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Myrtha Nicholas, a 61-year-old Jersey City resident, entered into an arrangement with a home health care company in June 2016 in which an executive with the company would pay Nicholas $500 for each client referred to the company. The executive was identified as a confidential witness for the government.
A few months later, on Aug. 4,. 2016, she received a $600 payment for a referral. She also promised the confidential witness that she would only send "easy ones" after the witness complained about getting a referral for a difficult patient.
Nicolas received another $600 payment in January 2017 and a final $1,000 payment in October 2017, when she also promised the witness that "whatever [patients] I have, you'll have."
The extortion under color of official right charge carries a maximum potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross financial gain or loss. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 15.
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