Extortion - Threat and Coercion for Personal Gain

What is extortion? Extortion involves the act of obtaining money, property or services from another person by coersion, force, or by threatening to cause injury or harm unless one’s demands are given. Extortion is a criminal offense that is usually practiced by organized crime groups. The  money or properties obtained by these groups are often referred to  as “protection”.

In many cases, a simple threat to harm or sue a person if he/she doesn’t pay is enough to have a person charged with extortion. Even a person who makes an extortionate threat as a joke can be charged with extortion.

Extortion can also qualify as a federal crime when the extortionate threat is made using the computer or internet, by phone, postal mail, or any interstate instrument of communication. The extortionate threat only needs to be sent to constitute the crime of extortion and does not necessarily need to reach the recipient.  

Unlike robbery where the goods are taken against the victim’s will usually by immediate force alone, a criminal act requires the presence of threat to be called extortion. Thus, a bank robbery can also turn to bank extortion if the felon hands a letter expressing threat to the teller if the money is not given.

Extortion usually involves the consent of the victim but the way with which the consent was gained is what makes it illegal and a crime. The threat used to commit extortion often involves injury or harm on the person of another or damage to a person’s reputation.

Extortion is considered a felony and a person charged with this crime can be punished by heavy fines to imprisonment or both. All states and jurisdictions in the US have laws against extortion. The penalty imposed for the offense depends however, on the gravity and nature of the case as well as the jurisdiction in which the case is being heard.

Other Types of Extortion  

1. Blackmail – this is a form of extortion that involves the threat to do something that is legal and/or allowed if money and/or property has not been paid to the blackmailer.
2. Ransom – often used for kidnapping cases, this is the type of extortion where the perpetrator threatens to kill the kidnap victim if the ransom money was not given. Ransom can also pertain to an exchange or buy back of goods, for example, that is done under threat or compulsion.
3. Bribery – bribery only becomes a form of extortion when done under fear, compulsion, or threat.

 Extortion in the White Collar Industry

Extortion can also be commited in the business and professional fields and can therefore be a form of white collar crime. Public officials may be asked to perform official acts under threat which consitutes extortion while business professionals may be forced to act against their will due to threats and coercion.

At the same time, an official in a position of authority can also be guilty of extortion if he/she uses his/her position and power to pressure or demand any object that is of value from another person even if the object doesn’t legally belong to him/her.

Law enforcers can equally be guilty of extortion by making an arrest and demanding money and/or property under the pretense of being on official duty.

 
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