Russian Mafia

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"Blending financial sophistication with bone-crunching violence, the Russian mob has become the FBI's most formidable criminal adversary, creating an international criminal colossus that has surpassed the Colombian cartels, the Japanese Yakuzas, the Chinese triads, and the Italian Mafia in wealth and weaponry."
Robert I. Friedman (Red Mafiya)

"The Russian Mafia will become a major problem around the world. They will infiltrate any profitable market and are ruthless criminals. They have set up major operations in New York, California, and Florida. Russian émigrés provide them with a vulnerable community to exploit and gain a foothold. Then they expand. Only a strong and diligent government can control their spread."
Stanislav Lunev - Russia's highest-ranking military defector

Vyacheslav Kirillovich Ivankov

(Source: FBI)

The first significant Eurasian Organized Crime (EOC) investigation in the United States occurred in 1993 with the targeting of Vyacheslav Kirillovich Ivankov, also known as "Yaponchik," or "Yaponets," a Russian "thief-in-law" (vor v zakone), who, according to the Russian Ministry of the Interior (MVD), had been dispatched to the United States to act as the coordinating authority for all EOC activity in the U.S. The investigation determined that Ivankov led an international criminal organization that operated mainly in New York, Toronto, London, Vienna, Budapest and Moscow, but also in numerous other cities in the United States, Canada and Europe. Ivankov's organization specialized in extorting Russian business interests. The investigation proved that the Russian principals of Summit International in New York City were being extorted by Ivankov's organization. Summit International is an investment advisory firm for Russian emigres in the United States. Ivankov and five of his subordinates were arrested by FBI agents on June 8, 1995. This investigation utilized numerous sensitive investigative techniques.

On July 8, 1996, in federal court in the Eastern District of New York, Ivankov, Sergei Ilgner, and Valeriy Novak were convicted of extortion and conspiracy charges. Also, Vladimir Topko was found guilty of conspiracy charges, and Leonid Abelis and Yakov Volovnik pled guilty and cooperated with prosecutors. Roustam Sadykov fled to Russia where the lack of an extradition treaty with the United States prevents him from being brought back for trial. Sentences imposed by the court ranged from four years to almost twelve years.

This case marks the first time that the FBI and the MVD worked side by side on a criminal investigation. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police also furnished information critical to the investigation. Ivankov was the first head of an international EOC group to be brought to trial and convicted in the United States. This case was also significant in that it prevented Ivankov's organization from establishing a solid presence in the United States.

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Russian Organized Crime

What Mafia pervades the daily lives of its country and has connections and control of the highest levels in its country's government? The Italian Mafia, the Colombian drug cartels, the Chinese Mafia? How about the Russian Mafia? The power and presence of the Russian Mafia is one that transcends the daily life of its country.

The term "Mafia" can create specific stereotypical images for most Americans. Popularized through the media such persons as Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, and other Italian or Sicilian Mafia members spring to mind. The American definition of Mafia does not transcend to the rest of the world. Most people in the United States think of a Mafia member as a person who is in a particular gang or criminal organization (the "boss" and his "soldiers"). Also, if the name Mafia should arise in association with any crime, whether that crime be white collar or violent, most Americans immediately place blame on the Mafia members. Finally, the organizational structure of strict hierarchy and life-time codes are the popular views found in the United States. The Russian meaning of Mafia differs, dramatically in some areas, from this American perspective.

While Americans have specific parameters regarding what a Mafia is and who a Mafia consists of, in Russia this membership is much more far reaching. According to Finckenauer and Waring, those who comprise the Russian Mafia can include someone in an organized crime group, those who control the economic and political power in various regions of Russia, corrupt government employees, or in the past, the Communist Party itself. Because such a variety of persons can be considered a part of the Mafia, Russians rightfully believe that the blame for the commission of Mafia crimes, violent or non-violent, can fall equally upon an organized crime group member or a corrupt government employee. The Mafia, no matter where it exists, can not survive without the assistance of corruption within the government. While Russians, therefore, place corrupt officials in the Mafia category, most Americans continue to reserve the image of a Mafia member to a "hitman" or "boss." It is also noteworthy that many within Russia believe that the term Russian Mafia is unfair to ethnic Russians because the majority of those involved in the Mafia organizations are Armenian, Georgian, Ukrainian, Jewish, and Belorussian.

There are two perspectives regarding the origins of the Russian Mafia. One perspective feels the roots began in the 1600's among the large numbers of thieves. While unorganized and common in the beginning, the 1700 and 1800's saw an increasingly organized group that was responsible for the majority of crimes in the Soviet Union. It is claimed that these thieves numbered several million and lived by their own rules and jargon. The term "vor" described a professional criminal who did not engage in any legal activity. In order to become a vor, a thief must be voted in by other vory. The vory lived by many codes, and among the top of this list was their antigovernment philosophy. While this philosophy may have been beneficial to the vory in the earlier years, it also appears to be a stumbling block in current mafia practices. One in which everyday interaction with corrupt government officials is a necessity for an organizations profits and power. Current vory involvement in the Russian Mafia varies among expert opinion. While some experts still consider the vory to have important status and influence among the Russian Mafia, other experts state that the vory have very little involvement and are reduced to common street crimes.

