§ 600. Title

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Criminally Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act”.

§ 601. Purpose

The purpose of this chapter is to curtail criminal activity and lessen its economic and political power in the Territory of the Virgin Islands by establishing new penal prohibitions and providing to law enforcement and the victims of criminal activity new civil sanctions and remedies.

§ 602. Construction

The provisions of this chapter shall be liberally construed to achieve its remedial purpose.

§ 603. Legislative findings

(a) Sophisticated criminal activity is diversified and diverts substantial sums from the Territory of the Virgin Islands’ legitimate markets through fraud and corruption. (b) In addition to the more traditional criminal offenses, sophisticated criminal activity can involve the illegal manipulation of legitimate business and other enterprises by the use of fraudulent schemes and practices. (c) […]

§ 604. Definitions

As used in this chapter: (a) “Alien corporation” means a corporation organized under laws other than the laws of the United States, the laws of any state of the United States, or the laws of the Territory of the Virgin Islands. (b) “Attorney General” means the Attorney General of the Virgin Islands, and/or any duly […]

§ 605. Violations

(a) It is unlawful for any person employed by, or associated with, any enterprise, as that term is defined herein, to conduct or participate in, directly or indirectly, the affairs of the enterprise through a pattern of criminal activity. (b) It is unlawful for any person, through a pattern of criminal activity, to acquire or […]

§ 606. Criminal penalties

(a) Any person convicted of conduct constituting a violation of any provision of section 605 [Violations] of this chapter shall be guilty of a felony and may be fined not more than $500,000.00 or imprisoned not more than 15 years, or both. (b) In lieu of the fine authorized by subsection (a) of this section, […]

§ 607. Civil remedies

(a) The Attorney General, or any aggrieved person, may institute civil proceedings against any person in the Superior Court or United States District Court in order to obtain relief from conduct constituting a violation or in order to prevent or restrain a violation of any provision or provisions of section 605 [Violations] of this chapter. […]

§ 608. Forfeiture procedures

(a) The Attorney General or United States Attorney, as the case may be, shall dispose of all property ordered forfeited in any criminal proceeding under this chapter as soon as feasible, making due provisions for the rights of innocent persons, by: (1) public sale; (2) transfer to a Territorial governmental agency for official use; (3) […]

§ 609. Criminal Activity Investigation and Prosecution Fund

(a) The proceeds of all forfeitures ordered, fines imposed, or civil penalties imposed under this chapter shall be transmitted to the Treasury of the Government of the Territory of the Virgin Islands and deposited in a special fund, hereby created, to be known as the “Criminal Activity Investigation and Prosecution Fund”. No monies shall be […]

§ 610. Criminal Activity Lien Notice and lis pendens

(a) Upon the institution of any criminal or civil proceeding or action under this chapter, the Attorney General or the United States Attorney then or at any time during the pendency of the proceeding, as the case may be, may file in such official records as the nature of the property shall determine, a Criminal […]

§ 611. Registration of alien corporations

(a) Each alien corporation desiring to acquire of record any personal or real property in the Territory of the Virgin Islands shall have, prior to acquisition, and shall maintain continuously in this Territory during any year thereafter in which the personal or real property is owned by the alien corporation: (1) a registered office; and […]

§ 612. Investigation by Attorney General

(a) Whenever any person is reasonably suspected to have engaged in, or to be engaging in, or about to engage in any conduct constituting a violation of any of the provisions of section 605 [Violations] of this chapter the Attorney General may, in his discretion, conduct an investigation of the conduct. The Attorney General is […]

§ 613. Granting of immunity

(a) If a person is or may be called to produce evidence at a hearing or trial under this chapter or at an investigation brought by the Attorney General under section 612 [Investigation by Attorney General] of this chapter the court for the judicial subdivision in which the hearing, trial, or investigation is or may […]

§ 614. Savings provision

If any provision of this chapter or the application of it to any person or circumstances is held to be invalid, the invalidation shall not affect any other provisions or applications of the chapter and to this end the provisions of this chapter are declared to be severable.