Can culminate and amount to be synonyms?

"Culminate" means to end up; it's talking about the ultimate effect of something. "Amount to" means the essence of something, usually where the essence is not immediately apparent. Traffic cops stopping random motorists and demanding that the motorist pay a "fine" to the cop amounts to extortion. (in essence this is extortion) If all the traffic cops do this it will culminate in the government taking harsh measures against police corruption. (that it how things will end up)