Ernest Syku, Extortion, Connecticut 2014

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New York Man Sentenced for Extortion Scheme

A New York man has been sentenced to 12 months and one day of imprisonment for operating an extortion scheme in Connecticut.

ERNEST SYKU, 45, of the Bronx, N.Y., was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford for threatening a Connecticut resident with violence in order to induce the victim to pay an alleged $240,000 debt.

According to court documents and statements made in court, SYKU and Robert Francella, of Yonkers, N.Y., threatened the victim with violence in order to collect the debt, which SYKU claimed was owed to SYKU’s deceased uncle, even though the victim stated the debt had been repaid.

SYKU made several threatening statements to the victim, including telling him that he was “the one who can break you in many pieces,” and that the victim was “doomed” if the victim did not bring SYKU the money. SYKU also told the victim that he “crushes everybody’s head who gets in my way.”

SYKU had promised Francella a portion of any monies collected in order to induce Francella’s participation in the extortion scheme. Francella, who was sentenced to approximately 15 months of imprisonment, time already served, and one year of supervised release, provided his cellular telephone to SYKU, who in turn provided it to Francella, who threatened “to cut the head” off the victim.

The victim and his spouse were fearful for their family’s safety, particularly because SYKU made references to the location of their home. SYKU confessed to law enforcement that he had hired and directed Francella to scare the victim into paying the alleged debt.

SYKU and Francella were arrested on March 13, 2014, and pleaded guilty to their crimes. This matter was investigated by the FBI Fairfield County Organized Crime Task Force and the Bridgeport Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hal Chen and Heather Cherry.

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