Joshua Nass, a New York lobbyist and attorney who played a role in a presidential pardon issued by Donald Trump, has been charged with attempting to extort money from a former client. The 34-year-old was arrested on Friday and faces a charge of attempted Hobbs Act extortion in federal court in Brooklyn.
Prosecutors allege that Nass threatened a client over an unpaid debt of around $500,000. He is accused of providing an individual with the client's phone number and addresses, and instructing that person to 'do anything and everything' to force payment, including physically assaulting the client's son or forcing him into a car with masked men. Nass allegedly agreed to pay the individual at least $15,000 for his efforts.
If convicted, Nass faces up to 20 years in prison. He was released on a $5m bond, secured by five properties and $50,000 in cash, and placed on GPS electronic monitoring. US Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr said the alleged plot involved the 'violent extortion of one of his own clients'.
Nass was involved in Trump's pardon of Joseph Schwartz, who was convicted over a nursing-home empire that failed to pay nearly $40m in taxes. Nass reported being paid $100,000 for advocacy concerning executive clemency. The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, has denied that Trump's clemency system is influenced by lobbyists.
