A Florida man accused of attempting to extort money from his son-in-law, The Blackstone Group executive David Blitzer, said Wednesday he and his attorney have been unfairly targeted by prosecutors and he was only trying to work out a deal to see his grandchildren.

After a court appearance in Manhattan on Wednesday, Stuart Ross, the father-in-law of Blackstone's European office founder Blitzer, said he had contacted Blitzer in hopes of receiving visitation rights to see his four grandchildren, who he hadn't seen in six years.