Michigan Extortion and Blackmail Laws: Penalties (2026)

Yes. Blackmail is a crime in Michigan, though no Michigan offense is named blackmail. MCL 750.213, titled Malicious threats to extort money, makes it a felony to maliciously threaten to accuse someone of a crime or to injure a person or property in order to extort money or any pecuniary advantage, or to compel someone to act against his will, punishable by up to 20 years in prison or a fine of up to $10,000. Since April 2, 2025, a separate statute, MCL 750.213b, makes sexual extortion a felony graded by offense number, with up to 25 years in aggravated cases.

Information last verified on October 17, 2026. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers Michigan's criminal statutes on extortion (MCL 750.213), sexual extortion (750.213b), extortion by public officers (750.214) and related offenses in the Michigan Penal Code, with the sentencing-guidelines classes in MCL 777.16l. It does not cover what to do if you are being threatened or how to get images removed (see our sextortion scams guide), Michigan's separate crimes for sharing intimate images (see revenge porn laws by state), federal offenses (covered on our extortion and blackmail laws by state hub), or local ordinances.

What is extortion in Michigan?

Michigan treats extortion as a stand-alone crime in the Penal Code, not as a grade of larceny. MCL 750.213, unchanged since the Penal Code was enacted in 1931, reads:

"Any person who shall, either orally or by a written or printed communication, maliciously threaten to accuse another of any crime or offense, or shall orally or by any written or printed communication maliciously threaten any injury to the person or property or mother, father, husband, wife or child of another with intent thereby to extort money or any pecuniary advantage whatever, or with intent to compel the person so threatened to do or refrain from doing any act against his will, shall be guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment in the state prison not more than 20 years or by a fine of not more than 10,000 dollars."

The offense has three parts:

• A malicious threat, made orally or in a written or printed communication.
• One of the listed threats: to accuse another of any crime or offense, or to injure the person or property of another, or of that person's mother, father, husband, wife or child.
• One of two purposes: to extort money or "any pecuniary advantage whatever," or to compel the person threatened "to do or refrain from doing any act against his will."

Because of the second purpose, the statute's words reach demands that are not for money, such as a threat made to force someone to do something or to stop doing something. In People v Harris, 495 Mich 120 (2014), the Michigan Supreme Court held that under this prong "the level of significance or seriousness of the consequences of the compelled act to the victim is immaterial."

Is blackmail a separate crime in Michigan?

No. Michigan has no offense named blackmail. The general extortion statute is titled Malicious threats to extort money (750.213), and the nearby section 750.214 is titled Extortion by public officers. Blackmail is the everyday word for conduct Michigan charges under 750.213 or, where the threat involves sexually explicit images, under the sexual extortion statute, 750.213b.

Michigan extortion penalties

Michigan's main extortion statutes, 750.213 and 750.213b, state their own maximum terms. Section 750.214 names no penalty, so MCL 750.504 applies: up to 90 days, a fine of up to $500, or both. The letter classes in the table come from the sentencing guidelines offense list, MCL 777.16l, which lists 750.213 as a Class B "Person" felony with a 20-year statutory maximum and assigns 750.213b's first, second and third-or-later offenses to Classes E, D and B, and its aggravated form to Class B. The maximum terms are the ones the offense sections themselves state.

The extortion penalty is not tied to value. Unlike states that grade extortion as theft by the amount taken, 750.213 carries the same maximum whether the demand is for a small sum or a large one, and it applies to non-money demands as well. For how Michigan grades larceny by value, see our page on Michigan theft laws.

What kinds of threats count?

The general statute's list is short and specific. MCL 750.213 covers a malicious threat:

• to accuse another of any crime or offense; or
• of any injury to the person or property of another, or to the person or property of that person's mother, father, husband, wife or child.

The text of 750.213 does not name threats to expose a secret, to damage a reputation or credit, or to report someone's immigration status. Threats involving sexually explicit images are covered by the separate sexual extortion statute discussed below.

Is it extortion to threaten to sue, report someone, or post a bad review unless they pay?

The statute answers this only through its text. A malicious threat "to accuse another of any crime or offense," made with intent to extort money or any pecuniary advantage, is one of the threats 750.213 lists. A threat to file a lawsuit or to post a review is not among the listed threats. The section contains no claim-of-right or lawful-demand exception in its text.

Is sextortion a crime in Michigan?

Yes. Michigan's sexual extortion statute, MCL 750.213b, took effect April 2, 2025. Subsection (1) applies to:

"an individual who intentionally and maliciously threatens to release, exhibit, create, or distribute sexually explicit visual material of another individual in order to compel or attempt to compel another individual to do any act or refrain from doing any act against the individual's will with the intent to obtain sexually explicit visual material or anything else of value"

The statute requires both purposes: compelling an act or omission against the person's will, and intent to obtain sexually explicit visual material or anything else of value. It defines "sexually explicit visual material" as "a photograph or video that depicts nudity, erotic fondling, sexual intercourse, or sadomasochistic abuse." The threat may be to release, exhibit, create, or distribute that material.

