An Israeli mob figure has pleaded guilty to spearheading an extortion scheme targeting two Israeli-born businessmen in Las Vegas

Moshe Barmuha, 39, awaits sentencing after he entered the plea in U.S. District Court to one count of extortion and one count of interstate travel in aid of racketeering. Barmuha and four other defendants were charged in a six-count indictment in 2010 with attempting to extort thousands of dollars from two businessmen, Moshe "Moshiko" Ozana and Moshe "Chiko" Karmi, who run small electronics and cosmetics kiosks at outlet malls. Las Vegas police and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents uncovered the extortion scheme, which brought to light the Israeli mob's stepped-up presence in Nevada. Barmuha, an Israeli citizen who lives in Southern California, was the last of the defendants to plead guilty. He was "known to be affiliated with a very powerful organized crime family," according to prosecutors. Court-approved wiretaps revealed that defendant Yakov Cohen of Las Vegas threatened violence against the kiosk owners and bragged about his ties to the Israeli mob. Prosecutors allege that Cohen was trying to muscle in on the operations of Ozana and Karmi. Barmuha's plea agreement describes his leading role in the scheme, which included threatening Karmi on Cohen's behalf. Cohen, 24, an Israeli citizen, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to extortion and interstate travel in aid of racketeering. The other defendants are Lior Zaken of Southern California, and Ruslan Magomedgadzhiev, 30, and his brother, Murad, 27. The Russian-born brothers live in Southern California. Barmuha's right arm was amputated below the elbow after a pipe bomb he planted under a rival's car in Israel prematurely exploded.