EXTORTION and THEFT NOT CHARGED –State v. Mr. G. (DMC No. 9544) (Peoria Police Department Investigated): Mr. G. worked for an International Insurance company as a Certified Safety Professional. He was terminated from the company due to various personal problems, and then he began leaving various voicemails and emails threatening to harm the company’s business. These threats were based upon releasing confidential information to clients and exposing the company to ridicule. The company then called the Peoria Police Department in order to have Mr. G. charged with Extortion pursuant to Arizona Revised Statute 13-1804. Specifically, they were claiming that he threatened to “expose a secret or an asserted fact, whether true or false, tending to subject them to hatred, contempt or ridicule or to impair their credit or business”, unless he received his job back or a larger severance package. We were able to contact the company’s corporate counsel and inform them that Mr. G. suffered from various anxiety disorders. They agreed not to press charges, and to offer Mr. G. free counseling under their Human Resources department, even though he had already been terminated. Mr. G. was never charged, does not have a criminal record, and is now very happy working for another company.
