In criminal usury, what is the maximum interest rate a loan can carry?

In the context of criminal usury, the correct answer indicates that a loan can carry an interest rate of over 20% before it is considered criminal usury. Criminal usury laws vary by jurisdiction, but generally, they are designed to protect consumers from exorbitant interest rates that exceed a certain threshold deemed unreasonable or exploitative.

When a loan has an interest rate exceeding 20%, it often crosses the line into illegal territory, subjecting the lender to potential criminal charges. This is based on the legislative intent of usury statutes, which aim to prevent lenders from taking advantage of borrowers by charging excessively high rates. Interest rates lower than this threshold may still be considered high but do not typically suggest the same degree of exploitation that would trigger criminal liability.

Understanding this legal framework is crucial for recognizing how different jurisdictions handle lending practices, and it provides clarity on how the classification of interest rates can affect the legality of a loan. Hence, a loan with an interest rate above 20% falls into the category of criminal usury, making this choice the correct answer.