Lawyer linked to Trump pardon charged in extortion plot
Lawyer linked to Trump pardon charged in extortion plot
A New York lawyer who helped secure a pardon for a former nursing home operator is accused of plotting violent extortion against a former client.
A New York lawyer who helped secure a presidential pardon for a former nursing home operator was arrested on Friday and charged with attempted extortion. Joshua Nass, 34, was taken into custody by FBI agents in New York and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
Prosecutors say Nass sought $600,000 for lobbying services and attempted to collect $500,000 from a former client and his son after an initial $100,000 payment had been made. Court filings identify the targets as “John Doe 1” and “John Doe 2,” but indicate the client was Joseph Schwartz, the nursing home operator who was pardoned by Trump last year.
Authorities say Nass recruited an “enforcer” to pressure the client’s son to pay, telling investigators he would “do anything and everything” to secure the balance. U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. called the allegations a violent extortion scheme, while FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Barnacle said Nass allegedly chose to shake down his own client rather than honestly representing him.
Officials have not confirmed a direct link between the extortion plot and the pardon effort, but court filings tie the case to the same individual connected to the pardon of Joseph Schwartz, who was convicted of a multi-million-dollar tax fraud.
The arrest adds to ongoing scrutiny of pardons and lobbying, highlighting concerns about how influence and payments intersect in high-profile cases.
