Singapore needs RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) Act.

Does Singapore need a SG version of RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) Act? Under US Federal law, RICO enables the law-enforcement officials to take action by providing stronger penalties against organizations that have displayed ongoing criminal activity over a period of time. Wikipedia states that “Under RICO, a person who is a member of an enterprise that has committed any two of 35 crimes—27 federal crimes like tax evasion, bribery, money laundering, embezzlement, theft, fraud, etc. within a 10-year period can be charged with racketeering under RICO. Those found guilty of racketeering can be fined up to $25,000 and sentenced to 20 years in prison per racketeering count. In addition, the racketeer must forfeit all ill-gotten gains and interest in any business gained through a pattern of ‘racketeering activity.’ RICO also permits a private individual harmed by the actions of such an enterprise to file a civil suit; if successful, the individual can collect treble damages.”


Currently, those found guilty of such crimes mentioned above are still sentenced as if they have committed the crime individually. This is applied even if it is a group of people who conspire to commit the same crimes like embezzlement and fraud over a period of time. Simply put, racketeering is a group of people working together to carry out a criminal enterprise over a period of time. RICO provides for heavier penalties.


Imagine the charities industry in Singapore. It has to be an industry because of the potential to raise enormous funds by tugging at people’s heartstrings. Imagine a group of people with marketing savvy, organizational acumen and slick PR who are able to address a mass need in society. This could be a need like helping children with vision disorders. After all, who wants a young child to go blind? Or how about children’s cancer since Asians especially cannot bear the thought of children dying. Use emotional appeals through pictures and film which tugs at people’s hearts to give. Why shouldn’t people give? It plays on their guilty conscience since they are healthy while others are sick/dying. Slicker marketing each year, better PR and the money snowballs humongously. Don’t have to take my word for it. Just consider the news on charities for the last five years.


Another need is to be assured of what will happen to you in the afterlife, i.e. salvation. The group addresses the need with slick marketing like ‘giving sacrificially’ and give examples of people who have experienced exponential increase in income after giving until it hurts. They may play on your fears by claiming only such acts of sacrifice will prove you are a real child of God. There may be peer pressure also indicating you are not being faithful if you don’t give playing on your fears of whether you will go Heaven or otherwise. In return, the group offers therapeutic messages and music that make you forget your sorrows or massage your ego for just a little while each weekend and sometimes on a weekday. With slick marketing and PR and more emotional manipulation, the group continues to draw more devotees over the years. And the racket increases in income because they have more people who are giving more and more over the years. After all, everyone is interested in their eternal destiny. Offer it to them on a platter; make it easy for them to believe and soon your devotee numbers increase. Look at the spiritualism (not just Christianity) industry worldwide. Just Google religious scandals and see what happens.


That is why SG also needs a RICO. This will prevent the charity industry from falling into wrong hands such as a charity that commits serial plundering of the funds raised and available for the leadership group’s use. Its not just crime but organized crime since it a group of like-minded criminals out to fleece the people who trust them and get their hands on the charity dollars. I hope the SG government earnestly looks into this.