Criminal Networks
Kamchy Kolbayev and the Rise and Fall of Kyrgyzstan’s Underworld
Kamchy Kolbayev rose from the turmoil of post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan to become a powerful figure in Central Asia’s criminal hierarchy. His story reveals how…
SUBJECT COLLECTION
Criminal Networks
The structures, influence and consequences of organized criminal networks.
Articles
5 stories
Criminal Networks
The Elephant of Ryazan: How a Taxi Driver Rose Through Russia’s Underworld
In the lawless years after the Soviet collapse, Vyacheslav Yermolov—known as Slon, or “the Elephant”—built a feared criminal organization in Ryazan. Its rise…
Criminal Networks
The Lasowski Network: Crime, Oil and Power in Post-Soviet Moscow
The rise and fall of Maxim Lasowski’s criminal network reveals how violence, stolen oil, former officers and state connections shaped Moscow’s lawless 1990s.
Criminal Networks
The Kinahan Network: From Dublin Crime to a Global Criminal Enterprise
How the Kinahan family allegedly evolved from Dublin-based criminal activity into a transnational network spanning drug trafficking, money laundering, violence, and international finance.
Criminal Networks
The Forest Empire: How the Wolves of Tver Built a Criminal State
In post-Soviet Russia, a disciplined criminal network turned fear into an industry. The rise, reign and collapse of the Wolves of Tver reveals…
READING WITH CONTEXT
Historical accounts can include disputed reports and unresolved proceedings. An allegation is not a conviction, and an older article may not reflect later developments.
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