Posted on 04/18/2013 12:56:03 PM PDT by AtlasStalled
The feds variously have charged nearly three dozen individuals on racketeering and other counts for their alleged roles in two separate but interconnected gambling and money laundering rings tied to the Russian Mafia which, among other things, took sports bets in the former Soviet Union for Russian oligarchs and operated poker games in New York for the rich and famous as reported by WNBC: "sources say the poker dens were often frequented by high-profile New Yorkers from the business, sports and entertainment fields."
Among those charged in one racketeering conspiracy for his alleged ringleader role with the New York operations is billionaire art dealer Hillel "Helly" Nahmad who operates the Helly Nahmad gallery which is inside the Carlyle Hotel on Madison Avenue as reported by The New York Times. And among those charged in a second racketeering conspiracy for his alleged ringleader role in the overseas operation is Alimzhan Tokhtakhounov who federal prosecutors say is a high-ranking vor or "thief in law" within the Russian Mafia. According to the indictment Vadim Trincher is an alleged co-conspirator with Tokhtakhounov, and his son Illya Trincher is an alleged co-conspirator with Nahmad. The two racketeering conspiracies allegedly laundered $100 million in gambling money.
Vadim Trincher lived in a $5 million apartment at Trump Tower where FBI agents found $75,000 in cash and $2 million in casino chips, and apparently he didn't always play nice. He allegedly was recorded in a phone conversation "warning a customer who owed money that 'he should be careful, lest he be tortured or found underground'" as reported by The Associated Press.
Nahmad is expected to surrender to federal authorities in Los Angeles, and Tokhtakhounov remains beyond the jurisidictional reach of the United States as reported by Reuters. At this time about 30 defendants are in custody.
The feds also indicted Molly Bloom whom the media dubbed "the poker princess" in 2011 after she made headlines for her alleged role in running high stake card games in Los Angeles and New York which supposedly included A-list Hollywood celebrities and Wall Street financiers as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. Illya Trincher allegedly "played in the busted Hollywood poker ring previously linked to a cavalcade of celebrities, and organized by Bloom" although "there is no suggestion any . . . celebrities ever played in games with Trincher" as reported by Radar Online.
In commenting on the bust FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge George Venizelos said in a press release accompanying the indictment that "today’s charges demonstrate the scope and reach of Russian organized crime."
Of course, federal prosecutors -- at least at this time -- are declining to identify the powerful gamblers who participated in the allegedly illicit fun and games although on the receiving end of the federal indictment was Bryan Zuriff, an executive producer of the Showtime series Ray Donovan, as reported by Deadline Hollywood: "Zuriff, known in Hollywood as a high-stakes gambler, is charged with Operating an Illegal Gambling Business and Unlawful Internet Gambling, which carry a sentence of up to 10 years in prison."
Pass the popcorn.
IMPOSSIBLE!
Not justt Russian oligarchs, but western as well. The Bush family, Clinton, high operatives and chiefs of the CIA like Bill Casey.
The downhill slide into national criminality is at least 50 years old.
They can easily jet to a location where it is all legal, regulated and much safer.
The same thing with the super wealthy buying illegal prostitutes.
Also that bunch is tied in with the European horse meat scam.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.