Members/Associates Of Russian Crime Syndicate Arrested For Racketeering, Extortion, Robbery, Murder+

[kpete]

Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Southern District of New York
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, June 7, 2017
Members And Associates Of Russian Crime Syndicate Arrested For Racketeering, Extortion, Robbery, Murder-For-Hire Conspiracy, Fraud, Narcotics, And Firearms Offenses

Charged Defendants Include Alleged “Vor” or “Thief-In-Law” of a Russian and Georgian Criminal Enterprise

Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Leon Hayward, Acting Director of the New York Field Office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and James P. O’Neill, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing of three Indictments and one Complaint charging 33 defendants with a variety of racketeering, fraud, narcotics, firearms, and stolen property offenses.

Of the charged defendants, 27 are associated with a nationwide racketeering enterprise led by RAZHDEN SHULAYA and ZURAB DZHANASHVILI and are charged in United States v. Razhden Shulaya, et al. (the “Shulaya Indictment”) and an accompanying superseding indictment, which has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Katherine B. Forrest. Of those defendants, 23 were taken into federal custody. 18 will be presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel W. Gorenstein today. One defendant will be presented in the District of Nevada. Three defendants will be presented in the Southern District of Florida. DENIS SAVGIR, EREKLE KERESELIDZE, GIORGI LOMISHVILI, MAMUKA CHAGANAVA, and SEMYON SARAIDAROV remain at large. One defendant, TIMUR SUYUNOV, is currently detained in federal custody and will be brought to Manhattan federal court on a writ.

Two additional defendants are charged in United States v. Nikoloz Jikia, et al. (the “Marat-Uulu Complaint”), with conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and with additional firearms offenses. Of those defendants, one of whom is also charged in the Shulaya Indictment, both were taken into federal custody last evening and will be presented before Judge Gorenstein today.


https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/members-and-associates-russian-crime-syndicate-arrested-racketeering-extortion-robbery

[Leghorn21]

1. More from link:

Three additional defendants are charged in United States v. Alex Fishman, et al. (the “Fishman Indictment”), which has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Richard J. Sullivan.  Each of those three defendants was taken into federal custody today and will be presented before Judge Gorenstein this afternoon. 

Finally, one additional defendant was charged in United States v. Sergey Gindinov (the “Gindinov Indictment”), which has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan.  GINDINOV was taken into federal custody today and will be presented this afternoon before Judge Gorenstein. 

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said:  “Today, we have charged 33 members and associates of a Russian organized crime syndicate allegedly engaging a panoply of crimes around the country. The indictments include charges against the alleged head of this national criminal enterprise, one of the first federal racketeering charges ever brought against a Russian ‘vor.’ The dizzying array of criminal schemes committed by this organized crime syndicate allegedly include a murder-for-hire conspiracy, a plot to rob victims by seducing and drugging them with chloroform, the theft of cargo shipments containing over 10,000 pounds of chocolate, and a fraud on casino slot machines using electronic hacking devices. Thanks to the remarkable interagency partnership of FBI, CBP, and NYPD, we have charged and arrested 33 defendants allegedly involved in this criminal enterprise.”

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. said:  “The suspects in this case cast a wide net of criminal activity, aiming to make as much money as possible, all allegedly organized and run by a man who promised to protect them. But that protection didn't include escaping justice and being arrested by the agents and detectives on the FBI New York Eurasian Organized Crime Task Force. Our partnerships with other FBI field offices, the NYPD and CBP allows us to do everything we can to go after criminals who don't believe the law applies to them.”

[jberryhill]

2. "fraud on casino slot machines"

That's an amusing turn of phrase.

[Leghorn21]

3. Jeez, I don't hardly understand ANY of this, except I'm glad these BAD HOMBRES

are off the streets (besides the ones still at large)

Just looked up "vor":


In the Russian Mafia to become a "Vor" (plural: Vory) (a Thief) is an honorary title meaning to become a made man. The honor of becoming a Vor is only given when the recruit show’s considerable leadership skills, personal ability, intellect and charisma. Pakhan or another high-ranking member of an organization can decided if the recruit will receive such title. When you become a member amongst the Vor-world you have accept the code Vor v Zakone or Thief inside the Law (compare to outlaws).[3][4]

[furtheradu]

5. Yes, info over load, here.

I 'll have to make a flow chart to make sense of it all! But Joon's name comes up alot, lately! & I wonder if there's a trump link

[Leghorn21]

8. Hi further! - I gave up on "connecting the dots" oh, a month or so ago...by the time I made

it to the last dots, I couldn't remember the first ones -

Yes, much to learn. I am very excited about this pretty damn big haul of criminals...hoping some will sing and tell us more and then one thing leads to another....know what I mean? I think you do!!

[furtheradu]

9. I *DO* know what You mean!

I *USED TO* enJOY mysteries.
Nowadays, they make my brain tired.

[furtheradu]

4. Wow, thanks for this post.

NY States Attorneys are on my radar lately. .they are impressive!

[Hekate]

6. KnR

[Leghorn21]

7. just came across "Russian Bratva Structure" - much to learn about Russian Org. Crime:

Note that all these positions are not always official titles, but rather are understood names for roles that the individual performs.

Pakhan - is the Boss or Krestnii Otets "Godfather" and controls everything. The Pakhan controls four criminal cells in the working unit through an intermediary called a "Brigadier."[1]

Two Spies - watch over the action of the brigadiers to ensure loyalty and none become too powerful. Sovietnik (Support Group) and Obshchak (Security Group)

Sovietnik - ("Councilor&quot , is the advisor and most close trusted individuals to the Pakhan, similar to the Consigliere in Italian-American Mafia crime families and Sicilian Mafia clans.

Obshchak - the bookmaker, collects all money from Brigadiers and bribes the government.

Much more:
http://self.gutenberg.org/articles/russian_bratva_structure

ps - I cannot tell when this was published
Cannot tell if these mobsters are linked to dft
Must, as usual, WAIT, and...see who flips?

[Leghorn21]

10. From NBC NY...10,000 pounds of chocolate:

More than 30 members and associates of a New York City-based Russian organized crime group are named in federal court papers charging them with racketeering, murder for hire and other crimes, including trafficking tens of thousands of pounds of stolen chocolate, law enforcement sources familiar with the case tell NBC 4 New York.

The FBI’s Joint Eurasian Organized Crime Task Force arrested more than two dozen members of the group, called the Shulaya Enterprise, in the NYC area and elsewhere early Wednesday, law enforcement sources said. The seven other suspects remain at large.

The group is accused of trafficking stolen goods -- including large quantities of cigarettes and 10,000 pounds of chocolate confections, court papers say.

The suspects also face charges of extortion, gambling, narcotics trafficking, wire fraud, credit card fraud, and identity theft, according to law enforcement sources. Some of the charges carry a maximum penalty of decades in prison.


Source: More Than 30 Alleged Russian Mobsters Indicted in Odd Case Involving 10,000 Pounds of Chocolate | NBC New York http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Russian-Mob-Bust-Chocolate-Pounds-FBI-Racketeering-New-York-City-Indict-427024801.html#ixzz4jM8263KN
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