[Guide] Extorting a business in 2021

[Copa Cabana]

extortion

/ɪkˈstɔːʃ(ə)n,ɛkˈstɔːʃ(ə)n/

noun

The practice of obtaining something, especially money, through force or threats.

 

 

When extortion is brought up, people often think of muscular thugs threatening a fearful business owner of property and/or physical damage if the said businessman doesn't pay a certain sum of money weekly. However, this image, popularized by Hollywood is far from reality. The days where you could waltz in a store and threaten the person in charge are long gone. There are hundreds of articles from many countries where groups of criminals are arrested in a matter of days if they try this method. Why does this method not work any more? In 2021, businessmen are more trustful of the law enforcement agencies present and often invest money to have cloud servers for their CCTV footage (so no matter what the criminal does, he can't delete the footage). All the businessman has to do after being threatened is hand in the evidence to the authorities who can use it to jump-start an investigation that can easily take the whole group down utilizing the RICO act. So, naturally, the question arises - how are businesses coerced into paying weekly dues in the modern day. There are several paths.

 

1. Blackmail. I think the most obvious route is to have highly incriminating evidence against the owner of said business. No matter if it's them engaging in criminal acts or doing something else that they're not supposed to do, blackmail is a powerful tool. It removes any and all incentive from the businessman to reach out to the authorities and places his fate in the hands of the criminal who can in turn ask for a weekly fee to keep the blackmail material to himself.

 

2. Businessman's will. This route is one of the more commonplace ones that I've seen during my time researching organized crime and extortion in general. Often the criminals do not even have to threaten or coerce the businessman into paying a fee, he does it on his own and willingly. Why, you ask? Some businessmen want to have the protection and contacts within the criminal world and will offer to pay protection as well as engage in various schemes themselves. They think that by offering a cut of the business they will have access to cheaper goods or will have the ability to capitalize on some gangster running an illegal scheme in their business.

 

3. Economic coercion. This route is strictly limited to the more economically powerful criminal organizations. In New York City, many of the businesses extorted by the mob were coerced into paying the weekly fee not because they were threatened with physical and/or property damage, but because the mob controlled important sectors of the economy. For example you run a union that is based in membership by delivery drivers. You can tell a business owner that if he refuses to pay a weekly fee, he will be unable to receive shipments to his business. Through navigating your union and the law, you can essentially starve out the businessman until he's pretty much forced to pay you unless he wants his business to go under.

 

4. Debt. Financial institutions are not super keen on handing out loans to anyone, and if a businessman's credit is too low but he needs that extra cash? Well, he will likely go to illegal loan sharks just to keep his business afloat. This will put him in debt and if he is not able to repay it, the loan shark may demand a percentage of his business' earnings weekly. Another way to get in debt is if the owner is a degenerate gambler. If they can't pay their gambling debts, they will be easily coerced into repaying back through their businesses.

 

So, we covered the four main routes, however if you are creative enough there are probably more opportunities to wrap a businessman up in your criminal tentacles. However it is important to remember that oldschool extortions as depicted in movies are not the way to roleplay extorting a business. Unless, of course, you and your organization is happy to spend many years in a prison cell.

Edited August 9, 2021 by Copa Cabana

[Mullin]

Wth, you're saying me walking in with my 3 edgy blokes n demanding 10k a week won't work WTF?!?!

[L I C E]

You forgot scams. Charity scams and stuff like that.

Edited August 9, 2021 by LICE

[ivansvi_]

Very clean guide. Top notch like we like it.

[Moonsong]

You forgot to include The Guardian Angel;

 

You secretly create problems for a business on the laylow, problematic customers (pay off random Joe's) , constant fights, even negative publications then after a week or so of this you come in and offer to take care of the problem. You're much less likely to be perceived as a threat and the owner, being desperate  to get rid of problematic customers is going to be more open to negotiations.

 

In addition I'd like to add that most criminals will target smaller, family owned businesses as larger companies will have the resources available to deal with security concerns and logistics themselves but the fee you ask for should be realistic relative to the size and activity of the business. They might not earn very much, so giving a large chunk of profit to extorters could be detrimental to the business economy, as it'd demotivate owners if it's done too often. Offer a service they think they need and make it good value/fair to them and you'll increase your chances of success.

[Magnum]

Great guide!

Edited August 9, 2021 by Magnum

[ChromaticDeath]

Thank you for this. Lots of folks think Extortion should be done like it was in the early-mid 1900s. It's a bit silly.

[Daylong]

Finally. Thank you.

[Gamble]

Nice one.

[DLimit]

Amazing guide! Many need to learn from this.