Brooklyn Man Pleads Guilty to Extortion in Murder-for-Hire Scam

Boris Kotlyarsky, a 68-year-old Brooklyn man, pleaded guilty to orchestrating a cold-blooded extortion scheme built on the threat of murder, exploiting a father’s fears and a criminal associate’s violent reputation to squeeze $125,000 from a terrified victim. Kotlyarsky admitted in Manhattan federal court to conspiring with a shadowy figure tied to Russian organized crime to fabricate a hit plot—and then demanding cash to call it off.

According to court documents, in October 2015, Kotlyarsky’s associate, known only as CC-1, was approached by a Russian businessman seeking to have his son-in-law murdered. While CC-1 didn’t know the target, Kotlyarsky did. He quickly identified the victim, recognized his wealth, and flipped the script—offering to broker a deal where the victim could pay to save his life. What followed was a months-long campaign of fear, manipulation, and criminal theater.

From October 2015 through January 14, 2016, Kotlyarsky bombarded the victim with warnings about CC-1’s lethal reputation and underworld ties. He arranged face-to-face meetings where CC-1 delivered the ultimatum: $125,000 to walk away, with $50,000 due by January 15, 2016. On January 14, the victim, trembling under the pressure, handed over a $50,000 check—only for both Kotlyarsky and CC-1 to be arrested moments later.

Kotlyarsky pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion and one count of Hobbs Act extortion, each carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Though no murder occurred, the psychological torment and brazen criminality exposed a chilling level of manipulation rooted in organized crime networks.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara didn’t mince words: “As Boris Kotlyarsky has admitted, he took cruel advantage of a desperate situation, giving a victim the extortionate choice between paying off his hitman or death. Kotlyarsky’s manipulation did not result in a payoff, but instead a criminal conviction.” The case, Bharara said, was a textbook example of how fear can be weaponized for profit.

The investigation was led by the FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the NYPD, with oversight by the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Thomas is prosecuting the case. Sentencing is pending, but the maximum penalties, set by Congress, underscore the severity of turning terror into a transaction.

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