The penalties:

• First offense: up to 5 years, a fine of up to $5,000, or both (750.213b(1)(a)).
• Second offense: up to 10 years, a fine of up to $10,000, or both (750.213b(1)(b)).
• Third or later offense: up to 20 years, a fine of up to $20,000, or both (750.213b(1)(c)).
• Aggravating factors: up to 25 years under 750.213b(2) if "The victim is less than 18 years of age or a vulnerable adult and the individual who committed the violation is more than 18 years of age," or if "The victim suffers serious physical harm, serious mental harm, or death as a result of the violation." The statute uses the definition of vulnerable adult in MCL 750.145m, which includes "An individual age 18 or over who, because of age, developmental disability, mental illness, or physical disability requires supervision or personal care or lacks the personal and social skills required to live independently," as well as adults defined in two other statutes.
• Offender under 18: a misdemeanor punishable by up to 1 year under 750.213b(3), and "The court may order behavioral health counseling from an appropriate agency or provider as part of an individual's sentence under this subsection."

For someone being threatened right now, our sextortion scams guide explains reporting and image-removal options. Michigan's crimes for sharing intimate images are covered on revenge porn laws by state, and its rules on AI-generated sexual images on Michigan deepfake laws.

Related offenses people confuse with extortion

Robbery (MCL 750.530). Robbery involves force or fear used in person during a theft. Under 750.530(1), a person who, "in the course of committing a larceny of any money or other property that may be the subject of larceny, uses force or violence against any person who is present, or who assaults or puts the person in fear, is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 15 years."

Disseminating sexually explicit images to threaten or coerce (MCL 750.145e and 750.145f). Section 145e(1) provides that a person "shall not intentionally and with the intent to threaten, coerce, or intimidate disseminate any sexually explicit visual material of another person if all of the following conditions apply," and the statute then lists those conditions. Under 750.145f, a violation is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 93 days or a fine of up to $500, or both, and a second or subsequent violation is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 1 year or a fine of up to $1,000, or both. That offense concerns actually disseminating the material; 750.213b concerns the threat.

Impersonating a peace officer to compel an act (MCL 750.215). Section 750.215(1)(c) prohibits representing to another person "that he or she is a peace officer or a medical examiner with the intent to compel the person to do or refrain from doing any act against his or her will." Except as provided in subsection (3), a violation is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 1 year or a fine of up to $1,000, or both.

Coercion to have an abortion (MCL 750.213a). Section 750.213a prohibits a person who knows a woman is pregnant from committing, attempting or threatening a violation of MCL 750.411h or 750.411i (stalking and aggravated stalking) or an assaultive crime against her or any other person, or from engaging in coercion after she says she does not want an abortion, "with the intent to coerce her to have an abortion against her will." The section defines threaten as making 2 or more statements or engaging in a course of conduct that would cause a reasonable person to believe the individual is likely to act on them. A threat-based violation is punished in the same manner as the underlying offense threatened; the coercion branch is a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $5,000 ($10,000 in the case subsection (3)(c) describes).

Obscene writings sent to extort (MCL 750.390). Knowingly sending or delivering a letter, postal card or writing containing obscene language "with a view or intent to extort or gain any money or property of any description belonging to another" is a misdemeanor. Because 750.390 sets no penalty, MCL 750.504 applies: up to 90 days, a fine of up to $500, or both.

Fraud and scams. Schemes that obtain money by deception rather than by threats are covered on Michigan scam and fraud laws.

Federal law also reaches threats and extortion that cross state lines; see the extortion laws by state hub.

Recent changes

2024 Public Act 261 (enrolled House Bill 5887), an act to amend the Michigan Penal Code (1931 PA 328), added the sexual extortion statute, MCL 750.213b, effective April 2, 2025. The general extortion statute, 750.213, has not been amended since its 1931 enactment according to its history note.

Related Michigan pages

• Extortion and blackmail laws by state
• Michigan theft laws
• Michigan deepfake laws
• Michigan scam and fraud laws
• Sextortion scams: what to do if you are targeted

This article provides general legal information about Michigan criminal statutes as of October 17, 2026. It is not legal advice. For advice about a specific situation, contact a lawyer licensed in Michigan.

Last updated: October 17, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is blackmail illegal in Michigan?

Yes, although Michigan has no offense named blackmail. Maliciously threatening to accuse someone of a crime or offense, or to injure the person or property of that person or a close family member, with intent to extort money or any pecuniary advantage or to compel an act, is a felony under MCL 750.213.

Is extortion a felony in Michigan?

Yes. MCL 750.213 is a felony punishable by imprisonment for up to 20 years or a fine of up to $10,000, whatever the amount demanded. Sexual extortion under 750.213b is a felony for adult offenders; extortion by public officers (750.214), a fee-demand offense, is a misdemeanor.

What is the sentence for extortion in Michigan?

The maximum under MCL 750.213 is 20 years in prison or a $10,000 fine. The Michigan sentencing guidelines classify it as a Class B person felony (MCL 777.16l).

Is sextortion a crime in Michigan?

Yes. Since April 2, 2025, MCL 750.213b makes it a felony to intentionally and maliciously threaten to release, exhibit, create, or distribute sexually explicit visual material of another individual to compel an act, with intent to obtain such material or anything else of value. Penalties run up to 5, 10 or 20 years by offense number, and up to 25 years in the aggravated cases the statute lists.

What happens if a minor commits sextortion in Michigan?

Under MCL 750.213b(3), an individual convicted who is less than 18 years of age is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year, and the court may order behavioral health counseling as part of the sentence.

Is it extortion to threaten to report someone to the police unless they pay?

MCL 750.213 lists a malicious threat to accuse another of any crime or offense, made with intent to extort money or any pecuniary advantage, as one of the threats that make up the offense. The section's text contains no claim-of-right or lawful-demand exception.