943.28(1)(a) (a) To collect an extension of credit means to induce in any way any person to make repayment thereof.

943.28(1)(b) (b) An extortionate extension of credit is any extension of credit with respect to which it is the understanding of the creditor and the debtor at the time it is made that delay in making repayment or failure to make repayment could result in the use of violence or other criminal means to cause harm to the person, reputation or property of any person.

943.28(1)(c) (c) An extortionate means is any means which involves the use, or an express or implicit threat of use, of violence or other criminal means to cause harm to the person, reputation or property of any person.

943.28(2) (2) Whoever makes any extortionate extension of credit, or conspires to do so, if one or more of the parties to the conspiracy does an act to effect its object, is guilty of a Class F felony.

943.28(3) (3) Whoever advances money or property, whether as a gift, as a loan, as an investment, pursuant to a partnership or profit-sharing agreement, or otherwise, for the purpose of making extortionate extensions of credit, is guilty of a Class F felony.

943.28(4) (4) Whoever knowingly participates in any way in the use of any extortionate means to collect or attempt to collect any extension of credit, or to punish any person for the nonrepayment thereof, is guilty of a Class F felony.

943.28 History History: 1977 c. 173; 1995 a. 225; 2001 a. 109.

943.28 Annotation An extortionate extension of credit under sub. (1) (b) is not restricted to the original extension of credit, but includes renewals of loans. State v. Green, 208 Wis. 2d 290, 560 N.W.2d 295 (Ct. App. 1997), 96-0652.

943.30 943.30 Threats to injure or accuse of crime.

943.30(1) (1) Whoever, either verbally or by any written or printed communication, maliciously threatens to accuse or accuses another of any crime or offense, or threatens or commits any injury to the person, property, business, profession, calling or trade, or the profits and income of any business, profession, calling or trade of another, with intent thereby to extort money or any pecuniary advantage whatever, or with intent to compel the person so threatened to do any act against the person’s will or omit to do any lawful act, is guilty of a Class H felony.

943.30(2) (2) Whoever violates sub. (1) by obstructing, delaying or affecting commerce or business or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce or business is guilty of a Class H felony.

943.30(3) (3) Whoever violates sub. (1) by attempting to influence any petit or grand juror, in the performance of his or her functions as such, is guilty of a Class H felony.

943.30(4) (4) Whoever violates sub. (1) by attempting to influence the official action of any public officer is guilty of a Class H felony.

943.30(5) (5) 

943.30(5)(a) (a) In this subsection, “patient health care records” has the meaning given in s. 146.81 (4).

943.30(5)(b) (b) Whoever, orally or by any written or printed communication, maliciously uses, or threatens to use, the patient health care records of another person, with intent thereby to extort money or any pecuniary advantage, or with intent to compel the person so threatened to do any act against the person’s will or omit to do any lawful act, is guilty of a Class H felony.

943.30 History History: 1977 c. 173; 1979 c. 110; 1981 c. 118; 1997 a. 231; 2001 a. 109.

943.30 Annotation Commencement of a threat need not occur in Wisconsin to support an extortion charge venued in Wisconsin. State v. Kelly, 148 Wis. 2d 774, 436 N.W.2d 883 (Ct. App. 1989).

943.30 Annotation A threat to falsely testify unless paid, in violation of criminal law, is a threat to property within the purview of sub. (1). State v. Manthey, 169 Wis. 2d 673, 487 N.W.2d 44 (Ct. App. 1992).

943.30 Annotation Extortion is not a lesser included offense of robbery. Convictions for both are not precluded. State v. Dauer, 174 Wis. 2d 418, 497 N.W.2d 766 (Ct. App. 1993).

943.30 Annotation A threat to one’s education constitutes a threat to one’s profession under sub. (1), and a threat to terminate promised financial support could constitute a threat to property. State v. Kittilstad, 231 Wis. 2d 245, 603 N.W.2d 732 (1999), 98-1456.

943.30 Annotation A claim under this section is governed by the six-year limitation period under s. 893.93 (1) (a) [now s. 893.93 (1m) (a)]. Elbe v. Wausau Hospital Center, 606 F. Supp. 1491 (1985).

943.31 943.31 Threats to communicate derogatory information. Whoever maliciously threatens, with intent to extort money or any pecuniary advantage whatever, or with intent to compel the person so threatened to do any act against the person’s will, to disseminate or to communicate to anyone information, whether true or false, that would humiliate or injure the reputation of the threatened person or another is guilty of a Class I felony. For the purpose of this section, “information” includes any photograph, exposed film, motion picture, videotape, or data that represents a visual image, a sound recording, or any data that represents or produces an audio signal.

943.31 History History: 1977 c. 173; 2001 a. 109; 2015 a. 335.

943.31 Annotation A threat to injure a manager’s reputation unless a job was offered violated this section. State v. Gilkes, 118 Wis. 2d 149, 345 N.W.2d 531 (Ct. App. 1984).

943.32 943.32 Robbery.

943.32(1) (1) Whoever, with intent to steal, takes property from the person or presence of the owner by either of the following means is guilty of a Class E felony:

943.32(1)(a) (a) By using force against the person of the owner with intent thereby to overcome his or her physical resistance or physical power of resistance to the taking or carrying away of the property; or

943.32(1)(b) (b) By threatening the imminent use of force against the person of the owner or of another who is present with intent thereby to compel the owner to acquiesce in the taking or carrying away of the property.