Palm Beach police are looking for 43-year-old Michael A. Loizias, a man they say tried to extort billionaire casino developer and Palm Beach resident Steve Wynn, and then skipped out on court. A Palm Beach County judge issued a bench warrant on May 14 after Loizias failed to show up for a scheduled plea conference in the extortion case. He had been arrested in February after detectives say an undercover sting lured him to a wealth-management office on Palm Beach, then was released on bond while the case moved through the courts.
Bench Warrant Follows Series Of No-Shows
According to court records and local reporting, the May 14 bench warrant came after Loizias did not appear for a plea conference and after he had already entered a not-guilty plea. Records also show he was released from jail on Feb. 18 after posting a $40,000 bond. It was not his first courtroom absence: he had previously missed court dates on March 12 and April 2, according to WPBF 25 News.
Alleged Threats Span Months And Dozens Of Messages
Investigators say the harassment campaign started in October 2023 and escalated quickly. Law enforcement documents describe dozens of threatening emails and at least two mailed packages containing menacing language alongside wire-transfer instructions. Roughly 79 threatening emails were allegedly sent in 2023 alone.
Authorities say a pair of packages dated Jan. 30 demanded $1 million and included photos, a California driver’s license, bank statements and school transcripts. A Feb. 5 letter allegedly upped the pressure by threatening to contact the Internal Revenue Service if the demands were not met. Those details are laid out in the probable-cause affidavit and in local reporting.
Undercover Sting Nabbed Suspect At Wealth Office
Palm Beach detectives say they went undercover, posing as a bank representative tied to the account listed in the letters. From there, investigators say they persuaded Loizias to travel from the Orlando area to a Palm Beach wealth-management office to discuss the money.
When he arrived on Feb. 9, officers were waiting and arrested him on the spot. Police say surveillance footage and phone records helped connect a FedEx return address and other evidence to Loizias, as reported by Casino.org.
Case On Hold Until Suspect Is Found
Loizias faces a criminal extortion charge, and the active bench warrant stems from his missed May court hearing, according to court records and local coverage. The case will return to Palm Beach County court once he is located and brought back before a judge. Prosecutors will then decide whether to pursue any additional filings as investigators continue to gather evidence, as outlined by WPBF 25 News.
Police Ask Public To Help Track Him Down
Wynn’s staff first alerted Palm Beach police after receiving the Jan. 30 packages, and investigators say the case was also reported to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department as the correspondence appeared to cross state lines. Law-enforcement officials are asking anyone with information on Loizias’s whereabouts to contact the Town of Palm Beach Police Department, according to reporting by CBS12.