The second perspective believes that the roots of the Russian Mafia began during the Bolshevik Revolution in the early 1900's when many professional criminals sided with the Bolshevik revolutionaries. This perspective sees the intertwined relationship between government officials and professional criminals existing through the Communist years and continuing to the present. During the Communist years, it is stated that Communist Party members existed above the law and that they were the real organized crime figures during that time. White-collar crimes of bribery, kick-backs, and document tampering were common and lucrative for corrupt government officials. Crimes committed by government officials were not limited to the white-collar variety. During the 1960's, 70's, and 80's, many violent crimes were also traced to government officials.

It was a hope that the break-up of the Soviet Union and a move toward an open market type of economy would have created greater opportunity and competition of legitimate businesses, and that the role of the Mafia would then be reduced. Unfortunately, corruption and the Mafia have only grown stronger over the last seven years. While official reports from Russia express that approximately 8,200 criminal organizations exist in Russia with their members numbering some 32,000 people, others argue that the actual number of true organized crime syndicates number less than 100. What is not argued is the detrimental effects that the Russian Mafia has on its country. Consider these statistics, it is estimated that there are some 50,000 companies in Russia that are controlled by organized crime groups and that these groups control 40% of Russia's gross national product. While the multi-million dollar "white collar" crimes have attracted the most media attention, violence continues to be a significant control agent of the Mafia. Enforcement of contracts, elimination of competition, and making examples of those who oppose the Mafia's power all produce violence in some capacity. While the Russian Mafia has produced severe detrimental affects on the economy in Russia, it is currently seen as only the third strongest threat to the economy.

According to a report by Russia's Ministry of Internal Affairs , the number one threat to Russia's economy is corruption within the government. This report placed the total for bribes and other illegal income received by government officials at $100 billion in 1993 and 1994. Prior to the breakup of the Soviet Union, the KGB was a powerful agency within the security/investigation department of the Soviet government. Corrupt officials and corrupt practices were considered synonymous with the KGB. The KGB no longer officially existed after the Soviet Union breakup, but a large portion of its officials found subsequent positions within current Russian government or high-level positions in non-government employment. While employment titles may have changed for these individuals, the corrupt acts in which they engage remain the same. If a country truly wants to end the Mafia and corruption, it would seem necessary that the rallying cry must come from the top down….the president. It is stated that President Yeltsin is selective when it comes to fighting corruption and the Mafia; that corruption is tolerated when beneficial and dealt with when it creates problems for him. People often learn and emulate the actions of those above them, and if corruption is seen occurring at the highest in command there is little to wonder why it exists in all facets of the governmental structure.

Does the Russian Mafia and corruption affect the United States? The answer is a resounding yes. The exporting of products and natural resources is a highly lucrative practice and, therefore, the Russian Mafia and corrupt officials are involved. Direct involvement, whether knowingly or not, commonly occurs when American businessmen and corporations form partnerships with Russian companies. The major corporations, and especially global corporations, in Russia routinely have Russian Mafia ties or corrupt officials within its' ranks. The formation of the relationships between U.S. and Russian businesses enables the Mafia further access to the United States and the rest of the world. The threat of the Russian Mafia is not limited to the business community. As previously noted, the Russian government continues to be besieged with corruption. How does the U.S. government and military officials know when they are dealing with corrupt officials? When information is exchanged between the U.S. and Russia, where did the information come from (is it accurate information) and where will it end up? The feeling that becomes overwhelming when considering the Russian Mafia and governmental corruption is that everything seems tainted.; that there is always a question lingering about the motives involved in any action.

In summary, what does the future hold for a country where criminal organizations and corrupt government officials occupy the highest levels of the government and control or influence top corporations? In the United States, the public has responded to Mafia crimes by calling for the government to enforce the laws to protect the citizens and country. In Russia, it's obvious that government can not be called upon because they are chief contributors to the Mafia and corruption. As far as laws to protect Russian citizens and country, if they do exist, enforcement of them is selective at best. Over the past 20 years or so, the term "superpower" was often used to describe Russia. Today, this term is still used, but as noted by one top Russian official it is a "superpower of crime." This is a title that does not bode well for the future. Source: Barry Lanka

Intro to the Organyzatsia

The 'Organyzatsia', or 'Mafioski' as they are occasionally referred to as, started as a joke amongst anti-government circles in the old Soviet Union. The dissidents were referring to groups of corrupt, high-ranking officials who would export illegally and claim subsidies for non-existent products and services in complex, but always small-scale frauds and extortion. Officially, organised crime did not exist in Communist Russia; something they would continually point out to the West as a vindication of their ideology.

