It was deputy defence minister Martin Bartak who sold a share in the respective company to Korplyakov, the paper adds.

Yet both Labsky and Bartak passed a security vetting of the National Security Office (NBU) to be allowed to handle classified data.

Bartak denies any connection with Russian mafia, the daily notes.

Defence Minister Vlasta Parkanova (Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL) said she was prepared to speak with Bartak about the property transfer to Korplyakov.

The name Korplyakov also appeared in a secret report of the BIS civilian counter-intelligence service a couple of years ago. BIS then warned against this “ambassador” of the most influential Russian mafia called the Association for the 21st century.

“He headed a very aggressive group with versatile crime past,” former BIS chief Karel Randak told the paper, adding that the Russian mafioso was obsessed with arms.

Civic Democrat (ODS) chairman and current PM Mirek Topolanek mentioned the name Korplyakov two years ago when he accused Social Democrat (CSSD) head Jiri Paroubek of contacts with mafia bosses.

Korplyakov then ran business with Paroubek´s acquaintance Vaclav Kocka Jr. who was recently murdered after the presentation of Paroubek´s book.

Bartak sold a share in the MCS company (current ExotTop), which he set up with Labsky, to Korplyakov for 20,000 crowns. He said the transaction was carried out via a lawyer so he had no idea in whose hands the share would get.

Labsky told MfD that he met Korplyakov maximally three times during the three years when they were involved in MCS together.

The paper writes that Labsky is now managing the ZVI arms maker supplying strategic armament for the Czech military, and consequently, he has access to classified information about these arms.

Randak said he considered such contacts a security risk, MfD adds.

($1=19.490 crowns)

Czech arms maker manager ran business with Russian mafia – published: 07.11.2008, 08:40 | updated: 07.11.2008 08:43:17 – Author: ČTK – This story was found at: http://www.ceskenoviny.cz/news/index_view.php?id=342979

Judicial sources in Spain said Wednesday that a Spanish investigating judge had sent recordings purporting to reveal a match-fixing plot to German authorities.

Russian Premier League champion Zenit crushed Bayern 4-0 at home in its return match to win 5-1 on aggregate before going on to beat the Glasgow Rangers in the final of the competition.

“There is nothing to comment on because even if there is an investigation, Zenit has nothing to do with this,” said Alexei Petrov, a spokesman for Zenit.

In a statement issued on the club’s web site Wednesday, Zenit said its performance in the matches against Bayern and Glasgow “is the best proof the victories were achieved in honest, uncompromising contests.”

Sports, Tourism and Youth Politics Minister Vitaly Mutko, who also serves as president of the Russian Football Union, said the allegations of match fixing were another attempt to discredit football in the country.

UEFA, European football’s governing body, said Wednesday it was aware of the reports about a match-fixing investigation. Bayern said Wednesday it had no information about the reports.

Zenit Denies Links to Mafia Match Fixing – 03 October 2008 – http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/1010/42/371401.htm

Dick Advocaat’s club collected their first- ever European prize on May 14 when they beat Rangers 2-0 in the City of Manchester Stadium thanks to second-half goals from Igor Denisov and Konstantin Zyryanov.

But on Wednesday, Spanish newspaper El Pais reported that an operation led by investigating judge Baltasar Garzon had uncovered evidence that the second leg of Zenit’s semi-final against Bayern Munich might have been fixed.

The newspaper reported that taped telephone conversations between Gennadios Petrov, the alleged head of Russian mafia in Spain, and his associate Leonid
Khristoforovit, boasted in advance of the match that Zenit would win the game 4-0, which is exactly what happened.

Now the recordings have been sent to the German authorities and a Spanish judiciary source said: ‘The judge has sent to the German attorney general part of the conversations that were intercepted in Spain during the investigation into Russian plots in our country.’

Both Petrov and Khristoforovit have been in custody since the arrest of 20 people in June in a wide-ranging investigation into money-laundering, drug-trafficking and extortion.

Madrid newspaper ABC reported that Spanish police also recorded two telephone conversations alleging that the pair, who both hail from the St Petersburg area, bragged about spending sums between 20 and 40 million euros (£16million to £32m) to ensure Zenit won their semi-final against Bayern Munich and the final against Rangers.

The taped telephone conversations mention that 50 million of an unspecified currency had been paid to Bayern – a suggestion that is strongly denied by the Bundesliga
club.

