Yes, of course, blackmail is illegal in the United States, why only the USA, it is an illegal thing everywhere else in the world too. So, if you’re out there thinking that you can scare someone or blackmail them for giving you cash or something else, then just know that it is straight-up illegal and if you’re found doing something like that, you know, if there is enough evidence against you, you’ll certainly be facing some big legal troubles. All in all, blackmailing someone is a big fat NO!
Let’s say you’re someone who’s not really aware of what is legal and what is not, then we can understand that you unknowingly think that something like blackmailing cannot be illegal, but it really is. Even though there are levels to it, like how far you go to blackmail someone, still, it is illegal no matter what the level is. And just in case, you want to know a little more about what blackmail is, how it is illegal, and what laws or rules are there in place that make it an illegal thing, then just keep on reading. Or it could very well be that someone else is trying to blackmail you and you want to know what actions you can take against them, correct? Well, we’re about to make this a whole lot clearer for you, so, let’s just get to it then.
First Of All, What Is Blackmail Anyway?
In the simplest words possible, you see, blackmailing is when someone tries to pressure you or freak you out into giving them some stuff which could be money, property or even a favour or something like that. For example, somebody knows a big secret about you or they have your weird or kinda private photos/videos, and they ask you to give them money or they’ll put this out in the public for everyone to see. That’s called blackmailing right there. Though, right here in the USA, they call it fancy names like extortion or coercion, so, if you didn’t know that yet, you know now, don’t you?
Is Blackmail Against the Law in the USA?
Spoiler alert, blackmail is illegal everywhere in the USA, and if you have been reading this post from the very start, you know that already. But let’s say you’re here to know about the specific law or rule that makes it illegal then just know that there is this federal thing called the 18 U.S.C. § 873. So? Well, under this law, if you threaten someone or pressure them into doing something that they don’t want to do in the first place, then it is called blackmailing and it is absolutely illegal. Though this is the major and nationwide law regarding blackmailing, on top of that, there can be state-wise laws regarding this too. For example, in California, they call it extortion, and in New York, it’s tied to stealing by scaring people.
All in all, we’d put it simply once again that no matter where you are, blackmail is a serious no-go. Just know that it is a felony and you can face jail time for that.
Famous Blackmail Stories
Alright, let’s make this informative stuff a little interesting for everyone, shall we? So, you see, in the past, we have seen some really crazy and shocking blackmail stories come through. For example, this one time, back in the 2000s, Yoko Ono’s driver tried to blackmail her for $2 million, he went on to say that he’d spill some private stuff related to her in the public, and that’ll just damage her reputation way too much.
Then there was the case of Kevin Hart back in 2017, you know when someone tried to blackmail him over a video. Other than that, there are some really sad cases out there too.