2025 Georgia Codes – Page 85

16-8-16

Extortion - Theft by

Theft by extortionTheft - Extortion

(a) A person commits the offense of theft by extortion when he unlawfully obtains property of or from anoth-
er person by threatening to:
(1) Inflict bodily injury on anyone or commit any other criminal offense;
(2) Accuse anyone of a criminal offense;
(3) Disseminate any information tending to subject any person to hatred, contempt, or ridicule or to impair
his credit or business repute;
(4) Take or withhold action as a public official or cause an official to take or withhold action;
(5) Bring about or continue a strike, boycott, or other collective unofficial action if the property is not
demanded or received for the benefit of the group in whose interest the actor purports to act; or
(6) Testify or provide information or withhold testimony or information with respect to another’s legal claim
or defense.
(b) In a prosecution under this Code section, the crime shall be considered as having been committed in the
county in which the threat was made or received or in the county in which the property was unlawfully
obtained.
(c) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution based on paragraph (2), (3), (4), or (6) of subsection (a) of this
Code section that the property obtained by threat of accusation, exposure, legal action, or other invocation
of official action was honestly claimed as restitution or indemnification for harm done in the circumstance to
which such accusation, exposure, legal action, or other official action relates or as compensation for property
or lawful services.
(d) A person convicted of the offense of theft by extortion shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than
one nor more than ten years.

16-8-17

Fraudulent use of retail sales receipt or a Universal Product Code label

Intent to cheat or defraud retailerRetail fraud

(a)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a person who, with intent to cheat or defraud a
retailer, possesses, uses, utters, transfers, makes, alters, counterfeits, or reproduces a retail sales receipt or a
Universal Product Code label which results in a theft of property which exceeds $500.00 in value commits
a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than three years or by a fine
or both.
(2) A person convicted of a violation of paragraph (1) of this subsection, when the property which was the
subject of the theft resulting from the unlawful use of retail sales receipts or Universal Product Code labels
is taken from three separate stores or retail establishments within one county during a period of seven days
or less and when the aggregate value of the property which was the subject of each theft exceeds $500.00
in value, commits a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten
years.
(b) A person who, with intent to cheat or defraud a retailer, possesses 15 or more fraudulent retail sales
receipts or Universal Product Code labels or possesses a device the purpose of which is to manufacture
fraudulent retail sales receipts or Universal Product Code labels shall be guilty of a felony and punished by
imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten years.