Extortion
Obtaining benefit through coercion by threat of harm.
Extortion, also known as shakedown or exaction, is the practice of obtaining a benefit—such as money, goods, or regular payments—from an individual or group through coercion, typically by threatening future psychological or physical harm. In most legal systems, it constitutes a criminal offense. It is distinguished from robbery, which involves the immediate use of personal violence or the immediate threat of such violence to take property, usually in a one-off situation. Extortion is sometimes called a "protection racket" because the perpetrators often frame their demands as payment for "protection" from threats, which may be real or hypothetical, posed by unspecified other parties. In practice, this "protection" almost always simply means the extortionist will refrain from harming the victim themselves, and this implication is inherent in the offer. Organized crime commonly practices extortion. In some jurisdictions, actually obtaining the benefit is not required for the offense; merely making a threat of violence that demands payment of money or property to halt future violence is sufficient. The term exaction, in its formal definition, refers not only to extortion but also to the infliction of something unpleasant, such as pain or suffering, or forcing someone to endure something.
The term extortion is often used metaphorically to describe usury or price-gouging, though neither is legally considered extortion. It is also loosely applied to everyday situations where a person feels compelled to provide something against their will to receive an essential service or avoid legal consequences. Neither extortion nor blackmail requires a threat of a criminal act like violence; a threat used to elicit actions, money, or property is sufficient. Such threats can include filing reports of criminal behavior (true or false) with police, or revealing damaging facts, such as compromising photographs. In law, extortion can also refer to political corruption, such as selling an office or influence peddling, though in general vocabulary it primarily brings to mind blackmail or protection rackets. The logical connection is that demanding bribes in an official capacity is essentially blackmail or racketeering.
In the United States, extortion is distinguished from robbery. Robbery involves taking property through immediate force or fear of immediate force, while extortion i
- field
- Criminal law, organized crime
- known_for
- Coercive obtaining of money, goods, or services through threats
- legal_distinction
- Distinguished from robbery by use of verbal or written threats rather than immediate force
- related_crimes
- Blackmail, protection racket, political corruption
Lore & Background
Extortion, also known as shakedown or exaction, is the practice of obtaining money, goods, or regular payments through coercion, typically by threatening future psychological or physical harm. It is distinct from robbery, which involves immediate personal violence or the immediate threat of violence in a one-off situation. Extortion relies on verbal or written threats, and in many jurisdictions, the act of making a threat of violence that references a payment requirement is sufficient to commit the offense, even if no benefit is actually obtained. The term exaction additionally refers to inflicting pain or making someone endure something unpleasant. Extortion is sometimes called a "protection racket," where demands are phrased as payment for "protection" from threats, often implied to be from the same party. It is commonly practiced by organized crime. The term is also used metaphorically for usury or price-gouging, though these are not legally considered extortion. Neither extortion nor blackmail requires a threat of a criminal act; threats may include filing reports of criminal behavior to police or revealing damaging facts. In law, extortion can refer to political corruption, such as selling an office or influence peddling. In the United States, extortion is distinguished from robbery by its reliance on verbal or written threats and can be committed with or without force. It may be a federal crime when committed across a computer system, phone, or mail. In England and Wales, extorting property by coercion is the offense of blackmail, covering any "unwarranted demand with menaces." In Scotland, it is a common law crime using threats of harm to demand money or advantage, even if the demand itself is legitimate. Cyber extortion involves using the internet to demand material gain, often through threatening emails about exploiting security leaks or launching attacks.
Reader's Guide
Extortion is a significant concept in criminal law, distinguished from robbery by its reliance on threats rather than immediate force. It encompasses protection rackets, blackmail, and political corruption. In the United States, extortion can be committed with or without force and is considered racketeering activity under federal law. Cyber extortion has emerged as a modern variant, where individuals or groups use the internet to demand material gain, often threatening to exploit security leaks or launch attacks. Bezos by the National Enquirer's parent company, and the 2020 cyber extortion of Finnish health care provider Vastaamo, where patient records were stolen and ransomed. The crime's broad definition includes threats of revealing damaging information or filing reports, making it a versatile tool for coercion.
Did You Know?
- Extortion is sometimes called the 'protection racket' because demands are often phrased as payment for protection from threats.
- In the United States, extortion can be committed across a computer system, phone, by mail, or using any instrument of interstate commerce.
- In England and Wales, extorting property by coercion is the offense of blackmail, covering any 'unwarranted demand with menaces'.
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