A spokesman said: ‘Bayern Munich knows nothing about this suspicion. We are going to try to get as much information as we can.’

Zenit insisted they had beaten Bayern in the semi and Rangers in the final by fair means and said it was insulting to all three clubs to claim otherwise.

A spokesman said: ‘There have been a number of mass-media reports quoting various sources in Spain which touch upon the reputation of FC Zenit. The performances by Zenit in the games against Bayern and Rangers are the best proof that the victories have been achieved in honest and uncompromising fights.

‘Allegations in the media over supposed match-fixing plots are insulting for all the clubs mentioned.

‘At the moment, Zenit lawyers are evaluating the context of the original publications. After this work is completed, a decision will be made on legal methods of protecting our club’s reputation and that of the sport in general.’

A Rangers spokesperson said: ‘We were not aware of this and are not in a position to comment.’

UEFA director of communications William Gaillard told Sportsmail the governing body was anxious to establish the credibility of the allegations, which do not suggest how the mafia tried to fix the result, as a matter of urgency.

‘We know about this story and it is something that our investigations unit would obviously be keen to look into,’ said Gaillard.

‘Allegations of this nature are always worrisome to hear. It is important that we find out what is factual and what is only speculation or part of a newspaper story.’

The Final fury: Zenit anger at claims of mafia link to UEFA glory – By George Grant – Last updated at 11:22 PM on 01st October 2008 – This story was found at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1066304/The-Final-fury-Zenit-anger-claims-mafia-link-UEFA-glory.html

Ian Brandes of the Daily Record points out that the Russian mafia is involved in everything from stolen art to nuclear technology and that they often “leave rivals riddled with bullets in the streets of Moscow.”

Moscow’s Solntsevskaya Bratva, known as the Brotherhood, have just been named the worst criminal gang in the world in a major survey.

And the planet’s most famous mobsters, the “Five Families” of the New YorkMafia, barely scrape into the top 10, Brandes points out.

Up-and-coming mobster Syergyej Mihajlov ‘Mikhas’ and a fellow gangster, Viktor Averin formed the organization in the mid-80s. They choose to ignore the codes and guidelines of the traditional thieves in law and based themselves on a more Western style, with Mikhas preferring to call himself a ‘businessman’ rather than a vor. However, strict discipline was still enforced and thieves in law were not excluded from the groups activities.

Eventually, gangs under the control of the syndicate controlled virtually the entire south-west of the city. The organization also merged with the influential Orekhovskaya gang, led by thief-in-law Syergyej Timofeyev. The union was partly a result of fear of warfare with Chechen mafia groups and other “southerners”.

In 1989-1990, the arrests of several gang leaders including Mikhaylov crippled the organization. Several high ranking gangsters tried to form their own separate crews but ended up being murdered, including Alexander Bezuvkin (killed 1990), Dima Sharapov, Valera Merin, “Edik the Fridge”, Uzbek Lenya and Abramov “Dispatcher” (all killed in 1993). In 1994 a meeting of mafia bosses was held in Vienna, shortly after which Timofeyev was murdered when a bomb in his car went off near the house of the then Russian prime minister. Timofeyev’s heir to the leadership of Orekhovskaya, Igor “Max” Maksimov, was killed in February of 1995. However despite all the killings, by 1996 the bratva not only regained their strength lost in the early 90′s but had actually become one of the most powerful criminal organizations in Russia. Mikhaylov used Timofeyev’s death as an opportunity to take control of businesses previously owned by the Orekhovskaya organization. By the end of 1995, it was estimated the Solntsevskaya group controlled about 120 legitimate firms and businesses in the Moscow, Crimea and Samara regions. They also bought many businesses abroad.

In 1993, the members of the organization met with another powerful crime boss, Semion Mogilevich, to trade in art and antiques stolen from churches and museums in Central and Eastern Europe.

In 1996 Mikhaylov was arrested in Switzerland on a variety of charges. However as he sat in prison awaiting trail and the prosecutors were building their case, a number of key witnesses turned up dead and due to the lack of evidence provided by Russian authorities, a conviction was not possible. He remains free and the boss of the organization today.

