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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>351067</law_id><section_number>18.2-499</section_number><catch_line>Combinations to injure others in their reputation, trade, business or profession; rights of employees</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><referred_to_by><reference>18.2-500</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="52" identifier="18.2">Crimes and Offenses Generally</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="11" identifier="12">Miscellaneous</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="3" identifier="2">Conspiracy to Injure Another in Trade, Business or Profession</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Any two or more persons who combine, associate, agree, mutually undertake or concert together for the purpose of (i) willfully and maliciously injuring another in his reputation, trade, business or profession by any means whatever or (ii) willfully and maliciously compelling another to do or perform any act against his will, or preventing or hindering another from doing or performing any lawful act, shall be jointly and severally guilty of a Class 1 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>. Such punishment shall be in addition to any civil relief recoverable under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Same; civil relief; damages and counsel fees; injunctions" href="/18.2-500/">18.2-500</a>. <a id="paragraph-1307516" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-499/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Any person who attempts to procure the participation, cooperation, agreement or other assistance of any one or more persons to enter into any combination, association, agreement, mutual understanding or concert prohibited in subsection A of this section shall be guilty of a violation of this section and subject to the same penalties set out in subsection A. <a id="paragraph-1307517" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-499/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> This section shall not affect the right of employees lawfully to organize and bargain concerning wages and conditions of employment, and take other steps to protect their rights as provided under state and federal <span class="dictionary">laws</span>. <a id="paragraph-1307518" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-499/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 18.1-74.1:1; 1964, c. 623; 1972, c. 469; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1994, c. 534.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
