Extortion is a criminal offence, which occurs when a person obtains money or property from another through coercion or intimidation. Euphemistically, refraining from doing harm is sometimes called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime groups.

Extortion is distinguished from blackmail. In blackmail, the blackmailer threatens to do something which would be legal or normally allowed.

Extortion is distinguished from robbery. In robbery, the offender steals goods from the victim whilst threatening him with immediate force. In extortion, the victim willingly turns the goods over to avoid a threatened later violence or other harm.

The term extortion is often used metaphorically to refer to usury or to price-gouging, though neither is legally considered extortion. It is also often used loosely to refer to everyday situations where one person feels indebted against their will, to another, in order to receive an essential service or avoid legal consequences. For example, certain lawsuits, fees for services such as banking, automobile insurance, gasoline prices, and even taxation, have all been labelled "extortion" by people with various social or political beliefs.

See also

• Coercion by threat
• Clip joint
• Danegeld
• Badger game
• Organized crime
• Protection money
• Tallage
• Nuclear blackmail
• Cryptovirus — The use of public key cryptography to carry out cryptoviral extortion

External links

• The Federal Bureau of Investigation

Crimes | Illegal occupations | Criminology topics

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