Brookhaven Man Indicted for Extortion Scheme

A Brookhaven man has been charged with extorting a criminal defendant with a false claim that a prosecutor demanded a $15,000 bribe, federal authorities said.

According to an indictment unsealed Tuesday, Jamal Harrison, 33, of Brookhaven, Georgia, allegedly promised a favorable outcome in the victim’s federal case when instead it was just a scam.

‘Harrison allegedly promised a favorable outcome in the victim’s federal case when instead it was just a scam,’ said Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine.

A Atlanta resident, identified as ‘Person 1,’ was arrested in July 2020 on a federal indictment filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. Harrison met with Person 1 in August 2020 and claimed that he was a part-time employee of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and knew the federal prosecutor in Person 1’s case.

He allegedly asserted that he could get the charges against Person 1 dismissed for $15,000, which he would give to the federal prosecutor. Person 1 refused, but later agreed to pay Harrison $12,000 in cash after Harrison made a second threat that the federal prosecutor would file additional charges against Person 1 if the money was not paid.

After making the payment, Harrison falsely claimed that he gave the money to the federal prosecutor, who would dismiss the charges against Person 1. In truth, however, Harrison allegedly kept the payment for himself.

By January 2021, the federal case against Person 1 remained active, and Person 1 and their attorney met with the prosecutor and agents in the federal case. Person 1 realized that Harrison had deceived and extorted them.

‘If a member of the public is asked to pay a bribe, don’t pay it and call the FBI immediately,’ said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta.

Harrison is charged with six counts of wire fraud. Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor C. Wilmot is prosecuting the case.

For further information, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016.

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