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 New Hampshire, extortion is considered a serious criminal offense and is defined under RSA 637:5 as 'Theft by Extortion.' A person commits theft by extortion by purposely obtaining property of another by threatening to: (1) inflict bodily injury on anyone or commit any other criminal offense; (2) accuse anyone of a crime or expose a secret tending to subject any person to hatred, contempt, or ridicule; (3) take or withhold action as an official, or cause an official to take or withhold action; (4) bring about or continue a strike, boycott, or other collective action; (5) testify or provide information or withhold testimony or information with respect to another's legal claim or defense; (6) inflict any other harm which would not benefit the actor. The crime can be committed through various means of communication, including in-person, by phone, mail, or electronic communication. Depending on the circumstances and the amount involved, extortion in New Hampshire can be prosecuted as a felony, which may result in significant prison time, or as a misdemeanor, which could be eligible for probation. Additionally, extortion is also a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. §872 to 18 U.S.C. §876, which can lead to separate federal charges and penalties.