Hollywood tough guy Steven Seagal has called on U.S. President Barack Obama to pardon a former producing partner who was convicted of attempting to extort money from the actor.

Julius R. Nasso, who worked with Seagal for a decade, was jailed for a year after he was convicted of attempting to extort millions of dollars from the actor, claiming the Under Siege star owed him money for collapsed projects when he decided against making any more action films.

Nasso, who was released from prison two months early in 2005 for good behaviour, now appears to have mended his relationship with Seagal, who has since written a letter to America's Department of Justice backing a Presidential pardon for his former associate.

The letter, obtained by New York Post gossip column Page Six, reads, "I have no objections to and would support the application (when it is timely) of Julius R. Nasso for a Presidential pardon."

Nasso's lawyer, Robert Hantman, say, "Julius is now looking forward to hopefully getting a pardon. Seagal supporting him for a pardon is apropos of two close friends who had a falling out."