russello argued october decided november petitioner convicted federal district racketeer influenced corrupt organizations rico chapter organized crime control act violating involved arson ring resulted fraudulently receiving insurance proceeds payment fire loss building owned district also entered judgment forfeiture petitioner amount insurance proceeds pursuant provides person convicted shall forfeit interest acquired maintained violation section appeals affirmed held insurance proceeds petitioner received result arson activities constitute interest within meaning therefore subject forfeiture pp section reach interests enterprise term interest specifically defined rico statute assumed legislative purpose expressed term ordinary meaning comprehends forms real personal property including profits proceeds congress apparently selected broad term interest wish forfeiture provision limited rigid technical definitions drawn areas law term fully consistent rico statute pattern utilizing broad terms concepts every property interest including right profits proceeds may described interest something profits illegal enterprise divided participant may said interest gains distribution possessory interest currency items distributed pp congress intended restrict interest enterprise presumably done expressly construe reach interests enterprise blunt section effectiveness combating illegitimate enterprises mean whole areas organized crime activity placed beyond reach rico statute pp fact controlled substances act specifically authorizes forfeiture profits obtained illegal drug enterprises read imposing limitation upon broader language particularly rico statute aimed organized crime economic power forms whereas narcotics activity proscribed controlled substances act usually generates monetary profits pp limiting construction supported fact certain state racketeering statutes expressly provide forfeiture profits money interest property property real personal acquired racketeering since presumably used language avoid narrow interpretations laws given federal statute certain federal district opinions legislative history clearly demonstrates rico statute intended provide new weapons unprecedented scope assault upon organized crime economic roots thus intended authorize forfeiture racketeering profits rule lenity apply language clear pp blackmun delivered opinion unanimous ronald dion argued cause petitioner brief alvin entin samuel alito argued cause briefs solicitor general lee assistant attorney general jensen deputy solicitor general frey sara criscitelli justice blackmun delivered opinion yet another case concerning racketeer influenced corrupt organizations rico chapter organized crime control act pub title ix stat amended issue interpretation chapter forfeiture provision specifically meaning words interest defendant acquired violation section june petitioner joseph russello others indicted racketeering conspiracy mail fraud violation app jury trial district middle district florida petitioner convicted charged four counts indictment jury returned special verdicts forfeiture four payments aggregating made petitioner fire insurance company app verdicts related racketeering activities charged second count indictment petitioner convicted district accordingly entered judgment forfeiture petitioner amount petitioner took appeal former appeals fifth circuit panel affirmed petitioner criminal conviction martino denied certiorari aspect case panel however reversed judgment forfeiture app full granted rehearing en banc forfeiture issue vote vacated portion panel opinion affirmed forfeiture judgment entered district martino significant division among judges appeals fifth circuit majority stated holding squarely conflict ed ninth circuit marubeni america granted certiorari since seventh circuit issued opinion agreeing ninth circuit mcmanigal ii far case present posture concerned basic facts dispute majority opinion en banc described succinctly briefly evidence showed group individuals associated purpose committing arson intent defraud insurance companies association fact enterprise composed insurance adjuster homeowners promoters investors arsonists operated destroy least eighteen residential commercial properties tampa miami florida july april panel summarized ring operations follows first arsonists burned buildings already owned associated ring following burning building owner filed inflated proof loss statement collected insurance proceeds paid later ring members bought buildings suitable burning secured insurance excess value burning made claims loss divided proceeds omitted iii title shall unlawful person employed associated enterprise engaged activities affect interstate commerce conduct participate directly indirectly conduct enterprise affairs pattern racketeering activity collection unlawful debt section makes unlawful conspire violate section provides person convicted shall forfeit interest acquired maintained violation section sole issue case whether profits proceeds derived racketeering constitute interest within meaning statute therefore subject forfeiture petitioner contends reaches interests enterprise authorize forfeiture mere profits proceeds rests argument upon propositions criminal forfeitures disfavored law forfeiture statutes consequence must strictly construed rico case recently decided observed determining scope statute