Viktor Zelinger, a double citizen of the United States and Ukraine, also known as “Vyya” and “Vtyok”, was extradited from Switzerland to the United States on the basis of an indictment of nine counts.
He is accused of being the leader of a crime group organized in Eastern Europe who operated in the Brooklyn districts of Brighton Beach, Sheepshead Bay and Coney Island and was linked to high -level Russian Mafia figures called “law thieves” or “thieves”.
Zelinger is accused of racketeering, a conspiracy aimed at committing a racketeering, a criminal fire, illegal games of chance, exorbitant credit collection and two costs of exorbital credit collection conspiracy. He must be charged before the Federal Court of Brooklyn before the American magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo.
The extradition was announced by Breon Peace, lawyer for the United States for the Oriental District of New York, Frank A. Tarentino III, special agent in charge, DRUG ENGRISEMENT Administration, New York Division (DEA)And Thomas Fattorusso, special agent in charge, internal income from service-criminal investigation, New York (IRS-CI).
“As the alleged, Zelinger was a ruthless leader in a violent criminal union who wreaked havoc in Brooklyn with apparent impunity, including a criminal fire in the middle of the night that endangered civilians and firefighters.
United States Lawyer Peace
Mr. Peace congratulated the New York Fire Service (FDNY) for his investigation into the alleged criminal fire and his courageous efforts to save the residents trapped in a building following this fire. He also thanked the Swiss government for its cooperation in the arrest and extradition of Zelinger.
“As an eminent leader of” law thieves “, Zelinger has held the decision -making power in New York, allowing more organized crime in the world. This extradition demonstrates the global scope of DEA and perseverance, as well as our commitment to the primary.
DEA Special Agent in charge Tarentino
According to the indictment, Viktor Zelinger was at the head of a highly organized criminal gang which engaged in a variety of actions often associated with organized crime, in particular extortion, criminal fire, assault, drug trafficking, illegal game, loan and wired fraud.
The group was also linked and reported to high -ranking members of the East Europe Mafia, commonly known as “law thieves” or “thieves” or “Вор В ао нE” (pronounced “vory v zakone”).
“Today,” said the start of Viktor Zelinger when he returned to the United States to cope with justice for years of alleged criminal activities. Extreme, drug trafficking, assault and criminal fire – set fire to an immersal building our incredible investigative partnerships in the Strikeforce DEA. »»
IRS-CE Special agent in charge Fattorusso.
Members of the Zelinger gang have committed a variety of crimes, including a criminal fire and extortion, organized places of play with high issues, drug treated, assaulted victims and allowed to make the loan around 2011 until May 2017.
Zelinger ordered the fire of a sheep bay building at 2220 Voorhies avenue because he had a high challenge poker game in competition which competed with the accused’s illegal game den, Avenue Coney Island on the ground floor. Zelinger gave the members of gangs to enter the building on Voorhies avenue at the beginning of May 2, 2016, set it on fire, then to flee. The apartments in the second and third floors of the building were occupied. In the conflagration, two residents and 5 firefighters were injured, a firefighter suffering from extremely serious end of career, and the building was destroyed.
If he is convicted, Zelinger risks mandatory minimum sentences of seven years in prison and maximum sentences of forty years in prison for each criminal fire chief, a maximum of twenty years in prison for each chief of racketeering and extortion, and a maximum sentence of five years in prison for each gaming chief.
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