| Founded | Mid-1980's |
|---|---|
| In | Moscow, Soviet Union |
| Founded by | Sergei Mikhailov |
| Years active | 1980s-present |
| Territory | Russia, Ukraine |
| Ethnicity | Mostly Russian |
| Membership | 5,000 |
| Criminal activities | Arms trafficking, arson, drug trafficking, extortion, fraud, human trafficking, forgery, identity theft, illegal immigration, money laundering, murder, pornography, prostitution, racketeering, smuggling and theft |
| Allies | Orekhovskaya gang |
| Rivals | Tambov gang, American Mafia, Irish Mob, Polish Mob, other non-Slavic crime syndicates |
The Solntsevskaya Bratva[1] (Russian: Солнцевская братва) is a powerful organized crime organization from Moscow, Russia. It is named after the Solntsevo neighborhood in the city. It is considered to be one of the most dangerous criminal organizations in the world.
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Sergei Mikhailov 'Mikhas' and a fellow gangster, Boris Yakov Arshavin( Black Rose Mafia Boss) formed the organization in the mid-80s. They chose 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 вор (vor, "thief"). However, strict discipline was still enforced and thieves in law were not excluded from the group's 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 Sergei 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 Mikhailov 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 1995. However despite all the killings, by 1996 the bratva not only regained their strength lost in the early 90's but had become one of the most powerful criminal organizations in Russia. Mikhailov 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 1996 Mikhailov was arrested in Switzerland on a variety of charges. However, as he sat in prison awaiting trial and the prosecutors built their case, a number of key witnesses turned up dead. 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. [1] 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. [2]
The Solntsevskaya bratva have many business interests with legitimate business groups. Law enforcement believe in addition to offering these groups 'protection' the gang also assist the businesses when it comes to not-so-legal matters.
Though it is considered one of the most powerful Russian organized crime groups, it is difficult for law enforcement to accurately measure the strength and influence of the family, since many racketeers declaring themselves 'solntsevskaya' only do so to be feared and respected, and are not actually affiliated with the organization, and there is also frequent internal fighting within the group.
A 2003 report for the U.S.A, revealed the organization had a presence in San Francisco 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. [3]