How will the act of extortion be handled? Will the offender have his property confiscated?
Mr. Nguyen Van Hoa, residing in Dien Chau district, asked: According to the law, how will the act of extortion of property be handled?
Reply
According to the Ministry of Public Security, Article 170 of the Penal Code stipulates the "Crime of extortion of property" as follows:
1. Anyone who threatens to use force or uses other means to mentally intimidate another person in order to appropriate property shall be sentenced to imprisonment from 01 year to 05 years.

2. Committing a crime in one of the following cases shall be punishable by imprisonment from 03 years to 10 years:
a) Organized;
b) Professional in nature;
c) Committing a crime against a person under 16 years of age, a woman known to be pregnant, an elderly person or a person incapable of self-defense;
d) Appropriating property worth from VND 50,000,000 to under VND 200,000,000;
d) Adversely affecting social security, order and safety;
e) Dangerous recidivism.
3. Committing a crime in one of the following cases shall be punishable by imprisonment from 07 to 15 years:
a) Appropriating property worth from VND 200,000,000 to under VND 500,000,000;
b) Taking advantage of natural disasters and epidemics.
4. Committing a crime in one of the following cases shall be punishable by imprisonment from 12 to 20 years:
a) Appropriation of property worth VND 500,000,000 or more;
b) Taking advantage of war and emergency situations.
5. The offender may also be fined from VND 10,000,000 to VND 100,000,000 or have part or all of his/her property confiscated.