Extortion defendant stays in jail

A federal magistrate Tuesday refused to order the release of an extortion defendant authorities overheard bragging about his ties to the Israeli mob.

After a hearing, U.S. Magistrate Robert Johnston said federal prosecutors had done a good job in court papers of explaining why Yakov Cohen, a 24-year-old Israeli citizen who lives in Las Vegas, should remain behind bars while he fights extortion and racketeering charges.

"The court finds a compelling need to keep the defendant detained," Johnston ruled from the bench.

In court papers last week, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Frayn pointed to several secretly recorded conversations of Cohen threatening violence against local kiosk operators and boasting that he often sought the help of Israeli crime figures.

Among those charged in an April 27 extortion indictment with Cohen is Moshe Barmuha, a 37-year-old Southern California man law enforcement authorities have linked to a Israeli crime syndicate.

Barmuha, who also is in federal custody, Cohen and two other men are charged with trying to extort thousands of dollars from two Israeli-born businessmen, Moshe "Moshiko" Ozana and Moshe "Chiko" Karmi, who run small electronics and cosmetics kiosks at local outlet malls.

The businessmen had sought protection from Las Vegas police.

Cohen's lawyers, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, contended in court papers that he is simply a businessman with no criminal record or previous ties to Israeli crime figures.

But federal authorities countered that Cohen told a confidential informant during a recorded conversation that the "mafia" had "solved a lot of issues for me in my life."

After the hearing, Chesnoff said he would appeal Johnston's ruling to U.S. District Judge Roger Hunt, who has been assigned the case.

In her court papers, Frayn described Cohen as a flight risk and a danger to the community.

She said Cohen reports a modest salary but has the ability to "access millions of dollars."

Authorities uncovered records that showed $4 million in deposits were made in one of Cohen's bank accounts between January 2009 and February of this year.

His lawyers said the account is tied to Cohen's own kiosk businesses.

Contact Jeff German at jgerman@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-8135 or read more courts coverage at lvlegalnews.com.