---
kind: "section"
citation: "18 U.S.C. § 894"
title: "18"
title_heading: "Crimes and Criminal Procedure"
number: "894"
heading: "Collection of extensions of credit by extortionate means"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/18/894"
units:
  - "Part I — Crimes"
  - "Chapter 42 — Extortionate Credit Transactions"
---

# §894. Collection of extensions of credit by extortionate means

- (a) [Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1) knowingly participates in any way, or conspires to do so, in the use of any extortionate means
  - (1) to collect or attempt to collect any extension of credit, or
  - (2) to punish any [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) for the nonrepayment thereof,

  shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both.

- (b) In any prosecution under this section, for the purpose of showing an implicit threat as a means of collection, evidence may be introduced tending to show that one or more extensions of credit by the [creditor](/usc/18/891.md?p=2) were, to the knowledge of the [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) against whom the implicit threat was alleged to have been made, collected or attempted to be collected by extortionate means or that the nonrepayment thereof was punished by extortionate means.
- (c) In any prosecution under this section, if evidence has been introduced tending to show the existence, at the time the extension of credit in question was made, of the circumstances described in [section 892(b)(1)](/usc/18/892.md?p=b-1) or the circumstances described in [section 892(b)(2)](/usc/18/892.md?p=b-2), and direct evidence of the actual belief of the [debtor](/usc/18/891.md?p=3) as to the [creditor](/usc/18/891.md?p=2)’s collection practices is not available, then for the purpose of showing that words or other means of communication, shown to have been employed as a means of collection, in fact carried an express or implicit threat, the court may in its discretion allow evidence to be introduced tending to show the reputation of the defendant in any community of which the [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) against whom the alleged threat was made was a member at the time of the collection or attempt at collection.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 90–321, title II, § 202(a), May 29, 1968, 82 Stat. 161; amended Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(L), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1994—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $10,000” in concluding provisions.