Legal Definitions - Hobbs Act

The Hobbs Act is a federal law in the United States that makes it a crime to interfere with interstate commerce—meaning business or trade that crosses state lines—through acts of extortion, robbery, or physical violence. Enacted to combat racketeering and organized crime, this law provides a powerful tool for federal prosecutors to target individuals and groups whose criminal activities disrupt the national economy.

Here are some examples of how the Hobbs Act might apply:

• Extortion Affecting a National Supply Chain: A criminal gang demands regular "protection money" from a large food distribution company that operates warehouses in multiple states and supplies grocery stores nationwide. The gang threatens to sabotage the company's refrigeration units and delivery trucks if the payments are not made. The company, fearing significant financial losses and disruption to its operations, pays the demanded sum. This act of extortion directly interferes with the company's ability to conduct its interstate business, as the payments increase operating costs and could potentially lead to higher prices for consumers across state lines.

  This illustrates the Hobbs Act because the gang used extortion (demanding money with threats) to interfere with the company's interstate commerce (its nationwide distribution network).

• Robbery of Goods in Transit: A group of armed individuals ambushes a semi-truck on a highway, forcibly taking its cargo of high-value electronics. These electronics were manufactured in one state and were being transported to retail outlets in several other states for sale. The robbery causes a significant loss to the trucking company and the electronics manufacturer, disrupting the flow of goods across state lines.

  This demonstrates the Hobbs Act because it involves robbery (taking property by force) that directly impacts the movement of goods in interstate commerce.

• Violence Disrupting a Construction Project: During a dispute, individuals associated with a local organization use threats and physical intimidation to prevent a construction company from bringing in specialized equipment and materials from out-of-state suppliers to a major infrastructure project. They physically block access roads and threaten workers, causing significant delays and cost overruns for the project, which relies heavily on resources from across state lines.

  This example falls under the Hobbs Act because it involves the use of physical violence and threats to interfere with the flow of equipment and materials essential to a project that is part of interstate commerce.