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Albanian Extortion Ring Member Sentenced in New York
A member of a violent Albanian extortion crew who targeted business owners in Astoria, Queens, has been sentenced to 18 years in prison. Denis Nikolla was found guilty of two counts of Hobbs Act extortion conspiracy, one count of threatening physical violence in furtherance of an extortion plan, and one count of brandishing a firearm.
Nikolla’s crimes were part of a larger scheme to extort small business owners in Astoria, where he and his co-defendants demanded monthly payments in exchange for ‘protection.’ The scheme was uncovered after a restaurant owner came forward and reported being threatened by Nikolla and his associates.
According to court filings, Nikolla and his co-defendants, Redinel Dervishaj and Besnik Llakatura, demanded $4,000 per month from the restaurant owner, claiming that they were protecting him from harm. However, unbeknownst to the victim, Llakatura was an NYPD officer at the time and was actively participating in the extortion scheme.
When the victim failed to make the demanded payments, Nikolla violently threatened him on a public street in Queens, pointing a semiautomatic handgun at him before the victim managed to escape in his car. The investigation into Nikolla’s crimes was led by the Joint Organized Crime Task Force, which includes agents of the FBI and detectives of the NYPD.
U.S. Attorney Robert L. Capers praised the work of the investigators, saying, ‘Today’s sentence sends a strong message that criminals who use extortion and violence to profit from others’ hard work in our community will be held accountable and punished.’
Nikolla’s sentence is a significant blow to the Albanian extortion crew, which had been terrorizing business owners in Astoria for months. The case serves as a reminder that law enforcement will do everything in its power to bring perpetrators of organized crime to justice.
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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