Iowa statute
Iowa Code § 711.4 — Extortion
Current through 2026 Iowa Code (enactments effective on or before 2026-01-01, through the 2025 Regular Session, 91st G.A.)
Part of Chapter 711: Robbery, Aggravated Theft, and Extortion, Iowa Code.
Criminal charges under this statute
Full text of Iowa Code § 711.4
Statutory text current through the 2026 Iowa Code (enactments effective on or before 2026-01-01, through the 2025 Regular Session, 91st G.A.). This publication reproduces the statutory text of the official 2026 Iowa Code (Legislative Services Agency); it is not the official publication of the State of Iowa.
1. A person commits extortion if the person does any of the following with the purpose of obtaining for oneself or another anything of value, tangible or intangible, including labor or services:
a. Threatens to inflict physical injury on some person, or to commit any public offense.
b. Threatens to accuse another of a public offense.
c. Threatens to expose any person to hatred, contempt, or ridicule.
d. Threatens to harm the credit or business or professional reputation of any person.
e. Threatens to take or withhold action as a public officer or employee, or to cause some public official or employee to take or withhold action.
f. Threatens to testify or provide information or to withhold testimony or information with respect to another’s legal claim or defense.
g. Threatens to wrongfully injure the property of another.
2. Extortion is a class “D” felony.
3. It is a defense to a charge of extortion that the person making a threat other than a threat to commit a public offense, reasonably believed that the person had a right to make such threats in order to recover property, or to receive compensation for property or services, or to recover a debt to which the person has a good faith claim.
4. A person convicted of extortion under this section shall be required to register as a sex offender pursuant to the provisions of chapter 692A, if a determination is made that the offense was sexually motivated pursuant to section 692A.126.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.