Extortion is the attempt to obtain money or property by threatening to physically harm a person, injure a person’s property or reputation, or accuse a person of a crime. The payment, or bribe, is often called hush money. The meaning of the term extortion was originally limited to the collection of illegal fees by a public official. Today, such a crime is called bribery. If a private person does it, it is called blackmail. Both crimes are considered kinds of extortion, and they are punishable by a prison term or fine, or both. See also Blackmail; Bribery; Racketeering.