In 1997 and 1998, the presence of Mikhailov, Semion Mogilevich and others associated with the Russian Mafia behind a public company, YBM Magnex International Inc., trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange, was exposed by Canadian journalists. On May 13, 1998 dozens of agents for the FBI and several other U.S. government agencies raided YBM’s headquarters in Newtown, Pennsylvania. Shares in the public company, which had been valued at $1 billion on the TSE, became worthless overnight. Years later, (in 2003), Mogilevich and YBM associates, but not Mikhailov, would be placed on the FBI’s “Most Wanted” List in connection with the scheme.

As of 1998, the Solntsevskaya gang contains around 5,000 members.

The Brotherhood maintains relationships with many legitimate businesses, offering these groups ‘protection’ the gang also assist the businesses when it comes to not-so-legal matters.

A 2003 report for the US Library of Congress revealed that the organization had a presence in Mexico and was working with local drug cartels as well as being involved in money laundering, prostitution, credit card fraud, human trafficking, arms deals and other illegal activity.

Anyone who threatens the Brotherhood’s business tends to end up dead.

Former FBI agent Bob Levinson says the Russian Mafia are “the most dangerous people on earth”.

No 2 in the gangland top 10 are the Yamaguchi-gumi syndicate, based in the city of Kobe and run by mastermind Shinobu Tsusaka.

The 40,000- strong Yamaguchi-gumi are among the world’s wealthiest gangsters, bringing in billions of dollars a year from extortion, gambling, the sex industry, guns, drugs, and real estate and construction kickback schemes. They are also involved in stock market manipulation and Internet pornography.

Third place in the poll goes to an Italian Mafia gang – but not the Sicilian Cosa Nostra or the Camorra of Naples.

The little-known “‘Ndrangheta”, based in the southern district of Calabria, have ties to Colombian drug barons.

Some believe they are responsible for 80 per cent of Europe’s cocaine trade.

While other Mafia gangs have been crippled by informers, the ‘Ndrangheta have kept their vows of silence because the mob is built on close family ties.

Most gangs only care about cash. But the fourth mob on the list, India’s D Company, have sinister ties to Islamic terror, according to Brandes. Boss of bosses Dawood Ibrahim masterminded a wave of bombings that killed 257 people in Mumbai in 1993.

Top 10 criminal organizations according to the study were as follows:

1. Solntsevskaya Bratva
2. Yamaguchi-gumi
3. ‘Ndrangheta
4. D Company
5. 14K
6. Sicilian Mafia
7. Dai Huen Jai
8. Tijuana Cartel
9. United Bamboo
10. The US Mafia ‘The Five Families’

Russian Mafia Leads Among Top 10 Criminal Organizations – C Costigan on Wed, 09/17/2008 – 09:17. – This story was found at: http://www.gambling911.com/gambling-news/russian-mafia-leads-among-top-10-criminal-organizations-091708.html

Russia’s enforcement officers broke up Monday last years’ biggest underworld convention of criminals, which venue was the Moscow region. The officers detained 39 mafia bosses, but the better part of them got liberty by Tuesday evening.

A large-scale operation of Russia’s enforcement bodies, which involved even a helicopter, was held in Pirogovo conservation reservoir of the Moscow region’s Mytishchi district. In an effort to prevent anyone from interrupting their talk, the criminals had leased a pleasure craft for their get-together. But their hopes for a tranquil meeting failed to materialize.

A helicopter with the task force officers of Interior Ministry appeared when the boat sailed away from the bank. As if in some western action movie, the officers used ropes to descend to the deck, captured the cabin and ordered the captain to moor.

Shocked by the air attack at first, the bosses came to their senses in no time. Some of them attempted to flee from police and jumped overboard, but the water was too cold for swimming that day and the criminals preferred to return to the captured craft.

As a result, the officers detained over 50 high-ranked criminals, including 39 mafia bosses. Amid them were such big names as Tariel Oniani, Jamal Khachidze and Rolanda Gegechkori. Exactly Oniani had arranged the convention, attracting the criminals from every corner of Russia to decide on sorting out a deathly conflict with another clan, the one led by Aslan Usoyan (Grandfather Khasan). But enforcement officers stepped in to prevente the criminal world from finding any solution of the problem that day.

Mafia Bosses Detained from the Air – July 09, 2008 – kommersant.com – This story was found at: http://www.kommersant.com/p910636/Mafia_meeting_police/

The Izvestia newspaper reports that the former Russian security officer, who died from poisoning in November 2006, provided British and Spanish special services with information about Russia’s top mafia members in exile. The theory goes that he could have been the victim of a contract killing by the mafia in revenge.

