What Is Blackmail?
Blackmail, on the other hand, can be defined as obtaining money, goods, or services from an individual through the threat of revealing embarrassing, incriminating, or socially damaging information.
As an example of blackmail, take the scenario of Joe obtaining knowledge of Bill’s prior sexual misbehavior. Joe knows that revealing this knowledge to Bill’s wife can cause their marriage to fall apart, and threatens that he will reveal this knowledge unless Bill pays Joe a sum of money. That is blackmail and is illegal. There are countless cases of blackmail where celebrities have paid to keep their relationships hidden.
It is interesting to note that blackmail is a crime regardless of the validity of the information. Even if you are threatening to reveal real criminal activity, it is still blackmailing and illegal.
What Are the Penalties for Blackmail and Extortion?
Unlike some other states, in California, blackmail and extortion are classified as felonies and carry a penalty of up to four years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
https://werksmanjackson.com/blog/differences-between-extortion-blackmail/
