One of the local “thieves-in-law” detained in Stavropol

As it became known to the Prime Crime News Agency, on May 16 officers of the Criminal Search Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the Stavropol region managed to detain “thief-in-law” Nikolay Gagnidze or Gocha Maysuradze, more known in the criminal world as Gogita. During his personal search more than 2 g of heroin were found and confiscated.

Before moving to Stavropol, Maysuradze dwelled in Moscow. In March 1998 he was detained in the capital under suspicion of robbery. Four months later Maysuradze was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment by the Koptevskiy district court; however, subsequently the first sentence of the court was abolished by the decision of Moscow city court, and his case was sent for further investigation. In January 1999 Gogita was released as the period of imprisonment was over.

Experienced officers indicate that Gocha Maysuradze appears to be a mafia boss of medium importance and thus he is not of any special interest for the Police and does not influence major processes within criminal world due to his long-standing narcotic dependence. For the same reason Gogita executes much less authority than such mafia bosses as Gadzha and Leva.

Since the beginning of the year Gocha Maysuradze became the second important person in mafia world after Armen Kanevskoy as the latter was imprisoned and sentenced in the South Federal Region.

Georgian “thief-in-law” deported from Russia detained in Kiev

May 15, Russia: Georgian mafia boss Roin Uglava, 45 years old, known as Matevich, was deported from Russia by regular flight “Moscow-Kiev”.

Starting from January 2009, the criminal authority, who was detained by the Head Department of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs in the Central Federal Region and State Department of Internal Affairs for illegal stay in the territory of the Russian Federation, was kept in prison waiting for his deportation from the RF territory.

As the Prime Crime News Agency previously reported, in February 2007 Uglava was already detained by officers of the same department. Then the question about his deportation to Georgia was not regulated between the diplomatic departments of the two countries. Thus having spent more than a year under arrest Uglava was released. On July 7, 2008 he was detained during police operation on prevention of mafia meeting in Klyazma impoundment but he was released after disciplinary interview.

On January 15, 2009 Matevich was detained again. This time policemen decided to follow the way of the least resistance and to deport Uglava to Ukraine as he was registered in the Donetsk region there.

As officers of State Department of the Ukraine Ministry of Internal Affairs were informed about arrival, they detained Matevich in the Kiev airport. During his personal search drugs were found and confiscated. The detained mafia boss was brought to Regional Department of Internal Affairs of the Shevchenko district of Kiev where official accusation was announced for him.

“Thief-in-law” Rezo Malania buried in Stavropol cemetery

Funerals of Rezo Malania known as Gaga, who passed in away on May 4 in the penal colony No.6 of the city of Kopeysk, took place today on the central cemetery of Stavropol.

Coffin with the body was delivered into Stavropol from the Chelyabinsk region at the beginning of the week. According to Megrelian traditions, the funeral did not take place immediately so that all relatives could come and say the last word to the deceased.

As the Prime Crime News Agency previously reported, Rezo Malania was crowned in Moscow in 1996 by old school “thieves-in-law” headed by now deceased Shalva Dekanosidze, known as “Chushka”. After Dekanosidze’s death "grey eminence" of the criminal world Guram Machavariani, known as Macho or Guram the Old, took supervising over Gaga. In 1999 under supervising of Machavariani Malania settled in the Stavropol region. Following the principles of his teacher, thus not to have own business and not to appear in the role of the arbitrator in the disputes between traders, Gaga mostly made his living by committing crimes. Successful tandem of these two “thieves-in-law” existed till August 2005 when Malania was arrested and accused of a series of armed robberies as a participant of a criminal group. Gaga never again had a chance to see again his teacher Guram who died in a month and a half after his pupil was sentenced to 18 years of imprisonment in April 2007.

As it follows from Malania’s file, one month after arrival in the penal colony No.6 of the city of Kopeysk, Gaga wrote a waiver from thief traditions. Uneven handwriting and formal style of pleading letters can justify that these letters were written upon dictation and in the state of emotion instability.

