Man arrested in extortion scheme

Jace Radke

Wednesday, May 16, 2001 | 10:58 a.m.

A U.S. Postal Service employee was arrested Monday night after he allegedly posed as an Internal Revenue Service agent and attempted to scam a local restaurant owner out of $1.5 million.

Thomas B. Natali, 37, was arrested at a bar in the Orleans hote about 8:30 p.m. after Howard Hamada, co-owner of Hamada of Japan Restaurants, paid Natali $50,000 under the direction of FBI agents.

According to a criminal complaint, Hamada, who owns 10 restaurants in Las Vegas, met with Natali on Friday at the Hamada Management Co. offices, 4080 Paradise Road. The complaint states that Natali, using the alias Ken Stone, told Hamada that the IRS was investigating his family and that there was evidence that they owed $3 million in federal taxes.

Natali reportedly showed Hamada a badge that identified him as an IRS agent, and also showed him a Ruger 9 mm handgun and a pair of handcuffs under his jacket, FBI officials said.

Natali also had government issue license plates on a rented Ford Taurus, that authorities say were taken from the post office where Natali worked.

The complaint also states that Natali told Hamada that the IRS was planning to raid the Hamada family's restaurants and homes on Monday, and that Hamada and his father, Jay Hamada, would be arrested at that time.

When Natali left the office, Hamada called the FBI, knowing that he had no tax problems and fearing an extortion scheme, an FBI spokesman said.

Hamada was later contacted by Natali and agreed to pay an installment of $50,000 to delay the raid for about 10 days. The conversation was recorded by the FBI.

On Monday Natali again called Hamada and set up a meeting for that night at Brendon's Pub in the Orleans, authorities said. This conversation was also recorded by the FBI.

Hamada met Natali and recorded their conversation in the bar. The complaint states that Natali told Hamada that he would "make the case disappear" as soon as he received $1.5 million. Once Natali took Hamada's first installment of $50,000 he was arrested at the Orleans, an FBI spokesman said.

The FBI said that Natali later admitted his involvement in the extortion scheme, and that he had stolen the government plates 18 months ago for the sole purpose of using them in the scheme.