The Hobbs Act — Robbery Defined is a federal law that makes it illegal to use or attempt to use interstate commerce or communication to commit robbery or extortion. It is a very broad statute that covers a variety of offenses. It is often used to prosecute organized crime, such as racketeering and extortion. The Hobbs Act defines robbery as the unlawful taking or obtaining of another person's property from his or her person or immediate presence, against his or her will, by means of actual or threatened force, or violence, or fear of injury, immediate or future, to his person or property, or property in his custody or possession, or the person or property of a relative or member of his family or of anyone in his company at the time of the robbery. The types of Hobbs Act — Robbery Defined include: robbery of a bank, robbery of a business, armed robbery, and carjacking.