In spite of the presence of such important evidence, subsequently Rezo Malania did not collaborate with the administration of the colony and did not lose authority among the prisoners. Within the period of his imprisonment, Gaga systematically disrupted the established regime and underwent disciplinary penalties. In accordance with thief traditions being in the “red zone”, he could be placed only in penal insulator where he actually spent most part of his imprisonment period up to the last day.

Though criminal authorities accept that death of Gaga was caused by weak health, relatives of Malania exclude any possibility of an incident. Some time before Gaga’s death another mafia leader Georgiy Pipia died of exhaustion though stated of liver cirrhosis, in whose court procedures Malania was sentenced to be an accomplice.

As they say during the whole winter Gaga was kept in a cold cell. He did not put on the colony robe where it was written that he belongs to the colony division of discipline and order, thus staying only in underwear. According to the investigative information, Gaga died during hunger strike refusing to touch prison plates. After Gaga’s death, weight of his body was not more than 60 kg which normally constituted about 120 kg (at his height of 195 cm). According to the relatives, the chief of penal colony No.6 of city of Kopeysk, Chelyabinsk region, Rustam Karimov swore to Eldar, Gaga’s brother who came to take the body, that Gaga’ death was due to the fault of the Federal Service on Punishment Fulfillment in the Chelyabinsk region.

Such methods of work with prisoners of special contingent, owing to which the Head of Federal Service on Punishment Fulfillment became notorious throughout the country after May 2008, caused quite a controversy reaction even from head officers of legal authorities. Using of repression methods of GULAG is now understood by some officers as lack of qualifications.

Only within last two years 9 “thieves-in-law” died in prisons due to different reasons. Thus the mafia world being worried about its possibility to survive now has made a decision not to accept any waivers which were written upon some threats to health and life. The proof of such decision is “mafia note” where Gaga was called with due respect as “thief-in-law”. Notwithstanding all attempts, Gaga died as “thief-in-law” thus the problem of adequacy of the measures which were applied to him is remained unsolved.

Russia: “Thieves-in-law” first time sentenced for criminal group formation

On May 13 Khabarovsk territorial Court announced an unprecedented sentence to eight leaders of the Far-Eastern criminal group "Obschak" (“Common stuff”). For the first time in the newest history of Russia Court pleaded “thieves-in-law” guilty as per formation of criminal group thus sentencing them to the extended prison sentences.

As it became known to the Prime Crime News Agency, the Court on the basis of accusatory verdict of the jury pleaded Eduard Sakhnov guilty as per part 1, Article 210, Clause “a” part 3 Article 126 of the RF Criminal Code and sentenced him, taking into account punishment for the previously performed crime, to 25 years of imprisonment in the colony of a strict regime and penalty in the amount of 500 thousand rubles. “Thieves-in-law” Oleg Semakin and Oleg Shokhirev as per the same Articles were sentenced to 23 and 20 years of imprisonment respectively and each of them to the penalty in the amount of 500 thousand rubles.

Active participant of the criminal group Oleg Zavalov was accused of performing crimes as per part 1 Article 210 clause “a” part 3 Article 126 of the RF Criminal Code and sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment and penalty in the amount of 250 thousand rubles. The same sentence as per part 1 Article 210 of the RF Criminal Code was delivered to other members of the group – Konstantin Koshelev, Alexander Sitov, Anton Kruzhaev, Aleksey Shchugarev – who were sentenced from 8 to 9 years of imprisonment. According to other articles, incriminated by the state prosecution, the criminals were declared as not guilty as their participation in these crimes was not proved. Also the Court justified Sergey Rumyantsev, Roman Beloborodov and Kirill Zalishchuk completely removing any charge from them.

Georgian mafia boss passed away in the Kopeysk penal colony

As it became known to the Prime Crime News Agency, on May 4, Rezo Malania, 38, Georgian “thief-in-law”, known as Gaga, passed away in penal colony No.6 in the city of Kopeysk, Chelyabinsk region. According to the preliminary data death of the criminal authority was caused by hepatitis virus.

