Georgian Organized Crime Boss and Associates Sentenced in New York for Extortion Scheme

A Georgian organized crime boss along with his associates have been sentenced for their involvement in an extortion scheme, as announced by the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Matthew Podolsky.

According to the press release, Vazha Gabadadze, who bears the distinction of a “vor v zakone,” governed a crew that practiced violent extortion, imposing their will upon a victim whom they followed from the Republic of Georgia to the U.S.

The final defendant in the case Teimuraz Tavberidze, was sentenced to a 21-month prison term after a December conviction.

His accomplices Kakha Katsadze, and Davit Tikaradze received sentences ranging from 12 to 30 months.

These convictions came as a result of FBI diligence and the prosecutorial efforts of the General Crimes Unit.

Podolsky acknowledged the defendants’ use of brutal measures, they threatened to harm the victim and his family to extract thousands of dollars.

Gabadadze, a figure of authority within Eastern European crime syndicates, initially demanded $15,000 from a man in Georgia, claiming it was a debt owed by the victim’s friend.

The victim subsequently relocated to the U.S., with Gabadadze and his associates pursuing him and resuming their threatening behavior.

Their tactics included visceral threats of violence, promising the victim would suffer broken bones and mutilations unless the demanded payments were made, as detailed by the same press release.

Each member of Gabadadze’s group had a role in exacting the extortion.

While Tavberidze was the one who directly interacted with and threatened the victim, Katsadze handled the payment collections, and Tikaradze issued threats as well.

The culprits successfully extorted around $19,000 before justice intervened.

Podolsky’s team, together with the FBI, brought these men to account for preying on their victim with threats and intimidations, disrupting the network of fear they had cast.

Gabadadze and Katsadze pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act extortion, while Tikaradze and Tavberidze were convicted of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion, with Tavberidze also being convicted of Hobbs Act extortion itself. The cross-agency collaboration, which included U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the New York City Police Department, was pivotal in the success of this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Getzel Berger, Varun Gumaste, Chelsea Scism, and Daniel Richenthal handled the prosecution, as per the U.S. Attorney’s Office.