Prosecutors refer extortion case involving fake political names to court

The Šiaulių Regional Prosecutor’s Office has referred a criminal case to Telšių District Court, charging a man with extortion after he allegedly demanded €15,000 from another person while falsely invoking the names of several politicians, the General Prosecutor’s Office reported on Tuesday.

According to pre-trial investigation data, the suspect, identified as A. J., pressured the victim during nearly two months of in-person meetings and phone calls to hand over €15,000. He threatened to disclose compromising information if the money was not paid.

Investigators found that the suspect, without legal grounds, used the names of multiple politicians, claiming they were collecting compromising material and demanding money. In reality, the actions were for personal gain.

A. J. faces charges of extortion, which carries a potential prison sentence of up to six years. The pre-trial investigation was led by the Šiaulių Regional Prosecutor’s Office Organised Crime and Corruption Investigation Division, with support from the Special Investigation Service’s Šiaulių branch. A civil claim of over €4,000 has also been filed in the case.