Matteo De Dominicis, who is charged with four counts of blackmail, appeared briefly in person at Griffith Local Court on Wednesday.

Police have an interim freezing order on De Dominicis' bank account in the belief that some or all of the funds were gained illegally.

The order prevents the accused blackmailer from accessing the money for any reason, meaning he cannot even pay his legal bills.

Dressed in green prison clothes and with his hands shackled, De Dominicis became visibly agitated during the brief hearing, at one point interrupting proceedings to declare in a thick Italian accent: "That money is mine."

The 67-year-old Yenda man was arrested on December 9 and charged with using menaces to obtain financial gain.

It is alleged De Dominicis was paid $645,000 by Mr Casella between February 2008 and November 2008 after making threats against the multi-millionaire's family.

An alleged demand of $5 million eventually prompted Mr Casella to go to Griffith police on December 6.

De Dominicis followed Wednesday's proceedings with the assistance of an Italian interpreter appearing via video link and will return to the court on March 26 for a full civil hearing.

His lawyer, Duc Vo from a Wagga-based firm, said he would argue the money in his client's account was not obtained illegally.

De Dominicis is also due to appear in Griffith Local Court on the criminal charges on April 28.