There has been no confirmation of whether the arrests are linked with the Litvinenko case, but the paper reports that two facts support this version.

Firstly, both Andrey Lugovoy, the former Russian intelligence agent wanted in Britain for the murder, and exiled Russian businessman Boris Beresovsky, admitted during interrogation by British police that Litvinenko had links with Russian mafia in Spain. Berezovsky also said that Litvinenko had worked closely with Spanish police and helped investigate crimes by Russian citizens there.

Secondly, the Litvinenko trace became more distinct after reports that the Russian mafia possessed money from the former Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Litvinenko was a specialist in the field and could readily give some secret information to British and Spanish secret services, especially after his rift with Berezovsky, who used to be his main sponsor.

The paper says the arrests of the Russian criminals is likely to be down to other reasons as well. But it calls for the British side to pay more attention to this alternative version, rather than making repeated demands for Lugovoy’s extradition.

Did Russian mafia kill Litvinenko? – June 23, 2008, 16:04 – This story was found at: http://www.russiatoday.ru/news/news/26543

Four of twenty suspected Russian mafia members arrested on Friday will remain in Spanish custody after questioning, according to the El Mundo newspaper. Sixteen others have yet to be quizzed, but Spanish law requires that they be charged within 48 hours of arrest.

The suspects are expected to face charges of arms smuggling, racketeering, money laundering and drug trafficking.

Police have frozen bank accounts containing a total of 12 million euros, as well as seizing 200,000 euros in cash, 23 luxury vehicles, a yacht, guns, as well as some art, including a Dali original.

According to the Spanish Interior Ministry, the suspects have been linked to one of the most prominent organised crime groups in the world. The police had been following the Russian criminal group for more than a year.

More than 190 Spanish law enforcement officers took part in the operation.

Four of the those arrested are alleged to be the heads of a Russian criminal organisation.

One of the detainees, Vitaly Izgilov, was first arrested in 2005 on charges of money laundering but was released conditionally. Once free, it is claimed, he created another organisation to launder money.

Russian mafia suspects await charges – TV-Novosti – June 14, 2008, 21:47 – http://www.russiatoday.ru/news/news/26202

Spanish police arrest Russian mafia suspects

A gaudy neo-classical mansion, Ferraris and Bentleys in the drive, a painting by Salvador Dalí on the wall and royalty for neighbours. Welcome to the world of Gennadios Petrov, the alleged Mr Big of the Russian mafia in Spain.

Petrov is said to head the Tambovskaya-Malyshevkaya gang from the sunny climes of Calvi, one of the most exclusive villages in Majorca. He counted among his neighbours Pilar de Borbón, the sister of King Juan Carlos of Spain.

Accustomed to handing out tips of €500 (£393) and not looking at the price tag when buying designer jackets, Petrov lived surrounded by tight security. But the peace at his €20m mansion was rudely interrupted when the Spanish police came knocking on Friday.

In a major operation, codenamed Troika, 20 alleged members of the organised crime organisation said to have been led by Petrov were arrested in Majorca, Málaga, Alicante, Valencia and Madrid. Police seized 23 luxury cars including Bentleys and Ferraris and €200,000 in cash.

The Dalí painting, signed by the Surrealist master and dated 1949, was found at a luxury mansion in Valencia linked to Petrov. More than 100 bank accounts containing a reported €14m were also frozen.

Spain’s leading anti-terrorist judge, Baltasar Garzón, who tried to prosecute former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, charged Petrov and 17 others with a variety of offences including money-laundering, murder, extortion, drug dealing, illicit association, falsification of documents and tax fraud. They will appear before a maximum security court in Madrid today.

The gang, said to be one of the most brutal in Russia, allegedly set up a web of front companies in Spain to launder millions in illegal property deals gained from criminal activities in Russia and the former Soviet states.

After the raids, which involved 300 police, Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, the interior minister, said: “This is the largest crackdown on organised crime in Europe.”

The operation was carried out with the help of German, US and Russian police.

Since the break-up of the Soviet Union, the Russian mafia has gained ground in Spain, exploiting lax property laws and limited police resources to launder millions in property deals through bogus firms and into tax havens such as Gibraltar. Petrov, who is in his 50s, arrived in Spain in the early 90s, and allegedly used cash from the former KGB and communist party to buy a luxury hotel in Majorca.