The native of the village Achigvara, Galskiy district, Abkhaziya, was crowned by Georgian mafia bosses in 1996 at the criminal meeting in Moscow. In 1999 Gaga received permanent registration in the Stavropol region where at first he tried to cover his criminal activity by legal business connected with procurement and processing of agricultural production. Possessing “mafia title” Malania supervised pick-up-robbers and also groups involved in qualified blackmailing. And as long as his authority grew, his activity placed a noticeable effect on the criminal situation in the Stavropol region. In the course of time Malania took supervising control over penal establishments, in particular Malania started to appoint colonies “Supervisors” as well as distribute finance flows and provide help to prisoners.

In August 2005 Rezo Malania was arrested and accused of armed robberies in which he participated. Currency exchangers at Moscow exchange points appeared to be the victims of this group. In April 2007 Moscow city court on the basis of accusatory verdict of the jury sentenced Malania to 18 years of imprisonment in the colony of strict regime.

In November 2007 Gaga was conveyed to the Chelyabinsk region. In a month as a result of correctional education Malania wrote a waiver from thief traditions addressing the waive to the Head of penal colony No.6 of city of Kopeysk and to the Head Office of Federal Service on Punishment Fulfillment in the Chelyabinsk region as well as he wrote a plea on accepting to colony division of discipline and order. He called his coronation as a “daredevil act”.

In spite of this, Rezo Malania regularly escaped from fulfilling requirements of colony administration and systematically disrupted the established regime. Most part of his punishment period up to the last day Gaga was contained in the penal insulator.

Mafia clan wars in Moscow detention centre

Yesterday the Judicial Board of Moscow city court has declined the complaint of “thief-in-law” Dzhemal Mamoyan’s attorneys as per resolution of the Nikulinsky district court of the city of Moscow on the prolongation of periods of detention as the Prime Crime News Agency reported today according to Moscow city court press service.

As it was reported earlier, “thief-in-law” Dzhemal Mamoyan, 30, known in criminal world as Dzheko Tbilisskiy, was detained on February 27, 2009 in Udaltsova street during joint operation of Moscow city and Moscow region Criminal Search Department. Policemen of the “Vernadsky Prospect” Internal Affairs Department, where he was taken to, found and confiscated during his personal search 30 g of hashish.

Trying to escape from further responsibility Mamoyan, under the pretext of using the bathroom, shot himself with penknife causing injuries in the groin. Called ambulance brought Dzheko to the Sklifosovskiy Institute. As the current data says, such actions of Mamoyan were not approved in criminal world as they could lead to worsening in general situation of other mafia bosses as well as stiffening of repressions from policemen.

In the beginning of March after surgical operation Dzheko was transferred to the prison hospital of Detention Centre No. 1 “Matrosskaya Tishina”, city of Moscow, where three other “thieves-in-law” from unfriendly clan were detained. All his attempts to establish communication with the group of prisoners of negative trend were suppressed by the prison officers. Then Mamoyan, taking advantage of his mafia name, called the patients of prison hospital to hunger strike. The spontaneous action of prisoners’ disobedience continued for less than twenty-four hours. After some explanatory works the patients ended hunger strike and Dzheko as the initiator of disorders was put into punishment room for 15 days.

At the same time “Supervisor” of “Matrosskaya Tishina” Roma Cherkes received a “progon” (“note”) signed by mafia prisoners close to the clan of Ded Khasan. They asked to stop considering prisoners Ramaz Dzneladze and Ahmed Evloev “thieves-in-law”. It is said that this information was presented from the “thief-in-law” Sergey Asatryan, crowned on November 6, 2008, the same day when Dzheko was crowned. Fulfillment of such decision would definitely lead to granting of all authority to Mamoyan as he was considered to be the most powerful mafia figure within the prison. In order to stabilize operational situation, which could lead to new disorders, the “Supervisor” was urgently transferred to the prison cell of Ramaz Dzneladze, as a result of such actions this criminal note was not fulfilled.

After Ramaz was conveyed to the place of further punishment serving in the Kirov region, distribution of authority within “Matrosskaya Tishina” has not changed dramatically, judging by the persistent attempts of Mamoyan to release from prison.

