At time when presidential candidate makes an attack on loan sharking such significant part of his campaign that it is highlighted in his acceptance speech and rebroadcast as part of one-minute spot political announcements, the timeliness of this subject is apparent.' This high-level attention illustrates growing public awareness of the very serious nature of the loan shark problem. In recent years number of investigations of loan sharking have been undertaken by governmental agencies and other entities. Their conclusions are striking. Loan sharking has been characterized as a serious threat, not only to the unfortunate borrowers but also to the entire economic community and as of the principal and most lucrative operations of the criminal underworld.2 The seriousness of the problem is accentuated because loan sharking has close connections with other activities of organized crime, including bookmaking and narcotics distribution.3 Pushers loan money to addicts to finance drug purchases.4 Money lenders frequent gambling establishments to offer services to overenthusiastic patrons who want one more chance.5 In this setting the Congress of the United States chose in 1968 to make what it termed extortionate credit transactions federal crime and did so as Title II of