Hobbs Act
The Hobbs Act, named after Congressman Sam Hobbs (D-AL) and codified at 18 U.S.C. § 1951, is a U.S. federal law enacted in 1946 that prohibits actual, attempted, or contemplated robbery or extortion affecting interstate or foreign commerce. Section 1951 also proscribes conspiracy to commit robbery or extortion without reference to the conspiracy statute at 18 U.S.C. § 371. Although the Hobbs Act was enacted as a statute to combat racketeering in labor-management disputes, the statute is frequently used in connection with cases involving public corruption, commercial disputes, and corruption directed at members of labor unions.
The Hobbs Act criminalizes both robbery and extortion. Whereas robbery is the taking of another's property without his or her consent, "traditional" extortion occurs when a person wrongfully uses force, the threat of force, or fear to obtain a recognized property right from another person without that person's consent.
Read more about Hobbs Act: Jurisdictional Element, Extortion By Fear, Extortion Under Color of Official Right, Physical Violence Unrelated To Robbery or Extortion
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