Newly crowned “thief-in-law” released from Krasnoyarsk prison

One of the “thieves-in-law” will be released today from the Minusinsk prison of the Krasnoyarsk region. Condemned in 2001 in Moscow for illegal drugs storage, the native of Georgia, within 7 years has made a career from a regular prisoner up to the prison "Supervisor" thus reviving tradition (forgotten in the last ten years) of “thief-in-law coronation” in prisons.

Shota Raminashvili, or Lasha Tskhvediani, known in criminal world as Lasha Samtredskiy was transferred into the Minusinsk prison from the Vladimir central prison where on October 22, 2008 he had a “thief approach” from “thieves-in-law” who were imprisoned there - Avto Kopala, Vitalya Tbilisskiy and Merab Sukhumskiy. Prior to coronation Raminashvili was a “Supervisor” of the Vladimir prison and thus he knew how to communicate with prison management. Nevertheless, the new “thief-in-law”, appeared within the walls of the central prison strongly struck the prestige of its administration which should decrease number of “thieves-in-law” but not increase.

In the beginning of 2009 with the purpose of “correctional education” Lasha was conveyed to the Minusinsk prison which is famous for much more strict regulations of imprisonment as well as for accumulated experience of “thieves-in-law” decoronation. At the beginning there were rumors that Raminashvili had given a written waiver from thief traditions as a result of correctional education, as well as another “thief-in-law”, Zviad Dzhincharadze, known as Gorilla, however, according to the latest data, Lasha managed to preserve his mafia title in full.

At present moment, four “thieves-in-law” are kept in the Minusinsk prison as the Prime Crime News Agency reported. After Raminashvili is released from the prison, his holy place will not be empty for a long time as notorious mafia boss Merab Bakhia, known as Bakha-Bakha, prepares to join the rows of Krasnoyarsk "krytniks" (“imprisoned”), going to be transferred to the prison regime from the Republic of Udmurtia.

Armenian “thief-in-law” arrested by Czech police

Yesterday Department for combating organized crime (ÚOOZ) of the Czech Ministry of Internal Affairs reported on detention of four Armenian criminals including one “thief-in-law” in Prague. Four criminals were arrested on March 23 during "Volfram" police operation. The fifth criminal was caught in Slovenia. For investigation purposes, names of the detained criminals are kept secret.

The criminal group was involved mainly in leasing crimes in the territory of the Czech Republic and neighboring Austria as the police stated. Furthermore, its leading ‘thief-in-law’ is suspected to have participated in organization of murder of “Sazka” Company driver as well as in attempted murder of Armenian businessman in Prague in November 2007.

On November 13 on the Wenceslas Square the criminals shot with a knife and wounded the Armenian businessman and escaped from the crime scene, and on November 27 they by mistake shot the driver of Bentley who was driving the same automobile as the assumed victim. One of the murderers has not been detained until now, two others have been kept in prison since December 2007 and November 2008.

The detained “thief-in-law” is Andranik Sogoyan, 40, known in criminal world as Zap (this nickname was given to him for resemblance with one of the first models of soviet cars – Zaporozhets), as the Prime Crime News Agency reported. According to investigative information, Andranik Sogoyan, born in Leninakan, was crowned as “thief-in-law” in 1994 in Moscow upon recommendation of “thief-in-law” Nigal Barsegyan, known as Nikol.

In September 2006 Zap was detained in Sochi casino "Rio" together with “thief-in-law” Temuri Mirzoev. He was accused of illegal stay in the territory of the Russian Federation. In December 2006 upon resolution of the Khostinsky district Court of Sochi, Sogoyan was deregistered from place of registration and next year in April he was deported to Armenia with prohibition of entrance to Russia for five years. Sogoyan moved from Armenia to the Czech Republic. If the Court proves his guilt in preparation of murder, he can get up to 25 years of imprisonment.

In Moscow Thief-In-Law Commited Theft In The Presence Of Policemen

On April 15 during the operation of Moscow investigation department, a 46-year old ”thief-in-law” Igor Glaznev was arrested. He is more famous among criminals as Vova Piterskiy. "Thief-in-law" committed a crime in the presence of policemen who had been following him secretly all day long. Having bought goods in the "Sedmoy continent" supermarket at the corner of Arbat and Smolenskaya square, Vova Piterskiy passed by the cashdesk and did not pay for the products in the amount of 15 000 rubles. We remind that on April 9 Georgian ”thief-in-law” Teymuraz Jalagonia was arrested in the “Perekryostok” supermarket under the same circumstances.