Operation Troika is the latest stage of an ongoing investigation into the Russian mafia in Spain, which began in 2005 with the arrest of 28 suspects.

Spanish police arrest Russian mafia suspects – Graham Keeley in Barcelona – The Guardian, Monday June 16, 2008 – http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jun/16/spain.russia

More than 300 police participated in the swoops in Malaga on the southern Costa del Sol, Barcelona, Madrid, Alicante and the Balearic Islands.

The ring, which had been based in Spain since the early 1990s, was suspected of laundering money from criminal activities elsewhere, trafficking with arms, ordering killings and giving bribes.

The investigation discovered 500 bank accounts used by the ring.

The operation was staged with the support of foreign intelligence services.

Spain’s Costa del Sol is known for the presence of international criminals.

Spain detains several in swoops against Russian mafia – Posted : Fri, 13 Jun 2008 07:21:01 GMT – Author : DPA – http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/212075,spain-detains-several-in-swoops-against-russian-mafia.html

Operation against the Russian mafia in Spain

Judge Baltasar Garzón launches operation against the Russian Mafia in Spain

The national police and Spanish Civil Guard have carried out an extensive operation against the Russian mafia in Spain. The High Court judge Baltasar Garzón has ordered 25 arrest warrants. So far at least 18 arrests have taken place, principally in the Costa del Sol, according to sources close to the investigation. Other arrests have also taken place in the provinces of Alicante, Malaga, Barcelona and the Balearic Islands. The operation is a result of a coordinated effort between the anticorruption prosecution unit and the High Court judge Baltasar Garzón.

More than 400 police and secret service agents have participated in the operation called Troika, which has also been helped by the collaboration of the intelligence services belonging to other countries such as Switzerland, Germany and the US.
It is believed that amongst other activities the Russian mafia in Spain laundered money, traded in arms and ordered assassinations. Garzón has discovered more than 500 bank accounts used by the network to launder millions of euros every year in tax havens.

Amongst the 18 people already arrested there are at least 4 leading members of the mafia who were resident in Alicante, Marbella and Nerja. The rapid action of the police meant that all those arrested had no time to react against the operation which was carried out in several locations simultaneously.

As well as the 25 arrest warrants several businesses and luxurious residences where the presumed leading members of the mafia and their families lived in locations such as Palma de Mallorca, Calviá, Nerja, Málaga and Madrid are currently being searched by the police.

The operation which has taken place today against the Russian mafia in Spain has taken years of careful planning. Several countries have already asked for some of those detained in operation Troika to be sent back so that they can be prosecuted there. In the next few hours Garzón will travel to different parts of the country where the arrests have taken place.

Operation against the Russian mafia in Spain – Friday, June 13, 2008 – http://www.euroresidentes.com/Blogs/2008/06/operation-against-russian-mafia-in.html

Serio’s work in Russia includes a research position in the then Organized Crime Control Department of the Soviet Ministry of Internal Affairs. Afterwards, he worked for the international security consulting firm Kroll Associates, as director of its Moscow office, overseeing investigations across the former Soviet Union. Serio also served as an adviser to The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, BBC, Chicago Tribune and a few other news organizations. That work included television documentaries dealing with organized crime in Imperial Russia, the Soviet Union and former Soviet Union. Serio is currently a criminal justice doctoral student at Sam Houston State University’s College of Criminal Justice.

His book is a hybrid pop culture and academic read. As per the book’s preface, its intent is to provoke more questions than provide answers; and challenge what is said in mass media. These points partly relate to much remaining unknown about the involved subject matter, which does not appear to be as greatly studied, like some other Imperial Russian, Soviet and former Soviet topics.

The time period primarily focussed is from the late 1980s thru 1990s, during Serio’s stay in the Soviet Union/former Soviet Union. Vladimir Putin’s name is mentioned once in the book, whereas Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin are referenced in several instances. Whether in the form of a revised edition, or a completely new book, a follow-up from Serio will be greatly appreciated. A good portion of his book deals with what foreign businesses face in Russia. The last few years have seen more of them in Russia. The book leaves open this question: in comparison to the last decade, how much has changed for foreign businesses in Russia?

