Cal. Codes » Penal Code / PART 1. OF CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS / TITLE 13. OF CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY / CHAPTER 7. Extortion
California Codes

Cal. Penal Code § 519 (2026)

✓ current as of May 2026
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Fear, such as will constitute extortion, may be induced by a threat of any of the following:

1.To do an unlawful injury to the person or property of the individual threatened or of a third person.

2.To accuse the individual threatened, or a relative of his or her, or a member of his or her family, of a crime.

3.To expose, or to impute to him, her, or them a deformity, disgrace, or crime.

4.To expose a secret affecting him, her, or them.

5.To report his, her, or their immigration status or suspected immigration status.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 50 cases (18 in the last 5 years), 1881–2026 · leading case: Flatley v. Mauro, 139 P.3d 2 (Cal. 2006).
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Flatley v. Mauro, 139 P.3d 2 (Cal. 2006). · cites it 8× “]" (Pen.Code, § 519.) "Every person who, with intent to extort any money or other property from another, sends or delivers to any person any letter or other writing, whether subscribed or not, expressing or implying, or adapted to imply, any threat such as is *627 specified in…”
Malin v. Singer, 217 Cal. App. 4th 1283 (Cal. Ct. App. 2013). · cites it 4× “Malin’s complaint alleged causes of action for (1) civil extortion based on the demand letter (Pen. Code, §§ 519, 523) (first cause of action); (2) violation of civil rights based on the illegal wiretapping and computer hacking activities (Pen.”
Chan v. Lund, 188 Cal. App. 4th 1159 (Cal. Ct. App. 2010). · cites it 2× “” (Pen. Code, § 519, subd. I.) 12 Attorneys are not exempt from the principles of extortion in their professional conduct.”
Cross v. Cooper, 197 Cal. App. 4th 357 (Cal. Ct. App. 2011). “) Clearly, the e-mails that Cooper sent to Cross did not threaten to physically harm anyone or any property, accuse anyone of a crime, or expose or impute to Cross some deformity or disgrace. Moreover, they did not, as a matter of law, explicitly or implicitly threaten to…”
Mendoza v. Hamzeh, 215 Cal. App. 4th 799 (Cal. Ct. App. 2013). · cites it 2× “]’ (Pen. Code, § 519.) ‘Every person who, with intent to extort any money or other property from another, sends or delivers to any person any letter or other writing, whether subscribed or not, expressing or implying, or adapted to imply, any threat such as is specified ip…”
Stenehjem v. Sareen, 226 Cal. App. 4th 1405 (Cal. Ct. App. 2014). · cites it 2× “]’ (Pen. Code, § 519.) ‘Every person who, with intent to extort any money or other property from another, sends or delivers to any person any letter or *1418 other writing, whether subscribed or not, expressing or implying, or adapted to imply, any threat such as is specified in…”
Metabolic Rsch., Inc. v. Scott Ferrell, 693 F.3d 795 (9th Cir. 2012). “16 (2006) (citing Cal.Penal Code § 519); Nev.Rev.Stat. § 205.”
People v. Stanfield, 95 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 1536 (Cal. Ct. App. 1995). “”]; Pen. Code, § 519, subd. 1 [fear such as will constitute extortion may be induced by a threat to do unlawful injury to the victim].”
United States v. Nardello, 393 U.S. 286 (1969). “See Cal. Penal Code § 519 (1955); N. J. Stat.”
Fisher v. Larsen, 138 Cal. App. 3d 627 (Cal. Ct. App. 1982). “(Pen. Code, § 519, subd. 4.) ' 10 The document relied upon by the Larsens entitled “Chronology and Events Leading To and Occurring During June 6-9, 1977 Teachers’ Strike Against San Diego City Schools” was apparently prepared by Goodman after the strike had terminated, after the…”
Monex Deposit Co. v. Gilliam, 666 F. Supp. 2d 1135 (C.D. Cal. 2009). · cites it 2× “Threats specified in California Penal Code section 519 are those either: "(1) [t]o do an unlawful injury to the person or property of the individual threatened or of a third person; or, (2)[t]o accuse the individual threatened, or any relative of his, or member of his family, of…”
Wolk v. Green, 516 F. Supp. 2d 1121 (N.D. Cal. 2007). “California Penal Code section 519 states that "fear, such as will constitute extortion, may be induced by a threat .”
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— Cal. Penal Code § 519(2) — 1 case
Malin v. Singer, 217 Cal. App. 4th 1283 (Cal. Ct. App. 2013). “Malin’s complaint alleged causes of action for (1) civil extortion based on the demand letter (Pen. Code, §§ 519, 523) (first cause of action); (2) violation of civil rights based on the illegal wiretapping and computer hacking activities (Pen.”
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