under this title, or both.
- (b) As used in this section—
  - (1) “[racketeering activity](/usc/18/1961.md?p=1)” has the meaning set forth in [section 1961 of this title](/usc/18/1961.md); and
  - (2) “[enterprise](/usc/18/1961.md?p=4)” includes any partnership, corporation, association, or other legal entity, and any union or group of individuals associated in fact although not a legal entity, which is engaged in, or the activities of which affect, [interstate or foreign commerce](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-2).

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. The word “of” probably should not appear.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 98–473, title II, § 1002(a), Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2137, § 1952B; renumbered § 1959, Pub. L. 100–690, title VII, § 7053(b), Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4402; Pub. L. 103–322, title VI, § 60003(a)(12), title XXXIII, §§ 330016(1)(J), (2)(C), 330021(1), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 1969, 2147, 2148, 2150.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1994—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 103–322, § 330016(2)(C), substituted “fine under this title” for “fine of not more than $250,000” in two places.

Pub. L. 103–322, § 60003(a)(12), amended par. (1) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (1) read as follows:

“(1) for murder or kidnaping, by imprisonment for any term of years or for life or a fine of not more than $50,000, or both;”.

Subsec. (a)(2) to (4). Pub. L. 103–322, § 330016(2)(C), substituted “fine under this title” for “fine of not more than $30,000” in par. (2), “fine of not more than $20,000” in par. (3), and “fine of not more than $5,000” in par. (4).

Subsec. (a)(5). Pub. L. 103–322, § 330021(1), substituted “kidnapping” for “kidnaping”.

Pub. L. 103–322, § 330016(2)(C), substituted “fine under this title” for “fine of not more than $10,000”.

Subsec. (a)(6). Pub. L. 103–322, § 330016(1)(J), substituted “under this title” for “not more than $3,000” after “fine of”.

1988—Pub. L. 100–690 renumbered section 1952B of this title as this section.