Extortion Los Angeles County

A Los Angeles Police Department motorcycle officer faces extortion and robbery charges for allegedly plotting with five people to steal $1 million from a Lakewood real estate broker, authorities said Monday. Melvin Boyd, 37, was the only law enforcement officer involved in the alleged scheme, according to the Sheriff's Department, which investigated the case. The others, two women and three men, were detained, then released. No charges have been filed against them.

A Los Angeles Police Department motorcycle officer faces extortion and robbery charges for allegedly plotting with five people to steal $1 million from a Lakewood real estate broker, authorities said Monday. Melvin Boyd, 37, was the only law enforcement officer involved in the alleged scheme, according to the Sheriff's Department, which investigated the case. The others, two women and three men, were detained, then released. No charges have been filed against them.

A convict was charged Thursday with trying to extort millions of dollars from prominent Antelope Valley residents--perhaps because he learned from men convicted of such a scheme in the same area two years ago, a prosecutor said. Prosecutors filed a nine-count complaint accusing Gregory J.

A tiny extortion ring operating in the heart of Beverly Hills is tied to the biggest organized crime family in New York, government prosecutors alleged Friday. Prosecutors say Joseph Isgro, a Tarzana record executive arrested last week by federal agents, is a "soldier" for the Gambino crime family who has been running a "violent" extortion and loan-sharking operation since 1994. Citing an FBI affidavit, prosecutors said Isgro is one of 192 identifiable members of the Gambino clan.

A 19-year-old bystander was one of two men killed in a bloody gun battle between a group of extortionists and a merchant, Glendale police said Thursday. The teenager, who police initially believed was one of the assailants, was actually a friend of the merchant's nephew and apparently was "in the wrong place at the wrong time," Police Chief James E. Anthony said. "He was killed in the fracas," Anthony said.

A Glendale merchant defied a group of men trying to extort money from him at gunpoint, returning their fire and killing two of the assailants, police said Wednesday. The shootout late Tuesday is a tragic example of the growing trend toward business extortion among Glendale's burgeoning immigrant population, officials said. Authorities asked that the merchant's identity not be published, citing fears for his safety.

A 19-year-old bystander was one of two men killed in a bloody gun battle between a group of extortionists and a local merchant, police said Thursday. The teenager, who police initially believed was among several assailants, was actually a friend of the merchant's nephew who apparently was "in the wrong place at the wrong time," Police Chief James E. Anthony said. "He was killed in the fracas," Anthony said.

Two men who threatened to blow up nine stores--planting phony bombs to add menace to the plot--extorted more than $7,000 from merchants in Sun Valley and La Canada Flintridge, police said Tuesday. The extortionists escaped with more than $7,000 from a Miller's Outpost in Sun Valley, said Los Angeles Police Lt. Dan Hoffman, and an undisclosed amount from a La Canada Flintridge Kid's Mart on Monday night.

A merchant defied a group of men trying to extort money from him at gunpoint, returning their fire and killing two of the assailants, police said Wednesday. The bloody shootout is a tragic example of the growing trend toward business extortion in Glendale's burgeoning immigrant population, officials said. Authorities asked that the merchant's identity not be published, citing fears for his safety.

Music promoter Joseph Isgro, the target of a failed federal prosecution in a 1980s payola scandal, was arrested Saturday on loan sharking and extortion charges, the U.S. attorney's office said Monday. Isgro, 52, was taken into custody in front of Le Grand Passage shopping center in Beverly Hills, a location that he and his associates often used for confrontations with debtors in arrears, authorities said.

Music promoter Joseph Isgro, the target of a failed federal prosecution in a 1980s payola scandal, was arrested Saturday on loan sharking and extortion charges, the U.S. attorney's office said Monday. Isgro, 52, was taken into custody in front of Le Grand Passage shopping center in Beverly Hills, a location that he and his associates often used for confrontations with debtors in arrears, authorities said.

A judge ruled Monday that there is sufficient evidence for a San Marino contractor to stand trial on charges that he attempted to extort millions of dollars from a former business associate he believed cut him off from lucrative construction deals. John A. Artukovich is accused of threatening to kill his former business partner, Michael L. Shank, 63, unless Shank paid him $8 million.

A 19-year-old bystander was one of two men killed in a bloody gun battle between a group of extortionists and a merchant, Glendale police said Thursday. The teenager, who police initially believed was one of the assailants, was actually a friend of the merchant's nephew and apparently was "in the wrong place at the wrong time," Police Chief James E. Anthony said. "He was killed in the fracas," Anthony said.

A 19-year-old bystander was one of two men killed in a bloody gun battle between a group of extortionists and a local merchant, police said Thursday. The teenager, who police initially believed was among several assailants, was actually a friend of the merchant's nephew who apparently was "in the wrong place at the wrong time," Police Chief James E. Anthony said. "He was killed in the fracas," Anthony said.

A Glendale merchant defied a group of men trying to extort money from him at gunpoint, returning their fire and killing two of the assailants, police said Wednesday. The shootout late Tuesday is a tragic example of the growing trend toward business extortion among Glendale's burgeoning immigrant population, officials said. Authorities asked that the merchant's identity not be published, citing fears for his safety.

A merchant defied a group of men trying to extort money from him at gunpoint, returning their fire and killing two of the assailants, police said Wednesday. The bloody shootout is a tragic example of the growing trend toward business extortion in Glendale's burgeoning immigrant population, officials said. Authorities asked that the merchant's identity not be published, citing fears for his safety.

A tiny extortion ring operating in the heart of Beverly Hills is tied to the biggest organized crime family in New York, government prosecutors alleged Friday. Prosecutors say Joseph Isgro, a Tarzana record executive arrested last week by federal agents, is a "soldier" for the Gambino crime family who has been running a "violent" extortion and loan-sharking operation since 1994. Citing an FBI affidavit, prosecutors said Isgro is one of 192 identifiable members of the Gambino clan.

A judge ruled Monday that there is sufficient evidence for a San Marino contractor to stand trial on charges that he attempted to extort millions of dollars from a former business associate he believed cut him off from lucrative construction deals. John A. Artukovich is accused of threatening to kill his former business partner, Michael L. Shank, 63, unless Shank paid him $8 million.

Two men who threatened to blow up nine stores--planting phony bombs to add menace to the plot--extorted more than $7,000 from merchants in Sun Valley and La Canada Flintridge, police said Tuesday. The extortionists escaped with more than $7,000 from a Miller's Outpost in Sun Valley, said Los Angeles Police Lt. Dan Hoffman, and an undisclosed amount from a La Canada Flintridge Kid's Mart on Monday night.

A convict was charged Thursday with trying to extort millions of dollars from prominent Antelope Valley residents--perhaps because he learned from men convicted of such a scheme in the same area two years ago, a prosecutor said. Prosecutors filed a nine-count complaint accusing Gregory J.