Title 18, Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-102
§873 Blackmail
Title 18 › PART I — CRIMES › CHAPTER 41 — EXTORTION AND THREATS › § 873
Summary
Demanding money by threatening to report a U.S. law violation is punishable by fine or one year jail.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §873
Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Whoever, under a threat of informing, or as a consideration for not informing, against any violation of any law of the United States, demands or receives any money or other valuable thing, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Based upon title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 250 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 145, 35 Stat. 1114). Only minor changes were made in phraseology.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $2,000”.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 873
Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102