Alleged Extortionist Extradited from Israel
| U.S. Attorney’s Office April 21, 2009 |
BOSTON, MA—A Pennsylvania woman who has been a fugitive from justice for nearly nine years appeared in federal court this afternoon after having been extradited from Israel.
Acting United States Attorney Michael K. Loucks, Warren T. Bamford, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Boston Field Office, and David Taylor, Acting United States Marshal announced today that LAURA GOLDMAN, 50, was returned late last night from Israel to face an 18 count Indictment charging her with two counts of attempted extortion and sixteen counts of extortionate communications.
The Indictment charges GOLDMAN with making a series of extortionate threats against the primary victim and his family members between October 2001 and October 2002. According to the Indictment, GOLDMAN was seeking to obtain from the victim payments for her “mental health treatment and other substantial monies.” Among the threats alleged in the Indictment are threats to kill the victim, the victim’s son, the victim’s nephew and the victim’s sister-in-law. According to the Indictment, GOLDMAN threatened – just weeks after the attacks of September 11, 2001 – to send anthrax as part of her extortionate scheme. It is further alleged that she claimed that she had someone watching and following the victim’s young son.
According to an Affidavit filed in a related case against GOLDMAN, as well as documents filed in Israeli courts, GOLDMAN fled from the United States to Israel in August 2000, on the same day that a federal criminal Complaint and arrest warrant were issued against her in Boston. That federal Complaint charged her with making death threats against the victim in July 2000. The accompanying Affidavit alleged a long history of GOLDMAN’s threatening and extortionate conduct. The crimes for which GOLDMAN was extradited were committed from Israel after GOLDMAN became a fugitive from justice.
GOLDMAN made an initial appearance today before United States Magistrate Judge Marianne B. Bowler. She is currently being held in the custody of the United States Marshals. A detention hearing and arraignment are scheduled before Magistrate Judge Bowler on Friday April 24, 2009 at 2 p.m.
If convicted GOLDMAN faces up to 20 years imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine on each of the 18 counts.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Boston Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. McNeil in the Public Corruption and Special Prosecutions Unit. GOLDMAN was extradited from Israel by the United States Marshals Service in coordination with the U.S. Department of Justice Office of International Affairs, the United States Department of State, and Israel’s Ministry of Justice.
The details contained in the Indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.