Lobbyist Charged with Extortion Over Unpaid Pardon Fees

Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn charged Joshua Nass, a 34-year-old lobbyist and attorney from South Carolina, with attempted extortion after his arrest by FBI agents outside a Manhattan hotel on Friday. Nass, who runs the political consulting firm Merkava Strategies, allegedly sought to recover $500,000 in unpaid fees from a former client he had successfully lobbied for a presidential pardon, according to court filings unsealed Saturday.

Nass appeared in federal court in Brooklyn on Saturday, where he was released on a $5 million bond. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison. The filings detail how Nass, in January 2026, contacted an individual cooperating with authorities to intimidate and potentially harm the client and his son over the outstanding debt. The client had agreed to pay Nass $600,000 for lobbying services aimed at securing clemency, with the client's son transferring an initial $100,000. When the balance went unpaid, Nass escalated his efforts, offering the individual $15,000 to physically assault the son, including by forcing him into a car, and an additional $5,000 for any extra help needed.

Text messages included in the FBI affidavit show Nass providing...