The Chicago Syndicate
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Saturday, February 09, 2013

Armen Kazarian, Leader of Armenian Organized Crime Ring, Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court to 37 Months in Prison for His Role in $100 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme


Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Armen Kazarian was sentenced in Manhattan federal court to 37 months in prison for his involvement with the Mirzoyan-Terdjanian Organization, an Armenian-American organized crime enterprise engaged in a wide range of criminal activity. Kazarian pled guilty to racketeering conspiracy in July 2011 and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said, “Armen Kazarian sat at the top of a criminal organization and now he will sit in a jail cell for a long time. International mobsters who think they can export their criminal enterprises to the United States and target our government programs and our citizens are in for a rude awakening—they will face U.S. justice and be made to answer for their crimes.”

According to the indictment, other documents filed in this case, and statements made during the guilty plea proceeding:

Kazarian was a “Vor,” a term translated as “Thief-in-Law.” The term refers to a member of a select group of high-level criminals from Russia and the countries that had been part of the former Soviet Union, including Armenia. Vors offer prestige and protection to criminal organizations in return for a share of criminal earnings and use their position of authority to resolve disputes among criminals. Kazarian used his status as a Vor within the criminal community to assist the Mirzoyan-Terdjanian Organization, an Armenian-American organized crime ring that engaged in an extensive range of criminal offenses including the operation of a $100 million Medicare fraud billing ring. As part of his involvement with the group, Kazarian engaged in extortion on the organization’s and his own behalf.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Gardephe sentenced Kazarian, 47, of Glendale, California, to three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $60,000 fine.

Mr. Bharara thanked the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the New York City Police Department; the New York Field Office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; and the New York Office of the Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services for their work in the investigation.

The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Burns, Arlo Devlin-Brown, and Harris Fischman are in charge of the prosecution.

Wednesday, February 06, 2013

Did Nora Schweihs Threaten to Kill Ex-Boy Toy of Calvin Klein?

Calvin Klein's ex-boy toy Nick Gruber says he fears for his life ... after a star of "Mob Wives: Chicago" allegedly threatened to kill him with a screwdriver ... this according to court docs obtained by TMZ.

23-year-old Nick requested a restraining order against "Mob Wife" Nora Schweihs in Los Angeles Superior Court on January 22.

In the docs, Nick says he and Nora have been living together for two months -- they share the same entertainment manager -- but things have taken a turn for the worse.

Specifically Nick claims Nora is "psychotic" ... drinks heavily ... stole his $10,000 Rolex ... threatened to sic her mob connections on him -- and threatened to kill Nick herself with a screwdriver.

In the docs, Nick says, "I am afraid for my life. She is hostile and I am afraid if she doesn't leave she might do something terrible to me."

Nick is asking that Nora be kept at least 100 yards away from him and his home at all times.

A hearing was set for Feb. 5th. A judge has ordered Nora not to harass, attack or threaten Nick until then. TMZ reached out to Nora ... so far no word back.

Ultimately, Nick failed to show up to court, so the judge dismissed his request for a restraining order.

Thanks to TMZ.

Monday, February 04, 2013

Reward Offered for Capture of Convicted Murderer Steven L. Robbins


Cory B. Nelson, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Darrel K. McPherson, U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Illinois, have announced a reward offer in connection with the search for Steven L. Robbins, the individual serving time in Indiana for murder who was mistakenly released from custody earlier this week. The FBI and Marshals Service are offering a combined reward of up to $10,000 for information that leads to the apprehension of Robbins.

The FBI and the Marshals Service have joined the Chicago Police Department and the Cook County Sheriff’s Police in the ongoing manhunt for Robbins, who disappeared January 30 following a court appearance in Chicago on charges unrelated to those that resulted in his Indiana conviction.

The public is cautioned that Robbins should be considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call Cook County’s tip line at 847-635-1188 or local law enforcement.

Sunday, February 03, 2013

Seth Ferrant's New Book "Gorilla Convict" Gives the Scoop on Prison Life and the Urban Gangster

Gorilla Convict: The Prison Writings of Seth Ferrantiis a selected compilation of Seth's work that has appeared on his long running blog at gorillaconvict.com. Online since 2005, the blog gives the scoop on street legends, the mafia, prison gangs, hip-hop and hustling and life in the belly of the beast.

What makes this collection so unique is that Seth writes his blog and stories from his cell block in the Federal Bureau of Prisons where he has spent nearly two decades in prison. He founded the Gorilla Convict web site from prison, and his intriguing and amazing stories have created a large and dedicated audience from prison.

From stories on Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff to Freeway Ricky Ross to 50 Cent to Miami rapper Rick Ross and everything in between, Seth has become one of the most prolific and influential prison writers of the last decade. He has written feature articles for street magazine like Don Diva and F.E.D.S., among others. Seth Ferranti is the voice of the convict, and the most potent voice for life on the streets.

Gorilla Convict gives the reader real, raw and in your face stories that have not been written from the mainstream news media point of view. They are written by a man who understands the criminal and convict codes and who lives and resides with the men he writes about in the belly of the beast. This collection of crime, prison and street lore is as inside as you can get. The men Seth writes about don't grant interviews, but they did with him because he has shared prison time with them and he has their trust.

Seth has also documented his prison journey in several other books that bring real life gangster tales to life. They include Street Legends Vol. 1 and 2 and The Supreme Team: The Birth of Crack and Hip-Hop, Prince's Reign of Terror, and the Supreme/50 Cent Beef Exposed.

Seth Ferranti is not an historian or a member of law enforcement or a reporter for a daily newspaper. He is a storyteller with access to the men who have inspired Hollywood, hip-hop and popular culture. And he weaves their stories honestly and dramatically.

Friday, February 01, 2013

Dixie Mafia to Air on Saturday, February 2nd

DIXIE MAFIA, airing Saturday, February 2 at 10PM ET/PT, is a one-hour special that tells the true story of Mississippi's battles with organized crime. Responsible for dozens of murders and countless other crimes, the Dixie Mafia rose to power in Biloxi during the 1960’s, and their reign of terror lasted decades. Now their torch has been taken up by a new gang, equally corrupt and equally dangerous. DIXIE MAFIA shows the rise and fall of real American gangsters, taking viewers into the lives of the crime bosses, organization members and law enforcement officers that still battle in America's deep south.

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