Arbitrating With the Mafia: Why Civil Rico Statutes Are Improperly Used and How Class Action Arbitration May Provide Just Compensation for Forgotten Victims

Authors

Max Steinberg, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law

Abstract

From the nineteenth century onward, the United States has been overwhelmed by the rise of organized crime. For generations, criminal organizations have "infiltrated the social and economic fabric" of society and committed heinous crimes in almost every way imaginable. For decades, pop culture and Hollywood have been infatuated with criminal organizations. Movies, television shows, books, and podcasts have portrayed these organizations as interesting and complex entities. In most cinematic programs, the leaders of these mob organizations are the protagonists. Hollywood may portray fictional mob bosses as such, but in reality, their organizations often contain ruthless murderers. What seems to get lost in America's true crime craze are the victims-the small business owners who have repeatedly suffered from bribery and extortion, and the individuals who are victims of drug trafficking or forced prostitution. To this day, many small business owners are forced to pay astronomically high fares to these organizations and are said to receive "protection" in return.

Keywords

Banking and Finance Law, Criminal Law and Procedure, Internet, State and Local Government Law

Disciplines

Banking and Finance Law | Criminal Law | Criminal Procedure | Dispute Resolution and Arbitration | Law | State and Local Government Law

Recommended Citation

Max Steinberg, Arbitrating With the Mafia: Why Civil Rico Statutes Are Improperly Used and How Class Action Arbitration May Provide Just Compensation for Forgotten Victims, 22 Cardozo J. Conflict Resol. 97 (2020).
Available at: https://larc.cardozo.yu.edu/cjcr/vol22/iss1/7