Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term
Whoever, under a threat of informing, or as a consideration for not informing, against any violation of any law of the United States, demands or receives any money or other valuable thing, shall be or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
History: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 740 (PDF, 39 MB); Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(I), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147 (PDF, 52 MB).)
Simplified explanation
It is a federal crime to demand or take money or anything of value in exchange for not reporting someone's violation of federal law, or by threatening to report it. This is commonly called blackmail.