Those "Dirty Rats!" Turns out the Russian Mob fixed the Olympics!
A Russian mob figure was arrested today (7/31) and charged with fixing two ice skating competitions at the 2002 Olympics. As alleged in this amazing federal criminal complaint, mafiya boss Alimzan Tokhtakhounov used his influence with members of the Russian and French skating federations in order to rig the outcome of the pairs figure skating and ice dancing events. Tokhtakhounov, arrested today in northern Italy, has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit bribery related to sporting contests. The federal case, filed in U.S. District Court in New York, is based chiefly on telephone conversations bugged earlier this year by Italian authorities. Those wiretaps caught Tokhtakhounov speaking with a member of the Russian figure skating federation about the scheme to rig the Olympic events. And while she is not identified by name, it is clear that skater Marina Anissina (and the athlete's mother) also spoke with Tokhtakhounov about the plot. The 26-year-old Anissina, who was born in Russia but emigrated to France in 1993, copped the ice dancing gold medal with partner Gwendal Peizerat. In one wiretapped conversation with the Russian skating official, Tokhtakhounov refers to Anissina as "one of ours." The skating official replied, "Thank you, she will be grateful to you for the rest of her life." Tokhtakhounov's resume includes drug distribution, trafficking in stolen vehicles, illegal gun sales, and the fixing of Moscow beauty pageants, according to FBI and Interpol agents. (8 pages)
A Russian mob figure was arrested today (7/31) and charged with fixing two ice skating competitions at the 2002 Olympics. As alleged in this amazing federal criminal complaint, mafiya boss Alimzan Tokhtakhounov used his influence with members of the Russian and French skating federations in order to rig the outcome of the pairs figure skating and ice dancing events. Tokhtakhounov, arrested today in northern Italy, has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit bribery related to sporting contests. The federal case, filed in U.S. District Court in New York, is based chiefly on telephone conversations bugged earlier this year by Italian authorities. Those wiretaps caught Tokhtakhounov speaking with a member of the Russian figure skating federation about the scheme to rig the Olympic events. And while she is not identified by name, it is clear that skater Marina Anissina (and the athlete's mother) also spoke with Tokhtakhounov about the plot. The 26-year-old Anissina, who was born in Russia but emigrated to France in 1993, copped the ice dancing gold medal with partner Gwendal Peizerat. In one wiretapped conversation with the Russian skating official, Tokhtakhounov refers to Anissina as "one of ours." The skating official replied, "Thank you, she will be grateful to you for the rest of her life." Tokhtakhounov's resume includes drug distribution, trafficking in stolen vehicles, illegal gun sales, and the fixing of Moscow beauty pageants, according to FBI and Interpol agents. (8 pages)
A Russian mob figure was arrested today (7/31) and charged with fixing two ice skating competitions at the 2002 Olympics. As alleged in this amazing federal criminal complaint, mafiya boss Alimzan Tokhtakhounov used his influence with members of the Russian and French skating federations in order to rig the outcome of the pairs figure skating and ice dancing events. Tokhtakhounov, arrested today in northern Italy, has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit bribery related to sporting contests. The federal case, filed in U.S. District Court in New York, is based chiefly on telephone conversations bugged earlier this year by Italian authorities. Those wiretaps caught Tokhtakhounov speaking with a member of the Russian figure skating federation about the scheme to rig the Olympic events. And while she is not identified by name, it is clear that skater Marina Anissina (and the athlete's mother) also spoke with Tokhtakhounov about the plot. The 26-year-old Anissina, who was born in Russia but emigrated to France in 1993, copped the ice dancing gold medal with partner Gwendal Peizerat. In one wiretapped conversation with the Russian skating official, Tokhtakhounov refers to Anissina as "one of ours." The skating official replied, "Thank you, she will be grateful to you for the rest of her life." Tokhtakhounov's resume includes drug distribution, trafficking in stolen vehicles, illegal gun sales, and the fixing of Moscow beauty pageants, according to FBI and Interpol agents. (8 pages)
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