extortionist

An extortionist is a person who commits extortion, the act of obtaining money, property, or services through coercion, threats, or abuse of authority. The extortionist leverages fear or leverage to compel a target to surrender valuables or comply with demands. Extortion can be perpetrated by individuals or by organized groups, including criminal enterprises.

Common methods include threats of violence or property damage, exposure of damaging information, and lawsuits or civil actions used as leverage. Other tactics exploit vulnerability, such as threatening to damage a person's reputation, harm a business, or reveal private data. Some schemes use coercive payments as a condition for continued access or safety, sometimes labeled protection rackets.

In legal terms, extortion requires a demand for property or services and the use of threats or coercion to obtain them, absent a legitimate claim. Blackmail is closely related and is often treated as extortion in many jurisdictions, though terminology varies.

Penalties for extortion range from fines to lengthy imprisonment, depending on jurisdiction and the severity of the threats, the weapons used, and the value obtained. Civil remedies may also apply. Victims should preserve evidence, avoid negotiating with the extortionist, and report to law enforcement.

Digital age variants include sextortion, where an attacker threatens to expose intimate material, and ransomware extortion, in which criminals lock data or systems and demand payment to restore access or refrain from releasing information. Extortion can target individuals, businesses, or public institutions.