Joshua Nass, a 34-year-old lobbyist from Charleston, South Carolina, was arrested in New York on March 14, 2026, charged with attempted extortion for allegedly hiring an enforcer to shake down a former client and his son for $500,000 in unpaid fees.
Alleged Scheme
Starting January 2026, Nass—founder of a lobbying firm—supposedly recruited a confidential witness to intimidate “John Doe 1” (former client) and “John Doe 2” (his son) after they paid $100,000 of a $600,000 contract but sought a payment plan. Nass reportedly rejected this as an “insult,” directing threats like assault, forced car abductions with masked men, or roughing up the son at his New York-area home. He was nabbed outside his hotel on Friday, the planned meetup day.
Lobbying Ties
Nass’s Q4 2025 disclosure listed Joseph Schwartz—pardoned by President Trump in November 2025 for a $38M nursing home tax fraud scheme via Skyline Management Group—as a client. Lobbying focused on “federal presidential pardon advocacy,” netting ~$100,000. Feds won’t confirm if related.
Status and Stakes
Brooklyn magistrate released Nass on $5M bond. A licensed NY attorney, he faces up to 20 years if convicted. FBI’s James Barnacle slammed it as prioritizing “violent crimes and extortion schemes” over honest representation. No comment yet from Nass’s lawyer.
This case spotlights risks in high-stakes pardon lobbying amid Trump’s clemency wave, blending influence peddling with alleged thuggery.
