Tariel Oniani
Encyclopedia
Tariel Oniani is an ethnic Georgian mobster and 'thief in law
'. He is reportedly a member of the "Kutaisi" criminal gang.
in the former Georgian SSR, Oniani's father died working in a mine and he turned to a life of crime. At the age of 17 he was convicted of armed robbery and served time in prison. It was here that he was initiated as a 'vor v zakone', or thief-in-law. By the 1980s he was one of the most prominent thieves in law of Moscow
.
In the 1990s Oniani moved to Paris
, where he was introduced to Alimzhan Tokhtakhunov. After being charged with several crimes he moved on to Spain
, where he owned stock in an airline and where he ran a construction business employing illegal Georgian immigrants until in 2005 Spanish police conducted a large scale operation against his organization. Oniani was charged with money laundering
, transferring illegal immigrants and organizing a criminal gang but managed to avoid the sting, while 100 of his workers, 28 members of his gang including business partner Zakhar Kalashov
and even his 12-year-old daughter Gvantsa were detained. It was at around this time he was put on Interpol's list of wanted criminals.
. Around 2007, members of Usoyan's gang started turning up dead, including Armenian national Alek Minalyan, who was allegedly in charge of extorting construction firms working on the 2014 Winter Olympics
.
In 2008 in response to the growing violence a meeting was called was Oniani's private yacht in an attempt to make peace between the two factions. However, Russian authorities were notified of the meeting and used the opportunity to conduct a well-publicised raid and arrest dozens of gangsters. The gangsters were paraded in front of media cameras by police before being detained.
The yacht meeting did not break up the violence, and the mobsters turned to noted vor Vyacheslav Ivankov
to act as a mediator. Ivankov ended up taking the side of the older and more experienced Usoyan, rather than Oniani whom he saw as a younger upstart. In July 2009 Ivankov was shot by a sniper rifle while leaving a restaurant and died of his wounds a few months later. It is believed his murder was a result of his taking the side of Usoyan in the gangland dispute.
Meanwhile Oniani was placed under arrest for the kidnapping of a businessman. Russian authorities refused his advocate's bail offer of 15 million rubles. Meanwhile across Europe several of his subordinates have been shot dead, including Vladimir Janashia in France and Malhas Kitai in Greece.
In July 2010 Oniani and associates were sentenced to 10 years for the kidnapping. Oniani reacted to the verdict with profanity and vowed to appeal. In 2011, Oniani was extradited to the Spanish authorities.
Thief in law
Thief in law is a criminal who is respected, has authority and a high ranking status within the...
'. He is reportedly a member of the "Kutaisi" criminal gang.
Background and activity in Spain
Born in the mining town of TkibuliTkibuli
Tkibuli or Tqibuli is a town in west-central Georgia, Imereti Region. It is located at around . It is situated at the northern edge of Imereti region, close to the region of Rach'a, at the foot of Nakerala mountain. The town is a coal mining centre. Tkibuli is located between two man-made...
in the former Georgian SSR, Oniani's father died working in a mine and he turned to a life of crime. At the age of 17 he was convicted of armed robbery and served time in prison. It was here that he was initiated as a 'vor v zakone', or thief-in-law. By the 1980s he was one of the most prominent thieves in law of Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
.
In the 1990s Oniani moved to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, where he was introduced to Alimzhan Tokhtakhunov. After being charged with several crimes he moved on to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, where he owned stock in an airline and where he ran a construction business employing illegal Georgian immigrants until in 2005 Spanish police conducted a large scale operation against his organization. Oniani was charged with money laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
, transferring illegal immigrants and organizing a criminal gang but managed to avoid the sting, while 100 of his workers, 28 members of his gang including business partner Zakhar Kalashov
Zakhar Kalashov
Zakhar Kniazevich Kalashov is a notorious gangster and thief in law, who is widely believed to be one of the most prominent members of the Russian-Georgian Mafia. Kalashov was born in Tbilisi in 1953. Although at various times Kalashov was arrested in the United Arab Emirates and Spain, as of...
and even his 12-year-old daughter Gvantsa were detained. It was at around this time he was put on Interpol's list of wanted criminals.
Return to Moscow and gang warfare
After the 2005 incident Tariel Oniani moved back to Moscow, under the assumed identity of Tariel Mulukhov. Tensions grew between Oniani and rival crime boss and vor Aslan "Grandpa Hassan" UsoyanAslan Usoyan
Aslan Usoyan aka Grandpa Hassan is an ethnic Yezidi mobster and thief in law began his career operating in Georgia, continued in Moscow, Ural, Siberia, Uzbekistan, Krasnodar, Sochi, and other parts of ex-USSR.Starting in 2007, Usoyan was embroiled in a gang war with Georgian mobster Tariel...
. Around 2007, members of Usoyan's gang started turning up dead, including Armenian national Alek Minalyan, who was allegedly in charge of extorting construction firms working on the 2014 Winter Olympics
2014 Winter Olympics
The 2014 Winter Olympics, officially the XXII Olympic Winter Games, or the 22nd Winter Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event scheduled to be celebrated from 7 to 23 February 2014, in Sochi, Russia with some events held in the resort town of Krasnaya Polyana. Both the Olympic and...
.
In 2008 in response to the growing violence a meeting was called was Oniani's private yacht in an attempt to make peace between the two factions. However, Russian authorities were notified of the meeting and used the opportunity to conduct a well-publicised raid and arrest dozens of gangsters. The gangsters were paraded in front of media cameras by police before being detained.
The yacht meeting did not break up the violence, and the mobsters turned to noted vor Vyacheslav Ivankov
Vyacheslav Ivankov
Vyacheslav Kirillovich Ivankov was a notorious member of the Russian Mafia who was believed to have connections with Russian state intelligence organizations and their organized crime partners. He has operated in both the Soviet Union and the United States...
to act as a mediator. Ivankov ended up taking the side of the older and more experienced Usoyan, rather than Oniani whom he saw as a younger upstart. In July 2009 Ivankov was shot by a sniper rifle while leaving a restaurant and died of his wounds a few months later. It is believed his murder was a result of his taking the side of Usoyan in the gangland dispute.
Meanwhile Oniani was placed under arrest for the kidnapping of a businessman. Russian authorities refused his advocate's bail offer of 15 million rubles. Meanwhile across Europe several of his subordinates have been shot dead, including Vladimir Janashia in France and Malhas Kitai in Greece.
In July 2010 Oniani and associates were sentenced to 10 years for the kidnapping. Oniani reacted to the verdict with profanity and vowed to appeal. In 2011, Oniani was extradited to the Spanish authorities.