Cyber Extortion and Threats: Analysis of the United States Case Law

Abstract

This article presents an analysis of the cyber extortion and threats cases brought to the United States courts. The inquiry employed content analysis to identify important elements and attributes and answers research questions concerning essential attributes, legal elements, and how do the courts interprets these offenses. The article extends the understanding of this phenomenon by providing a thorough discussion of the conceptual issues and characteristics and an analysis of the most important litigation aspects, such as intent, true threats, sentencing, and the insanity defense. The article concludes with recommendations for stakeholders, to more effectively address the phenomenon.