Organized Crime in Russia and the Former Soviet Union

Quiz 3

Where did the Russian mafia originate?

Soviet-era prisons

What is the ethic background of the “Russian mafia”?

composed of various ethnic groups that lived in the former Soviet Union such as Russians, Georgians, Azerbaijanis, Ukrainians, Estonians, Chechens, etc.

What did non-Russian gangster typically engage in?

Typically engaged in criminal activity both in Russia and their native country

What years were the era of mass incarceration and who’s regime was it?

From 1922 - 1953 by Joesph Stalin’s regime

What did members call themselves in the criminal society formed in the prisons?

Vory v’ zakone (“thieves in law”)

Describe the initiation into the thieve’s society?

Occurs during a secret meeting in prison, a prisoner had to be recommended by at least two fully initiated thieves in order to become a member of this criminal society, and they take an oath to follow the thieves’ code of conduct for the rest of his life

What is the thieve’s code of conduct?

The laws of the state do not apply to the thieves. Cannot serve in the army and are not allowed to cooperate with law enforcement or the court system. Also expected to recruit young people into their criminal activities in order to expand the thieves’ society.

Thieve’s code of conduct relating to financials?

After they are released from prison, they need to provide financial support to incarcerated thieves and their families ad also to fellow released thieves if they need it.

Thieve’s code of conduct relating to family?

Expected to not get married and start a family. If they get married, have to maintain the criminal society as their main priority in life. Required to devote their lives to criminal behavior and their fellow thieves.

Thieve’s code of conduct relating to employment?

Cannot earn money from legitimate employment.

Punishment for breaking the thieve’s code of conduct?

Typically death

Tattoos on Soviet prisoners?

Identify their status in the prison hierarchy, as well as their criminal specialty.

Explain the meaning of a cathedral tattoo

Depending on the number of domes attached to it, indicates the number or prison terms an individual has served.

Most important tattoo for a thief in law?

Eight-point star on the chest and/or knees. This symbolizes that the prisoner is a high-ranking thief who will never cooperate with the state.

In the second half of the 20th century, what were the two types of activities the thieves in law engaged in the outside world?

Traditional Street crimes, and Supervising the Underground Economy.

What are Traditional Street crimes?

robberies, burglaries, pickpocketing, fraud schemes, etc.

What is Supervising the Underground Economy?

Resulted from the scarcity of food and other goods across the Soviet Union. Gangsters gained power and influence by providing the population with easier access to consumer goods (ex. alcohol, food, clothes, cars, etc.), compared to state-run stores and businesses.

Significance of the underground economy?

It instilled a culture of corruption that persists to this day in some post-Soviet states. Infiltrated legitimate businesses and state institutions.

What were the consequences of the Soviet Union’s collapse?

Privatization of businesses across the former Soviet states led to the proliferation of protection rackets. Payments as high as $300. Due to widespread corruption, these businesses paid the extortion fees because they did not view the state as capable of protecting them from gangsters.

What were the criminal activities by organized crime groups in the former Soviet Union?

Drug dealing (heroin, marijuana, ecstasy), sale of stolen property, gambling operations, managing prostitution and sex trafficking rings, contact killings, gasoline smuggling

Other consequences of the Soviet Union’s collapse?

Thieves in law begun to re-organize into territorially-based mafia groups in late 80s and early 90s. These groups were led by an avtoritet (authority in Russian). The authority figures do not engage in criminal behavior directly, they collect a percentage of the money earned by lower-level gangsters.

What is an example of the territorially-based mafia groups of the thieves of law?

The Solntsevskaya group from the Solntsevo neighborhood in Moscow.

Consequence of territorial influence?

Severe escalation in violence between different mafia groups. Thousands of gangsters were killed in feuds over territorial influence and violence continued into the new millennium.

What is the involvement in legitimate businesses?

Money earned form illegal activities has been invested in legitimate businesses by organized crime figures such as banks, construction companies, mining companies, and much more. Serves a dual purpose by money laundering and accumulation of greater wealth.

What is the involvement in government institutions?

They bribe government officials in order to obtain immunity from prosecution and some have even managed to secure government positions such as Rysbek Akmatbayev in Krygyzstan.

Explain the prevalence of Russian mafia activities across the world?

Partially due to large-scale emigration from the former Soviet Union in the 90s, Russian mafia groups now operate in many countries around the world. Such as US, Israel, Spain, France, Germany, and the UK.

What are the criminal activities of the Russian mafia that operate across the world?

Drug trafficking, gasoline smuggling, illegal gambling, human trafficking, arms trafficking, and healthcare fraud.

What was the response to Russian mafia activities that operate across the world?

Members of Russian mafia groups have been arrested in multiple countries in recent decades. Especially in Spain, many mafia bosses for murder and money laundering.

Russian mafia groups operating across the world and legitimate businesses?

They also invest in legitimate businesses ventures outside the former Soviet Union. This includes financial institutions, real estate, restaurants, etc.

What is the current situation regarding Russian mafia groups.

They remain prevalent, violence and activities. However, organized crime figures are also deeply embedded in the legal economy and the government in several post-Soviet countries. Many social lives in these counties function as mafia-like rackets, and people are extorted when they seek basic services form the gov. or private sector.

Which post-Soviet countries have crime figures embedded in the legal economy?

Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan.

Current situation of the thieves in law?

Incarceration is no longer a requirement to become a member of this criminal society. Individuals can now pay to be “crowned” as thieves in law, as high as $150,000. Many influential organized criminals do not follow the thieves’ code of conduct such as avoiding legitimate employment and refraining from cooperation with government officials. However, they remain a very powerful force in the post-Soviet underworld.