How is the Miss New Jersey "blackmailer" committing a crime?

[RB TexLa]

Don't you have to gain something from blackmail for it to be a crime? All I have seen is the person wants her to give up her crown. How is that a crime?

[SoCalDem]

1. He may have expected her to pay him to NOT revela them?

:)

[RB TexLa]

2. I thought they said she or he hadn't asked for any money

[BlooInBloo]

Wikipedia is your friend....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackmail

Blackmail is the act of threatening to reveal information about a person, or even do something to destroy the threatened person, unless the blackmailed target fulfills certain demands. This information is usually of an embarrassing or socially damaging nature.

In a broader sense, blackmail is an offer to refrain from any action which would be legal or normally allowed, and is thus distinguished from extortion.

[RB TexLa]

5. That doesn't mean it's always crime

[Lerkfish]

3. well, to be technical, it could be shown to have incurred damages of some value

:shrug: not that *I* would find the title valuable, but it does lend possibilities of professional connections and prestige.

[Bitwit1234]

4. I think the threat is the same as asking for money or some other stipend