PSLPD: Port St. Lucie Man Arrested for Extortion 

Port St. Lucie, Fl- The Port St. Lucie Police are reporting an arrest warrant has been served and 52-year-old Edward Manuel Santana has been charged  with one felony count of extortion.

Here are the details from the Port St.Lucie Police:

Port St. Lucie Man Arrested for Extortion 

On February 9th, 2024, the Port St. Lucie Police Department served an arrest warrant and charged 52-year-old Edward Manuel Santana has been charged  with one felony count of extortion.

The investigation began on January 29th, 2024, when Kyle Greene, owner of Kyle G’s Oyster Wine Bar, contacted the Port St. Lucie Police Department alleging that Mr. Santana was attempting to extort his business.

The investigation revealed that a couple of months prior, Mr. Santana ate at Kyle G’s Oyster and Wine Bar restaurant. Mr. Santana was alleged to have been difficult, rude, and confrontational to team members and guests. Then, on January 8th, 2024, Mr. Santana returned to the restaurant and was alleged again to have been ill-mannered and rude to the bartender and was disturbing the peace of the restaurant. The on-duty manager asked Mr. Santana to leave and explained to him that he was no longer welcome at the restaurant.

Both incidents were reported by management to Mr. Greene, and he thought the issue was resolved since Mr. Santana never returned, but a few weeks later, Mr. Santana began calling and emailing the restaurant and Mr. Greene directly. Mr. Santana was demanding that he be paid $3,000 or that he would file a lawsuit against Mr. Greene for $65,000 for refusing to hire him as a host back in 2023 based on his age, gender/sex, and ethnicity (Latino/Hispanic) and for refusing him service based on his ethnicity. Mr. Greene alleged that Mr. Santana never applied for an any such job and denied that Mr. Santana was unwelcome based on his ethnicity.

An internet search of “Eddie Santana Makes Six Figures by Suing Restaurants from the Inside” reveals a news article alleging that Mr. Santana has attempted or succeeded in similar acts throughout south Florida.

PSLPD is asking that any other restaurants or businesses in Port St. Lucie that may have been a victim of Mr. Santana to please contact the Port St. Lucie Police Department at 772-871-5001.

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