A Brooklyn federal court unsealed a complaint Friday charging Joshua Nass, a licensed New York attorney, with attempted Hobbs Act extortion. Authorities allege that Nass hired an individual to use threats and physical violence to squeeze $500,000 out of a former client and the client’s son.
Nass was arrested on Wednesday and is scheduled for an initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Clay H. Kaminsky.
According to court filings, the scheme began in early January 2026. Prosecutors say Nass recruited an individual to collect a purported debt for legal services from a former client, identified as John Doe 1, and his son, John Doe 2.
Nass allegedly handed over the son’s phone number and home address, paying the recruit $3,000 in cash to visit the residence and intimidate him. During the recruitment, Nass reportedly told the individual to “do anything and everything” to ensure the money was paid.
Federal investigators claim that between January and March, Nass met with the hired individual multiple times to refine the extortion tactics. These discussions allegedly included plans to physically assault the son or force him into a vehicle with masked men to terrify the family into paying.
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At one point, Nass allegedly instructed the individual that if the son resisted, he should not act like a “human being” with him. Nass reportedly agreed to a total payment of $15,000 for the enforcer’s work, offering $5,000 upfront with the rest due once the $500,000 was collected.
U.S. Attorney Breon Peace emphasized the gravity of a legal professional allegedly turning to criminal tactics. “As alleged, Nass plotted the violent extortion of one of his own clients and hired an individual to ‘do anything and everything’ to force the client’s son to pay for services,” Peace stated.
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. added that Nass “allegedly chose to shake him down by hiring an enforcer,” noting that the FBI prioritizes dismantling such violent schemes.
The case is being handled by the Organized Crime and Gangs Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. While the charges are serious, the complaint remains an allegation, and Nass is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. If convicted of the extortion charge, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
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