Lobbyist and Associates Indicted on Extortion Charges in New York

Federal Lobbyist Arrested and Charged with Attempted Extortion

On Friday, Joshua Nass, a 34-year-old lobbyist from Charleston, South Carolina, was arrested and charged with attempting to extort $500,000 from a former client and his son. Nass was scheduled to appear before a magistrate judge on Saturday.

According to court documents, Nass allegedly recruited a confidential witness to intimidate the former client and his son into paying the amount owed for the client's services. The father and son are referred to as "John Doe 1" and "John Doe 2" in the documents. Nass faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

The alleged extortion scheme began in January, with Nass agreeing to pay the confidential witness to force the former client to pay the debt. Court documents state that Nass claimed $600,000 was owed for services rendered, with the son making a payment of $100,000.

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Nass' lobbying activities have been under scrutiny, particularly his work on behalf of Joseph Schwartz, a former nursing home operator who was pardoned by President Donald Trump in November. Schwartz had pleaded guilty in federal court in 2024 for his role in a $38 million employment tax fraud scheme involving nursing homes across the country.

A federal lobbying disclosure form filed on January 15 listed Joseph Schwartz as a client, with Nass' firm generating an estimated $100,000 in income for lobbying activities during the final three months of 2025.

Nass was arrested outside of his New York hotel on Friday, the same day he had planned to meet with the confidential witness. His attorney has not commented on the case.

The FBI has prioritized crushing violent crimes offenses and extortion schemes, and the U.S. Attorney's Office is investigating the allegations against Nass.

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