Extortion is the threatening, coercive act of demanding payment, favorable government action from a public official, or another benefit from someone in return for not doing violent, physical harm or injury to the victim or his property, or revealing compromising or damaging information about the victim (whether it is true or false), or causing unfavorable government action against the victim or his interests. Extortion (sometimes referred to as the crime of coercion or blackmail) is a criminal offense in all states and under federal law.

Extortion can occur in person, by telephone, by U.S. mail, by e-mail, by text message, through social media, or by other means of communication.

The definition and penalties for the crime of extortion vary from state to state—in some states blackmail is part of the criminal offense of extortion, and in some states blackmail and extortion are separate criminal offenses.

The crime of extortion may be prosecuted as a felony in some states—with potential prison time—or as a misdemeanor eligible for probation. The crime of extortion is usually located in a state’s statutes. And extortion is also a crime under federal law. See 18 U.S.C. §872 to 18 U.S.C. §876.

In Minnesota, extortion is considered a serious criminal offense and is defined under Minnesota Statutes section 609.27 as 'Coercion.' The statute criminalizes the act of directly or indirectly threatening someone to cause physical harm, property damage, or any other harm to that person or another, or to expose a secret or publicize an asserted fact to injure the person's reputation or to compel the person to act against their will. Extortion can be committed through various means of communication, including in-person, by phone, mail, email, text, or social media. The penalties for extortion in Minnesota can be severe, with the possibility of being charged as a felony, which may result in significant prison time, or as a misdemeanor, which could lead to probation. The specific charges and penalties depend on the circumstances of the case, including the nature of the threats and the amount of money or value of the property involved. Additionally, extortion is also a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. §872 to 18 U.S.C. §876, which means that if the act of extortion involves federal jurisdiction—such as crossing state lines—the federal government may also prosecute the offense.