The book’s introduction has a highlighted “Reader Beware!” segment, which proceeds to list some alarming statistics involving government related criminal activity. After listing these figures, Serio wryly adds: “As you may have well guessed, I am referring to the United States.” He proceeds to essentially say that his study of Imperial Russian, Soviet and former Soviet organized crime is not meant as a propaganda swipe. In comparison to the West, Serio says that the “intensity and scope” of organized crime in the former Soviet Union correlates to the Soviet Union’s traumatic breakdown, that paved the way for the current status quo. One which had a track record (in one degree or another) going back centuries. This is followed by Serio’s comment and question that “it is useful to reserve an ounce of humility and ask ourselves from time to time, what we would do if we were in their shoes?”

Serio’s commentary on Georgia expresses the view of a flawed situation having practical aspects, in terms of what is the best available option. In the early 1970s, Eduard Shevardnadze succeeded Vasily Mzhavandze as head of the Georgian Communist Party. Mzhavandze developed the reputation of running a corrupt government, with Shevardnadze generally viewed as a strong anti-corruption replacement. Georgia’s first post-Soviet leader, the late Zviad Gamsakhurdia is quoted as believing Shevardnadze’s government to be corrupt. While not disputing Gamsakhurdia’s view, Serio describes him as “roguish.” When Shevardnadze returned to Georgian politics as Gamsakhurdia’s successor, the general perception in the West and Russia was that this marked an improvement. An opinion which does not seem to have changed much, despite an ample amount of critical commentary about Shevardnadze’s post-Soviet Georgian presidency.

A few chapters provide a general background of Russian and Soviet history. Some additional points can be added to what was said on these matters.

Further elaboration can be given on the characterization of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) being top heavy with Russians. In 1922, Russian CPSU membership exceeded its proportion of the population by 19%. By the late 1970s onwards, Russian CPSU membership was proportionately 8% higher than its share of the population. During this period, Byelorussians, Georgians and Jews were other nationalities showing a greater proportional representation in the CPSU. At the time, Ukrainians and Armenians had an equal per capita share in the CPSU. The Jewish proportional figure of CPSU membership was twice its percentage of the Soviet population. This did not prevent discrimination against Jews in the Soviet Union. Likewise, it is inaccurate to believe that the Soviet Union was created and maintained for the benefit of Russians at the expense of others. Stalin (a non-Russian) and other Soviet brass would readily persecute an independently minded patriotic Russian over a perceived loyal non-Russian Communist.

Serio’s cited comments about the “backwards” aspects of Imperial Russia are broad. Imperial Russia led the defeat of Napoleon into Paris. Pre-1917 Russian artistic and scientific achievements are impressive. In its last decades of existence, Imperial Russia experienced a large scale economic growth. Russo-Japanese War? America had its debacle on the Asian continent. Pogroms? Unquestionably reprehensible, as were the Spanish Inquisition, treatment of Blacks in the United States and Armenian Genocide (which Turkey refuses to formally acknowledge). Subjugation of other nations? The Russian Empire existed in an era of a more blatant kind of imperialism.

Prior to World War I, Russia showed signs that its form of government would eventually change. The trauma caused by that war likely affected the manner of the change which took place.

Serio’s referenced point about anti-Russian hostility among non-Russian former Soviets can be further elaborated on. That animosity is not as great as some others like the one evident between a good number of Azerbaijanis and Armenians. Throughout history, Russia has been able to attract many non-Russians into a Russian persona. Granted, there are the opposite experiences (a view especially eminent with the Baltic peoples). At present, some territories outside of Russia have openly expressed the desire to join it. Pridnestrovie (Trans-Dniester) and South Ossetia had referendums supporting independence and a proposed future reunification with Russia. If given the choice, some other former Soviet parts outside of Russia would probably express the same desire. Separatist tendencies within Russia are essentially non-existent (Chechnya of the last decade was the exception).

Serio’s description of corruption in Imperial Russia keeps in mind his “Reader Beware!” segment in the book’s introduction (described in paragraph five of this review). He notes how major American cities of this period had plenty of government corruption.

His depiction of Imperial Russian, Soviet and former Soviet law enforcement bears some resemblance to the situation in the United States. Within this context, Frank Serpico’s testimony revealed widespread New York Police Department (NYPD) corruption in the 1960s to early 1970s. In more recent times, the NYPD (which refers to the police department situated in the five New York City boroughs, as opposed to the rest of New York) has experienced periodic bouts of corruption. A good number of relatively low salaried and job stressed NYPD officers have either opted for different careers, or chosen entry level police jobs in the higher paying and less stressful situations in suburban Long Island.

