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Brooklyn Resident Sentenced for Role in New Jersey Extortion Scheme
Seven-Year Prison Term for Participation in Coercive Plot
Trenton, NJ - In a significant legal development, a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to 84 months in prison for his involvement in a strongarm extortion scheme that spanned a week in 2019, as announced by U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger.
The sentencing took place on March 21, 2024, marking a pivotal moment in the case that has connections spanning New Jersey and New York.
Endrit Kllogjeri, 30, faced charges of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion and attempt to commit Hobbs Act extortion, resulting from a jury trial in June 2023 before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi.
The case shed light on a harrowing attempt to extort a Monmouth County, New Jersey resident and his son, with threats of physical harm tied to the recovery of a bag allegedly valued at $100,000, and an additional demand for $100,000 as "interest."
This week-long ordeal in December 2019 involved Kllogjeri and his co-defendant, Francis Garzon, who has also faced the legal consequences of his actions with a 121-month prison sentence handed down in January 2024.
The duo's arrest in a vehicle together on December 9, 2019, in Brooklyn, culminated in a series of threatening communications aimed at securing their demands from the victims.
Judge Quraishi's sentencing of Kllogjeri not only includes the prison term but also stipulates three years of supervised release following his incarceration.
This case highlights the collaborative efforts of federal and local law enforcement, including the FBI under Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, the Marlboro Township Police Department led by Chief Peter Pezzullo, and the New York City Police Department.
The resolution of this case underscores the seriousness with which the judicial system treats acts of extortion and the commitment of law enforcement agencies to ensuring justice for victims of such crimes.
The efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric A. Boden and Ian D. Brater were instrumental in prosecuting this case, reflecting the dedication of the U.S. Attorney's Office to safeguarding the community from predatory criminal behaviors.
