Unlike some other states, in California, blackmail and extortion are classified as felonies and carry a penalty of up to four years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.Įven if someone “unsuccessfully” blackmails or extorts someone else, they are still guilty of a crime – but in this case, it is attempted blackmail or extortion. What Are the Penalties for Blackmail and Extortion? Even if you are threatening to reveal real criminal activity, it is still blackmailing and illegal. It is interesting to note that blackmail is a crime regardless of the validity of the information. There are countless cases of blackmail where celebrities have paid to keep their relationships hidden. Joe knows that revealing this knowledge to Bill’s wife can cause their marriage to fall apart, and threatens that he will reveal this knowledge unless Bill pays Joe a sum of money. What Is Blackmail?īlackmail, on the other hand, can be defined as obtaining money, goods, or services from an individual through the threat of revealing embarrassing, incriminating, or socially damaging information.Īs an example of blackmail, take the scenario of Joe obtaining knowledge of Bill’s prior sexual misbehavior. Another type of coercion is when a government official obtains money to perform an official act, or when a police officer abstains from an arrest in exchange for cash. Members of the gang approach a small business and threaten the destruction of the shop unless the owner pays them a regular “protection” fee. Threatened refusal to testify can also be classified as coercion.įor example, take the scenario of a local gang in a neighborhood. The coercion could be violence, the threat of violence, destruction of property, or incorrect governmental activity. What Is Extortion?Įxtortion is defined as the use of coercion to obtain money, goods, or services from an individual. In the state of California, they are both covered under one law (the California Extortion and Blackmail Law) and have the same penalties, but these two crimes are different. Blog home Criminal Defense The Differences Between Extortion and Blackmail The Differences Between Extortion and Blackmailīy Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney on November 30, 2019Įxtortion and blackmail are similar crimes.
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