look first language statutory language unambiguous absence clearly expressed legislative intent contrary language must ordinarily regarded conclusive turkette quoting consumer product safety gte sylvania see also dickerson new banner institute lewis calls forfeiture interest acquired violation section question petitioner russello acquired insurance proceeds issue violation much definitely finally settled accordingly proceeds qualify interest forfeitable term interest specifically defined rico statute silence compels us start assumption legislative purpose expressed ordinary meaning words used richards ordinary meaning interest surely encompasses right profits proceeds see webster third new international dictionary broadly defining interest among things good benefit profit random house dictionary english language defines interest include benefit black law dictionary provides significant definition interest general term employed denote right claim title legal share something thus apparent term interest comprehends forms real personal property including profits proceeds repeatedly relied upon term interest defining meaning property due process clause fourteenth amendment constitution see perry sindermann property denotes broad range interests logan zimmerman brush jago van curen undoubtedly congress wish forfeiture provision limited rigid technical definitions drawn areas law selected broad term interest describe things subject forfeiture statute congress selected general term apparently fully consistent pattern rico statute utilizing terms concepts breadth among enterprise racketeering activity ed participate petitioner attempted define term interest used insists however term reach money profits says interest definition includes necessity interest something brief petitioner petitioner asserts something emerges wording interest acquired violation section thus derives meaning activities barred statute words direct relationship exists subject forfeiture result racketeering activity constitutes racketeering relationship said means forfeiture confined interest enterprise petitioner derives support approach marubeni america supra language contained two federal district opinions meyers supp wd thevis supp nd aff grounds also relies mcmanigal case supra recently decided seventh circuit tr oral arg agree every property interest including right profits proceeds may described interest something profits illegal enterprise divided participant may said interest gains distribution possessory interest currency items distributed therefore conclude language statute plainly covers insurance proceeds petitioner received result arson activities iv fortified conclusion examination structure rico statute disagree courts felt broad construction word interest necessarily undermined statute forfeiture provisions argument narrow construction refuted language succeeding subsection former speaks broadly interest acquired latter reaches interest enterprise defendant established operated controlled conducted participated conduct violation section similar less expansive language appears congress includes particular language one section statute omits another section act generally presumed congress acts intentionally purposely disparate inclusion exclusion wong kim bo see wooten congress intended restrict interest enterprise presumably done expressly immediately following subsection see north board education bell naftalin latter case said short answer congress write statute way refrain concluding differing language two subsections meaning presume ascribe difference simple mistake draftsmanship evolution statutory provisions supplies evidence congress intended extend beyond interest enterprise early proposed version rico sess single forfeiture provision limited interest enterprise provision however later divided present two subsections phrase enterprise excluded first congress includes limiting language earlier version bill deletes prior enactment may presumed limitation intended see arizona california see weiner crime must pay rico criminal forfeiture perspective rev answer say petitioner brief petitioner term interest suggested majority opinion appeals meaning independent mere surplusage argument plainly incorrect subsection reaches interest whether enterprise provided acquired violation section subsection hand restricted interest enterprise interest need illegally acquired thus things forfeitable one subsections note rico statute definition term enterprise encompasses legal entities illegitimate see turkette forfeiture interest illegitimate ordinarily little use association kind rarely identifiable assets instead proceeds profits usually distributed immediately thus construing reach interests enterprise blunt effectiveness provision combating illegitimate enterprises mean hole areas organized criminal activity placed beyond reach statute turkette petitioner stresses contained controlled substances act stat amended specifically authorizes forfeiture profits obtained continuing criminal enterprise engaged certain drug offenses brief petitioner ninth circuit marubeni placed similar reliance upon observed two statutes passed congress month feel however specific mention profits controlled substances act accepted indication broader language meant reach profits well types property interests language one statute usually sheds little light upon meaning different language another statute even two enacted time term profits specific term interest general use specific one statute fairly read imposing limitation upon general provision statute addition rico statute aimed organized crime economic power forms natural use broad term interest fulfill aim contrast narcotics activity proscribed usually generates monetary profits fact explain use narrower term petitioner course correctly suggests members congress voted rico statute aware controlled substances act see cong rec remarks brotzman remarks thurmond remarks weicker remarks kastenmeier remarks anderson unlikely however without explanation potent forfeiture weapon withheld rico statute intended use broad assault organized crime weapon included controlled substances act meant use one part struggle congress intent one expect said clear understandable terms petitioner also suggests subsequent proposed legislation demonstrates rico forfeiture provision excludes profits brief petitioner bills petitioner refers however introduced order overcome decisions marubeni meyers thevis see sess introduction bills hardly suggests sponsors viewed decisions correct interpretations see gordon cert denied event well settled views subsequent congress form hazardous basis inferring intent earlier one jefferson county pharmaceutical assn abbott laboratories quoting price see also clark neither persuaded petitioner argument position supported fact certain state racketeering statutes expressly provide forfeiture profits money interest property property real personal acquired racketeering brief petitioner nearly state statutes postdate meyers thevis district decisions see rev stat supp enacted laws supp enacted legislatures presumably employed language different avoid narrow interpretations laws along lines narrow interpretations given federal statute courts meyers thevis necessary turn legislative history rico statute one finds history reveal petitioner us hold see brief petitioner limited congressional intent legislative history clearly demonstrates rico statute intended provide new weapons unprecedented scope assault upon organized crime economic roots congress statement findings purpose enacting pub stat set forth statement dramatically describes problem presented organized crime congress declared purpose act seek eradication organized crime providing enhanced sanctions new remedies deal unlawful activities engaged organized crime recognized significance statement findings purpose turkette congress directed pub stat provisions title shall liberally construed effectuate remedial purposes far made aware substantive federal criminal statute contains directive similar provision however appears criminal appeals act congress emphasized need fashion new remedies order achieve objectives see needed new approaches deal individuals also economic base individuals constitute serious threat economic nation short attack must made source economic power attack must take place available fronts legislative history leaves doubt view congress economic power organized crime derived huge illegal profits see blakey rico civil fraud action context reflections bennett berg notre dame rev congress hoped successfully attack organized crime economic roots without reaching racketeering profits congressional debates sources magnitude organized crime income emphasized repeatedly see cong rec cong rec remarks mcclellan intent authorize forfeiture racketeering profits seems obvious recites forfeiture provision extends property interests broadly defined related violations true congress viewed rico statute large part response organized crime infiltration legitimate enterprises turkette congress concerns limited infiltration broader goal remove profit organized crime separating racketeer dishonest gains forfeiture interest enterprise often little deter indeed might encourage speedy looting infiltrated company unlikely congress intended enact forfeiture provision provided incentive activity kind authorizing forfeiture interest little worth bankrupt shell persuaded otherwise presence letter deputy attorney general senator mcclellan see measures relating organized crime hearings subcommittee criminal laws procedures senate committee judiciary letter reference one interest enterprise indicate us congressional intent preclude forfeiture racketeering profits reference indeed finally enacted earlier version forfeiture expressly limited interest enterprise letter merely following language pending bill furthermore real purpose sentence explain statutory provision meant explain department justice believed constitutional rule lenity recognized certain situations statutory ambiguity see turkette application rule comes operation end process construing congress expressed beginning overriding consideration lenient wrongdoers callanan language rico forfeiture provision clear rule lenity come play turkette therefore disagree reasoning respective courts marubeni mcmanigal meyers thevis cases affirm judgment appeals fifth circuit ordered footnotes may well factual situations subsections apply subsections however clearly wholly redundant ruling today recognize resolved ambiguity might inherent terms profits proceeds use terms intended suggest particular means calculating precise amount subject rico forfeiture given case hold simply interests subject forfeiture limited interests enterprise