In reality, Russia has had a well-organised and influential criminal underworld since at least the late 1800's- although the group only came to prominence during the Bolshevik revolution, when racketeers sided with revolutionaries. Post-revolution, a complex fraternity evolved in these groups- with its own sense of honour and values; a form of 'initiation' that had to be passed to join. As the name suggests, there are many parallels with the Sicilian Mafia. Operating under the banner 'vori v zakone' ('thieves in law'), it was these men who ran Russia's vast black market. Protected by high-ranking officials- some of whom were members of the fraternity, others merely 'associates', the Organyzatsia became a tolerated and accepted part of Russian society (the black market was reportedly used on a regular basis by four out of five consumers). All this was to change however, with the advent of the free market.

The Organyzatsia made the switch to Western-style organised crime; realising in these new circumstances they did not just have to control 'fringe' enterprises like drugs and prostitution- they were ideally placed to control everything. Now, ten years on from the downfall of communism, the extent of the Organyzatsia's power and influence is staggering; - the evidence of their expansion is enshrined in the statistics. Murder rates in the old Soviet Union were found to have tripled since 1989; offenses involving firearms were up 250% - most of which supposedly involved contract killings. In 1994 the Russian ministry of internal affairs (MVD) announced that 25% of Russia's GDP is under the direct control of the Organyzatsia. In 1993, a report commissioned by Boris Yeltsin stated that between 70% and 80% of banks and major businesses were paying out protection money (in some cases as much as half their profits). Smuggling is a major occupation of the Organyzatsia; everything from gasoline and cotton to enriched plutonium. . $45 billion worth of resources left the country in 1990, with all the profits going to the Organyzatsia. The report also suggested corruption was rife; mob informants were present at every level of the army, security services and police force. Moscow's chief of police has expressed fears that 95% of his force could be on the take. The downsizing of the security services after the end of the Cold war is no doubt responsible for the large number of ex intelligence agents and special forces that now work for the Organyzatsia. It also makes this organisation considerably more dangerous than many of its western counterparts as they expand.

As with most organised crime syndicates, the Organyzatsia soon set its sights abroad. Naturally, they have expanded primarily into areas where there is either a large ethnic Russian population (New York's Brighton beach- home to around 40,000 émigrés- is apparently their main stronghold outside of Russia) or where they already have networks and influence- such as Eastern Europe.

Progress on the international scene has been mixed. Their main activity is still the laundering of capital/money. The Organyzatsia have yet to make a serious impact on the already overcrowded international drugs scene. They tend to form 'partnerships' with other groups- primarily the Colombian cartels, Chinese Triads and Turkish syndicates and chiefly for the purpose of acquiring illegal drugs for sale within the old Soviet Union. They do operate limited enterprises of this nature in old Eastern Europe- although in many of these areas, they are beginning to come into conflict with their 'partners'- particularly the Turkish crime syndicates. With the war in old Yugoslavia, however, Russia has become an important route for drug smuggling from the Golden Crescent- who have traditionally used the 'Balkans route'. This situation will no doubt see the Organyzatsia expand its influence in this area of criminal activity.

There are two very high profile enterprises outside of the old Soviet union, however, that the Organyzatsia are commonly associated with; - prostitution (with lucrative operations in Frankfurt, Helsinki and Hong Kong- utilising young Russian immigrants), and, more worryingly, arms dealing. The Organyzatsia often find themselves with access to a cheap and seemingly endless supplies of high-quality military weaponry; a legacy of the partial dismantling of the Soviet army. The Organyzatsia have supplied terrorists, organised crime and even small countries with Red Army surplus- with everything ranging from anti-aircraft missiles to AK-47 assault rifles. In recent years, the media and law-enforcement agencies world-wide have been captivated by the possibility that the Russian Mafia might be able to provide buyers with nuclear weaponry, or weapons grade nuclear material. Initially, fears proved unfounded- there have indeed been seizures of radioactive material - but most turned out to be cons and frauds, some involving nothing more sinister than radioactive soil from Chernobyl. In the last few years, however, there has been a considerable 'quality- leap'; with genuine plutonium being seized for the first time. For activities like this, it seems that Germany has emerged as the Organyzatsia's main 'shop-window' for illegal arms sales- most seizures involving them have been made in Germany. (carnwyffa.u-net.com)

Another View of the Organyzatsia

Understanding the Russian Mafia: Excellent testimony before the House Committee on Banking and Finance

Russian Mafia In North America: Among the info here is a significant link to pro Hockey

Shakedown: An Individual viewpoint

Russian Mob Background: A good reference

Sexy Russian Mafia: Very good piece by a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City

Russian Mob in America: Educational excerpt

Mayfia Bibliography: A good assortment of Russian of books for future use

Red Mafia: Extremely comprehensive - A++

Asia and the Russian Mob: They're all over!

Russian Mafia: A short report from the Voice of America

Oath - Terms - History: This is a good site for an interesting variety of info - plan on scrolling

Legal Thieves: From the Warsaw Voice

The New Russians: Extensive info with a small block on some contract hits - A+

Mayfia in the Backyard: Redfellas in Latin America and the Caribbean areas

House Testimony: Very eye-opening!!

Is Russia in Trouble? I think they already are

YAHOO NEWS: Russian Mafia Updates