Public Law 72–464

That whoever, with

Postal service

Offenses against, extended.

Vol. 35, p. 1123, amended.

Sending of threatening communications through United States mails.

intent to extort from any person any money or other thing of value, shall knowingly deposit or cause to be deposited in any post office or station thereof, or in any authorized depository for mail matter, to be sent or delivered by the post-office establishment of the United States, any written or printed letter or other communication with or without a name or designating mark subscribed thereto, addressed to any other person, and containing any threat (1) to injure the person, property, or reputation of the addressee or of another or the reputation of a deceased person, or (2) to kidnap any person,

Punishment for.

or (3) to accuse the addressee or any other person of a crime, or containing any demand or request for ransom or reward for the release of any kidnaped person, shall be fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.

Sec. 2.

Whoever, with intent to extort from any person any money

Mailing such from a foreign country for delivery by a United States post office.

or other thing of value, shall knowingly deposit or cause to be deposited in any post office or station thereof, or in any authorized depository for mail matter of any foreign country any written or printed letter or other communication of the character described in section 1 of this Act, addressed to any person within the United States, for the purpose of having such communication delivered by the post-office establishment of such foreign country to the post-office establishment of the United States and by it delivered to such addressee in the United States, and as a result thereof such communication is delivered by the post-office establishment of such foreign country to the post-office establishment of the United States and by it delivered to the address to which it is directed in the

Punishment for.

United States, then such person shall be punished in the same manner

Proviso.

Jurisdiction.

and to the same extent as provided in section 1 of this Act: Provided, That any person violating this section may be prosecuted either in the district into which such letter or other communication was carried by the United States mail for delivery according to the direction thereon, or in which it was caused to be delivered by the United States mail to the person to whom it was addressed.