Pondering on this a bit more before take the plunge. Here's a definition that states that the item can be a "thing" too;
Under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, an
unlawful debt is defined as “a debt that is (A) unenforceable under state or federal law in whole or in part as to the principal or interest because of the laws relating to usury, and (B) which was incurred in connection with the business of lending money
or a thing of value at a rate usurious under state or federal law, where the usurious rate is at least twice the enforceable rate.” Proctor v. Metro. Money Store Corp, 645 F. Supp. 2d 464 (D. Md. 2009)
Unlawful Debt Law and Legal Definition | USLegal, Inc.
Unlawful Debt/Racketeering
18 U.S. Code § 1962 - Prohibited activities