Lobbyist Arrested for Attempted Extortion in New York

In New York, federal authorities have taken a lobbyist into custody, charging him with attempting to extort $500,000 from a former client and his son. This lobbyist had previously represented a nursing home operator who was recently pardoned by President Donald Trump.

Joshua Nass, a 34-year-old from Charleston, South Carolina, was supposed to appear before a magistrate judge for the attempted extortion charge—which was dismissed on Friday, as noted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.

If found guilty, Nass could be looking at a maximum of 20 years in prison.

Starting in January, Nass is said to have recruited someone for the intent of pressuring former clients into paying what he referred to as a service fee. Additionally, he allegedly sought to blackmail the client’s son. The government documents refer to the father and son only as “John Doe 1” and “John Doe 2.”

In a statement, James Barnacle Jr., Deputy Director of the FBI’s New York Field Office, commented on Nass’s choice to recruit someone to coerce payment rather than simply defending his client. He stated, “The FBI is prioritizing the elimination of violent crimes and extortion schemes.”

A lobbying disclosure form submitted to both the U.S. House and Senate on January 15 indicated that Nass had recently listed Joseph Schwartz as a client, claiming his firm had earned around $100,000 in lobbying fees during that time, focused on issues such as advocating for presidential pardons.

Just to add some background, Joseph Schwartz had previously pleaded guilty in federal court related to a significant employment tax fraud case involving nursing homes across the nation.

As of Saturday, John Marzulli, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, mentioned that they wouldn’t comment on whether the accusations against Nass were connected to Schwartz’s prior activities.

Nass’s arrest occurred outside a hotel in New York right before he was set to meet with a confidential witness, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Currently, Nass’s attorney has not provided any comments regarding this situation.

A letter from the U.S. Attorney’s Office noted that Nass had entered into a lobbying agreement for $600,000, but when the client’s son sought a payment plan instead of paying the full amount, Nass reportedly found this to be an “insult.”

Allegations suggest that Nass instructed the witness to go to the son’s home in New York to enforce payment, but the son ultimately did not comply and closed the door.

From January to March, discussions between Nass and the witness allegedly included threatening the son, even suggesting coercive actions such as assault or abduction, as outlined in a government release. An FBI affidavit revealed Nass’s disapproval towards the witness showing humanity in dealing with his son.