Posted on 09/04/2006 12:31:01 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
The demands of the kidnappers were simple: Pay the ransom and the hostages would be freed.
But prosecutors said the crew of Russian immigrants killed their hostages anyway - even after collecting $1 million from some of the victims' relatives.
More than four years after the five bodies were found in a reservoir north of Yosemite National Park, opening statements are expected this week in the federal trial of two men accused of orchestrating the crimes.
It's a rare instance in which federal prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
"Regardless of whether the ransom money defendants demanded was paid or not, each of the defendants' victims met the same fate," prosecutors said in court documents. "Defendants brutally murdered each one of them."
Iouri Mikhel, 41, and Jurijus Kadamovas, 39, have pleaded not guilty to charges that include conspiracy and hostage-taking resulting in death. A third defendant, Petro Krylov, 33, is scheduled for trial in January after denying the allegations.
Three other coconspirators have pleaded guilty to similar charges. One is the girlfriend of Kadamovas, who will likely testify during the upcoming trial.
Authorities suspect the ring had links to Russian organized crime, but it appears prosecutors won't raise that issue during trial because no racketeering charges have been filed.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys declined to comment about the case.
The indictment, however, provides a detailed look at the kidnappings that occurred over a frenzied four-month period beginning in late 2001.
The documents allege the crew demanded a total of more than $5.5 million from relatives and associates of the victims, and eventually collected about $1.2 million that was used to buy expensive cars and make mortgage payments on luxury homes.
Mikhel used $2,500 to put a down payment on two Doberman pinschers to guard his house, the documents state.
At trial, prosecutors intend to present tape recordings of ransom calls; DNA belonging to two victims collected from handcuffs; and a pair of shoes that were matched to a bloody footprint found on a bridge near the reservoir.
The scheme began when Mikhel and Kadamovas targeted George Safiev, 37, a wealthy Russian banking mogul who had recently moved to Los Angeles to start Matador Media, a film production company, the documents state.
But after several failed abduction attempts and discussions about staging a car accident, the kidnappers turned their attention to real estate developer Meyer Muscatel, according to the documents.
Mikhel is accused of posing as a possible investor and luring Muscatel to what was billed as a business meeting in October 2001. Kidnappers killed him after they were unable to get money from his bank accounts, the documents state.
His body was weighted down and dumped over a bridge along the New Melones Reservoir. It was discovered a few days later, hands bound and a plastic bag over his head.
Prosecutors wrote that Safiev's accountant, Rita Peckler, was abducted and killed two months later when she was unable to lead the crew to Safiev.
The next victim was Alexander Umansky, who owned a car accessory business that once employed Krylov. Umansky was killed after his family paid more than $230,000 for his release, documents state, adding the crew sought even more money after his death, promising he would be returned alive.
Prosecutors wrote that Safiev was finally snared in early 2002 after his business partner, Nick Kharabadze, was abducted and forced to arrange a meeting with Safiev. Another business associate transferred $960,000 to a bank account that authorities said was controlled by the kidnappers.
Still, Safiev and Kharabadze were killed and dumped into the reservoir after being told they would be left alive at a motel, the documents state.
Authorities learned the location of the bodies after arresting a coconspirator who later pleaded guilty in connection with the case. Autopsies determined all the victims were either asphyxiated or strangled.
As authorities closed in, members of the crew flew to Aspen, Colo., a playground for the rich, and planned a trip to Florida to attend a yacht show to identify other possible victims, documents show.
Before his arrest, Kadamovas told one suspected accomplice that more bodies would be dumped in the reservoir and eventually "'stacked on top of each other,'" according to the court documents.
Kind of like MiG is a russian plane, its really not by your definition. :)==
Until 1991 MIG was soviet plane but today it is russian plane:). SO all the models of MIG after 1991 are russian.
Those people mentioned in article are no russian but former soviets. Or yourslelf can suddenly become a "russian" can't you?:)
How can a plane that was invented by an Armenian and a Jew be russian? :)==
Those 2 guys invented MIG-3 to MIG-17. Today is MIG-29OMT already. Those 2 was founders of MIG brand in Soviet Union. No one deny thier achivements.
But it is history of USSR. Now there are Russia.
But you get my point. "Russian" can mean 2 things. Ethnicity and nationality.
But you get my point. "Russian" can mean 2 things. Ethnicity and nationality.===
You shoul dknow that in Russia "Russian" means ethnicity but "Rossianin" means nationality. Abroad they mixed those 2 definitions.
You know better then average american as you ar eformer soviet youself so you should help them to understand but not to confuse them even further.
But I think its you that's confused. It's rathre simple. French - a citizen of France. English - citizen of England. Australian - citizne of Australia. Russian - citizen of Russia.
I think you're right. There are a lot questions that need to be answered,at least in my mind.
