![]() ![]() 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. The term extortion is often used metaphorically to refer to usury or to price-gouging, though neither is legally considered extortion. See our page on Email threats about video release for more information and advice. The scammer may claim to have hacked the person’s computer and obtained webcam footage of them looking at adult material, or in some cases the scammer may have actual images or videos of the person, such as material shared as part of an online romance scam. In blackmail, which always involves extortion, the extortionist threatens to reveal information about a victim or their family members that is potentially embarrassing, socially damaging, or incriminating unless a demand for money, property, or services is met. Examples of blackmail scams include ransom emails that threaten to distribute compromising images or videos of the recipient unless money is paid, often by cryptocurrencies (virtual or digital money) such as Bitcoin. In United States federal law, extortion can be committed with or without the use of force and with or without the use of a weapon. Another key distinction is that extortion always involves a verbal or written threat, whereas robbery does not. In robbery, whether armed or not, the offender takes property from the victim by the immediate use of force or fear that force will be immediately used (as in the classic line, "Your money or your life.") Extortion, which is not limited to the taking of property, involves the verbal or written instillation of fear that something will happen to the victim if they do not comply with the extortionist's will. ![]() Exaction refers not only to extortion or the demanding and obtaining of something through force, but additionally, in its formal definition, means the infliction of something such as pain and suffering or making somebody endure something unpleasant.Įxtortion is distinguished from robbery. Making a threat of violence which refers to a requirement of a payment of money or property to halt future violence is sufficient to commit the offense. The actual obtainment of money or property is not required to commit the offense. ![]() Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime groups. It is sometimes euphemistically referred to as a " protection racket" since the racketeers often phrase their demands as payment for "protection" from (real or hypothetical) threats from unspecified other parties. Extortion (also called shakedown, outwrestling and exaction) is a criminal offense of obtaining money, property, or services from an individual or institution, through coercion. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |