2C:20-4. Theft by deception. A person is guilty of theft if
he purposely obtains property of another by deception. A person deceives if he
purposely:
a. Creates or reinforces a false impression, including false
impressions as to law, value, intention or other state of mind, and including,
but not limited to, a false impression that the person is soliciting or
collecting funds for a charitable purpose; but deception as to a person's
intention to perform a promise shall not be inferred from the fact alone that
he did not subsequently perform the promise;
b. Prevents another from acquiring information which would
affect his judgment of a transaction; or
c. Fails to correct a false impression which the deceiver
previously created or reinforced, or which the deceiver knows to be influencing
another to whom he stands in a fiduciary or confidential relationship.
The term "deceive" does not, however, include falsity
as to matters having no pecuniary significance, or puffing or exaggeration by
statements unlikely to deceive ordinary persons in the group addressed.
Amended 2003, c.43.
2C:20-5. Theft by extortion A person is guilty of theft by
extortion if he purposely and unlawfully obtains property of another by
extortion. A person extorts if he purposely threatens to:
a. Inflict bodily injury on or physically confine or
restrain anyone or commit any other criminal offense;
b. Accuse anyone of an offense or cause charges of an
offense to be instituted against any person;
c. Expose or publicize any secret or any asserted fact,
whether true or false, tending to subject any person to hatred, contempt or
ridicule, or to impair his credit or business repute;
d. Take or withhold action as an official, or cause an
official to take or withhold action;
e. Bring about or continue a strike, boycott or other
collective action, if the property is not demanded or received for the benefit
of the group in whose interest the actor purports to act;
f. Testify or provide information or withhold testimony or
information with respect to another's legal claim or defense; or
g. Inflict any other harm which would not substantially
benefit the actor but which is calculated to materially harm another person.
It is an affirmative defense to prosecution based on
paragraphs b, c, d or f that the property obtained was honestly claimed as
restitution or indemnification for harm done in the circumstances or as lawful
compensation for property or services.
L.1978, c. 95, s. 2C:20-5, eff. Sept. 1, 1979. Amended by
L.1979, c. 178, s. 34, eff. Sept. 1, 1979.
2C:20-6. Theft of property lost, mislaid, or delivered by
mistake A person who comes into control of property of another that he knows to
have been lost, mislaid, or delivered under a mistake as to the nature or
amount of the property or the identity of the recipient is guilty of theft if,
knowing the identity of the owner and with purpose to deprive said owner
thereof, he converts the property to his own use.
L.1978, c. 95, s. 2C:20-6, eff. Sept. 1, 1979.