When comparing the contemporary crime situation in the larger of American and Russian cities, Serio finds the latter grouping to be safer in terms of the “low level crimes” (for lack of a better term) as rapes and stickups. Over the past several years, there has been an increase in reported bias crimes against darker complexioned people in Russia. On matters concerning police corruption (links to organized crime), Serio seems to be of the reasonable impression that Russian law enforcement is more corrupt than America’s.

As a related aside to his observations, bias crimes and police corruption were raised in the coverage of the widely reported ethnic violence in Kondopoga, Karelia (in northwestern Russia) in 2006. The specific issue involves low paid Russian police personnel accepting bribes from criminal organizations. Some of these groups have a noticeably non-ethnic Russian makeup, with roots in the Caucasus and Central Asia. When such groups threaten the public in predominately Slavic inhabited areas, the seeming lack of police action (in some instances) encourages a backlash of ethnic intolerance. Of course, there are other reasons for the level of ethnic intolerance. It is by no means an exclusively Russian problem. Reference America’s history as an ethnic melting pot, having its share of violent discriminatory acts.

Although using the term “Russian Mafia”, Serio is not comfortable with its usage. Unlike the Western version, the Russian Mafia lacks the organizational structure of mass cooperation among numerous crime factions. With seeming frustration, Serio notes how an American peer of his assumed the Russian Mafia to be insignificant because of its lack of structure. Such criminal activity is not as easy to identify when compared to American organized crime. Serio goes into considerable detail in explaining the different types of criminal activity in Imperial Russia, the Soviet Union and former Soviet Union. The transition period from Soviet to post-Soviet is of particular interest. Serio brings up the cogent point about how the “underground” Soviet economy served as a primer of sorts for Soviet citizens to understand the market economy.

The use of the term “Russian Mafia” is twofold. It is much shorter than saying “former Soviet organized crime.” From a media standpoint, the “Mafia” part is viewed as a good sell. This leads Serio to a lengthy critique of the media coverage. In the Soviet Union/former Soviet Union, he found Glasnost era media to be sensationalistic for the same reasons as Western reporting. The late Paul Klebnikov’s book on Boris Berezovsky (entiled “Godfather of the Kremlin”) is mentioned as an overkill. Some of Berezovsky’s alleged dubious activity has been reasonably challenged. At the same time, Berezovsky has not been low key, while being heavily involved with political activity; unlike some of the wealthier Russian tycoons. For these reasons, Klebnikov was not off base in writing about Berezovsky.

Organized Crime in Imperial Russia, the Soviet Union and Former Soviet Union – Michael Averko – June 12, 2008 – http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/64788

Shnaider, 62, also known as Semyon Mogilevich, was detained in Moscow in late January alongside the owner of the Arbat Prestige cosmetics chain Vladimir Nekrasov.

“My client suffered extremely high blood pressure and a heart attack last Saturday. We are requesting that his custodial supervision be changed as we believe he is unable to receive the necessary medical treatment in custody,” Alexander Pogonchenkov said.

In April, the Moscow City Court refused to release Shnaider, who complained about his health, on $2 million bail, the amount of the back tax claimed against Arbat Prestige. The court ruled that the suspect should remain in custody until June 23 as the investigation was continuing.

Shnaider, who is known under a number of different names, has been wanted by a number of countries, including the United States, for more than 15 years for involvement in organized crime and fraud. Believed to control the largest Russian mafia syndicate in the world, he is suspected of being involved in arms dealing, drug trafficking, prostitution and money laundering.

He served two jail terms in the Soviet Union in the 1970s – for currency dealing offenses and fraud.

Russian authorities allege that he was behind a tax evasion scheme said to have been used by Arbat Prestige.

Arbat Prestige was established in 1989 and opened its first retail outlet in 1998. It currently runs a network of 64 outlets across Russia. The company reported income of around $346 million in 2006.

Defense requests bail for reputed mafia boss over ill health – June 4 (RIA Novosti) – 18:05 | 04/ 06/ 2008 – http://en.rian.ru/russia/20080604/109243262.html