§ 872. Extortion by officers or employees of the United States

Statutory text

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.

Legislative history

Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.

1948
Pub. L. 80–645 · 62 Stat. 683
Enacted · 18 U.S.C. § 872
June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 740
Source evidence
Code source credit
June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 740
1994
Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994
Pub. L. 103–322 title XXXIII § 330016(1)(G) · 108 Stat. 1796
Substituted · 18 U.S.C. § 872
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”
Source evidence
Code amendment note
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”.
Enacted provision · exact public law section
(G) in sections 4, 41, 42, 46, 47, 112, 154, 244, 288, 290, 336, 475, 501, 502, 755, 872, 875, 876, 877, 917, 1013, 1018, 1024, 1154, 1155, 1156, 1382, 1541, 1700, 1703, 1704, 1707, 1712, 1713, 1720, 1721, 1722, 1729, 1731, 1734, 1752, 1793, 1856, 1857, 1863, 1912, 1913, 1922, 2074, 2195, and 2511 by striking “not more than $500” each place it appears and inserting “under this title”;
1996
Economic Espionage Act of 1996
Pub. L. 104–294 title VI § 606(a) · 110 Stat. 3488
Substituted · 18 U.S.C. § 872
Pub. L. 104–294 substituted “$1,000” for “$100”
Source evidence
Code amendment note
Pub. L. 104–294 substituted “$1,000” for “$100”.
Enacted provision · exact public law section
(a) Sections 215, 288, 641, 643, 644, 645, 646, 647, 648, 649, 650, 651, 652, 653, 654, 655, 656, 657, 658, 659, 661, 662, 665, 872, 1003, 1025, 1163, 1361, 1707, 1711, and 2113 of title 18, United States Code, are amended by striking “$100” each place it appears and inserting “$1,000”.

2 of 3 references resolved to an enrolled provision · 1 partial

Notes

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 171 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 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.

Editorial Notes

Amendments1951–1996 · 3 rounds

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.

Credits

1948–1996 · 4 acts

1948June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 740
1951Oct. 31, 1951, ch. 655, § 24(b), 65 Stat. 720
1994Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(G), (K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147
1996Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, § 606(a), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3511.

Show as published

(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 740; Oct. 31, 1951, ch. 655, § 24(b), 65 Stat. 720; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(G), (K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147; Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, § 606(a), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3511.)