I wonder if the abductors were legal or illegal immigrants,same question about the victims. I also wonder if they came here to escape persecution after the dissolution of the Soviet Union,and if so why. Had they been communists and were now fleeing and if so why did we accept them? Were the Chechins,Moslems,how about the others? How did they all become bedfellows?
On another thread on Free Republic there was a discussion on the Russians in Brighton Beach,comments indicated that it was populated by Russian immigrants who were all on Social Security Disability or involved in phony insurance claims and other like natured scams.
It would be nice to actually discuss and pursue the facts on this type of scandal,since it has far reaching implications with regards to the type of society we are in the process of establishing as a replacement for what we once had.
But I think its you that's confused. It's rathre simple. French - a citizen of France. English - citizen of England. Australian - citizne of Australia. Russian - citizen of Russia.==
So you mean that african or arab the citizens of France are Frenches?:) I have to notice that there no the citizen of England:). But citizens of UK or GB. So english men are the ethnicity of England. As Scotts is the ethnicity of Scotland.
By the way accroding to you the Jew is the citizen of Israel? Or there are another name of Israel citizenry? Maybe Israelies?
Because if not then arabs who are the citizens of Israel may become Jews according to you:)).
SO if for Israel there are 2 different definions for nationality and ethnicity then why not for Russia? There are 2: Russian(ethnicity) vs Rossianin(citizenry). Q.E.D.
P.S. As for former soviet citizens mentioned in this article they were "sovoks" nethier Russians nor Rossianins.
That's right. They are.
Because if not then arabs who are the citizens of Israel may become Jews according to you:)).
Uh, no. The country's name is Israel, not Jewland, hence they are not Jews, but Israelis.
As for former soviet citizens mentioned in this article they were "sovoks" nethier Russians nor Rossianins.
They are? Does the article mention their citizneship status?
Because if not then arabs who are the citizens of Israel may become Jews according to you:)).
Uh, no. The country's name is Israel, not Jewland, hence they are not Jews, but Israelis.==
Same way Russia self-name is "Rossya" hence the Russia citizen is "Rossyanin". But Russian defines the ethnicity.
As for former soviet citizens mentioned in this article they were "sovoks" nethier Russians nor Rossianins.
They are? Does the article mention their citizneship status?==
Those 3 men are not Russians nor Rossyanins then they are probably former "sovoks". Got now?:)
Okay. How does one say "Rossyanin" in English?
Those 3 men are not Russians nor Rossyanins then they are probably former "sovoks". Got now?:)
What am I missing here? Does this article explicitly mention that they are not citizens of Russia? For all we know they could've gotten to the US 2 months before the murder took place.
If you were born in RUSSIA or call Russia your home... I don't give a ##%@ what color, creed, religion, whatever, you are. You are RUSSIAN.
Period, end of story.
Yes, lots of questions, but will it be covered and will there be answers? Probably not. It's too hot a story to handle and most "journalists" are wusses when it comes right down to it. Let's put it this way - the journalists aren't exactly afraid of John Mark Karr or those lacrosse saps down in North Carolina; therefore, 24-7 coverage.
Yes. Ukrainians are also well represented in the "Russian Mafia".
This link has another take on the story that explains a little more about the ethnicities and citizenship of the accused:
http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=8335
Cuz they are all from Russia. Stupid Russians don't even know they are Russians. That's what a commie education gets ya I guess.
I guess you cannot understand the difference? First of all, they're NOT all from Russia. Calling the Lithuanian citizen a Russian is about as accurate as calling someone from Texas an Oklahoman.
Secondly, there is a difference between being a "Russian" and a "Russian citizen" - two different words in Russian - Rossiyanin (inhabitant of the Russian Federation, regardless of ethnicity) and Russkyj (an ethnic Russian). Unfortunately, other countries do pay attention to ethnicities - a trait that is unfortunately cropping up here in the USA. And lastly, they were all legal immigrants, as I understand it, so what we are talking about is American citizens/immigrants, or what most call "Americans."
Exactly. A fact that is only important to Texan's and Oklahomans. I don't expect to go over to the other side of the world and there still to be a distinction between the two. They are both Americans.
If they come from Russia, or one of those slavic nations around it, as far as I am concerned, as well as the rest of America, they are RUSSIAN.
Unfortunately, other countries do pay attention to ethnicities - a trait that is unfortunately cropping up here in the USA.
Ya well, that trait come's here to die. The blood in your veins, the color of your skin, the color of your hair, none of it matters. It's all about where you grew up.
We need to put a stop to ALL immigration until we get a few things sorted out in this country. 1.2 million legal immigrants a year is too much to process. They're letting too many criminals in.
To think kidnappers not releasing their victims after payment...you can't trust anybody now-adays...
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