According to Prime Crime News Agency, the criminal career of Igor Glaznev, that led him to the “thief crown”, began in 1982 with the sentence of the military court of Alma-Ata Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic – the future ”thief-in-law” was sentenced to 4 years of prison for malignant hooliganism. In 1991, in Kaliningrad Glaznev was charged of 5 articles of the criminal code: theft, robbery, robbery with extreme violence and swindle and sentenced to 10 years of a strict control penal colony in the Arkhangelsk region. On March 6, 1994, Glaznev got a short vacation from which he did not return. In the course of 1.5 years he was searched by police but it did not prevent him from active criminal activity. Glaznev was arrested in Moscow in August 1995 with the passport of Vladimir Razumovskiy, born in Leningrad (that is why he got this nickname) for taking a hostage and demanding money for his liberation.

On January 17, 1998, during the morning check in the Trial center No. 1 of Moscow Prison “Matrosskaya Tishina”, in one of the cells the body of the Kurganskaya group leader Oleg Nelubin was found who died of several brain injuries. The special group of the Ministry of Internal Affairs came to the conclusion that Igor Glaznev who was at the same trial center, could take part in the murder organization. Despite this fact, the blame of Glaznev was not proved because one of the prisoners accused of several murders took the blame.

After the murder of Nelubin who had been sentenced by the criminal world for the deaths of several ‘thieves-in-law’, career of Vova Piterskiy began to develop successfully. In April, Glaznev was sentenced to 9.5 years of a strict control convict colony and transported to the Republic of Komi where he was supported by local ”thief-in-law” Pichuga. In January 1999, two persons from Moscow, who brought a letter about the positive decision of his question, were arrested. One year after the murder of Oleg Nelubin, Igor Glaziev declared himself ”thief-in-law” with the nickname Vova Piterskiy.

On getting the “title”, Glaznev who caused many problems for the authorities of the colony became unmanageable. In October 1999, Vova Piterskiy was sent to the prison of Dimitrovgrad for 3 years. In the new place, Glaznev not only refused to change his behavior but began to provoke riots among other prisoners. Being a prominent leader of the group of prisoners with negative behavior, Vova Piterskiy promulgated “thief traditions” and treated in a hostile way the administration of the prison who could nether reform him nor undermine his authority. After the end of his prison term, he was sent to Komi. In June 2004, Vova Piterskiy was released 8 months before the expiration of his term because of the criminal legislation change.

Only during the last month, Igor Glaznev who was always very careful, was mentioned in the police reports 3 times. On March 6, he was arrested in the Noginskiy district with Georgiy Sorokin, ”thief-in-law” nicknamed “Zhora Tashkentskiy”, on April 2 – with another “colleague” – Alexey Zabavin nicknamed “Zabava”. In the both cases he was released because policemen were rather interested in his comrades, but last Wednesday the succession of his “casual” arrests stopped.

"Crowned" Prisoner Of Madrid Prison Is On Hunger Strike

Recently Vitaliy Izgilov being under examination has been sent from the prison of Saragosa, famous for its relatively mild control to the prison of Madrid famous for its strict order. To show his protest, he began a hunger-strike and he had been starving for two weeks. He lost 7 kilos and he is under the care of doctors, "Rosbalt" reported.

As Prime Crime News Agency informed before, Vitaliy Izgilov, more famous among criminals as Zver (Russian for the Beast) or Vitalik Makhachkalinskiy was arrested on June 13, 2008 in a resort place Alikante during the police operation "Troyka". The “thief-in-law” was accused of money-laundering.

The former leader of the Vidnovskaya criminal group Vitaliy Izgilov is one of the nearest supporters of Zakhar Kalashov, a ”thief-in-law” having nickname “Shakro the Young” who is under examination for more than two years in one of the prisons of Spain.

In September 2005, Izgilov was arrested by the gendarmerie in the airport of Barselona on a charge of money laundering, but he was let out on a big money bail.