Las Vegas, Nevada - A Las Vegas man was arraigned in federal court Wednesday for extorting $100,000 from another person who was visiting Las Vegas, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada.

Fredi Kazimirsky, 27, was arraigned on an indictment that charged him with one count of use of a facility of interstate commerce to promote extortion before United States District Magistrate Judge Cam Ferenbach. A Grand Jury returned the indictment on August 7, 2019.

According to court documents, Kazimirsky and the victim had an intimate encounter at a hotel room on the Las Vegas Strip. Approximately two months later, he and the victim planned to meet again, but they did not meet each other. On June 27, 2019, Kazimirsky sent text messages to the victim stating he had footage of their prior sexual encounter and he would sell the video to a porn site if the victim did not give him $100,000 in cash. On June 28, 2019, Kazimirsky agreed to meet the victim at a hotel room to receive the extortion money. When he arrived at the hotel, he was taken into custody by law enforcement. During an interview with agents from the FBI, Kazimirsky admitted to sending the text messages to the victim.

A jury trial is scheduled for October 7, 2019, before United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon. If convicted, the maximum penalty is five years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.

An indictment merely alleges that a crime has been committed, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Dickinson is prosecuting the case.