§ 872. — Extortion by officers or employees of the United States.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 18USC872]
TITLE 18--CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
PART I--CRIMES
CHAPTER 41--EXTORTION AND THREATS
Sec. 872. Extortion by officers or employees of the United
States
Whoever, being an officer, or employee of the United States or any
department or agency thereof, or representing himself to be or assuming
to act as such, under color or pretense of office or employment commits
or attempts an act of extortion, shall be fined under this title or
imprisoned not more than three years, or both; but if the amount so
extorted or demanded does not exceed $1,000, he shall be fined under
this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 740; Oct. 31, 1951, ch. 655,
Sec. 24(b), 65 Stat. 720; Pub. L. 103-322, title XXXIII,
Sec. 330016(1)(G), (K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147; Pub. L. 104-294,
title VI, Sec. 606(a), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3511.)
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Sec. 171 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch.
321, Sec. 85, 35 Stat. 1104).
Words ``or any department or agency'' were inserted to eliminate any
possible ambiguity as to scope of section. (See definitive section 6 of
this title.)
The punishment provided by section 171 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940
ed., of fine of not more than $500 or imprisonment of not more than 1
year, or both, was increased for offenses involving more than $100 to
conform to Congressional policy reflected in later Acts. See section
4047(e)(1) of title 26, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Internal Revenue Code, and the
punishment provision following paragraph (10) of said subsection.
Amendments
1996--Pub. L. 104-294 substituted ``$1,000'' for ``$100''.
1994--Pub. L. 103-322 substituted ``fined under this title'' for
``fined not more than $5,000'' after ``extortion, shall be'' and for
``fined not more than $500'' after ``he shall be''.
1951--Act Oct. 31, 1951, changed punctuation to make section
applicable not only to persons falsely representing themselves as
Federal officers or employees at the time of extortion or the attempt
thereof, but also to Federal officers and employees who attempt or
commit extortion under color of office or employment.
