politics
March 14, 2026
New York lawyer linked to Trump pardon charged with attempted extortion
Joshua Nass, of alleged $600,000 extortion plot, played role in pardon of man convicted of failing to pay $40m in taxes
TL;DR
- Joshua Nass, a New York lobbyist and attorney, faces charges of attempted Hobbs Act extortion.
- He is accused of threatening a former client and their son over an alleged $500,000 debt.
- Prosecutors allege Nass hired someone to intimidate the client's son, including threats of physical assault.
- Nass had a connection to a presidential pardon issued by Donald Trump for Joseph Schwartz.
- Schwartz was pardoned after being convicted over his ownership of a nursing-home empire that failed to pay nearly $40 million in taxes.
- Nass was released on a $5 million bond secured by properties and cash, and placed on GPS monitoring.
- The case emerges amidst allegations of a clemency system shaped by lobbyists, which the White House has rejected.