In January 2005 the rumours were true. The Russian Mafia arrived - and hit Liberty City with ruthless aggression. Within days more and more unsavoury looking Russians were seen on the streets all over Liberty. Their main dealing was in weapons trade but unlike the old school Mafia who dealt in mainly gambling, prostitution, narcotics and the like, there was there was nothing the Russians weren't involved in.
Computer hacking, insurance fraud, money laundering, hijacking, contract killings – you name it. White collar criminals posing as businessmen are known to set up respectable fronts to cover up a wide range of criminal activity they cover.
Originally they flourished in Soviet Russia where anything could be bought on the black market. It was only when communism collapsed in the late 80's the Mafia emerged from the dark world where syndicated crime was organised in Russia. After years of operating under communism, the Mafia was more organised than the political groups in power. They were truly a force to be reckoned with.
These Russians were not your regular criminals; these desperados were out to get every cent out there. At the top if the Mafia ladder are the "vory y zakonye" or "Vor" for short. There men are the major wheeler-dealers, the men who rub shoulders with the great and good of Russia's political and social scene.
The head honcho of the Russians in Liberty was a shadowy figure known as Vladimir Jerkhoff. Vladimir was born in 1948 in Ukraine, despite having a degree in economics; he shunned life as a civil servant and turned to crime. He emerged in criminal world in early 1970 where he was part of a gang operating in Moscow. He saw an opening when the hard-line government lifted the immigration controls on Jews who wanted to leave the county and live in Israel. Vladimir offered to buy their assets for hard currency – a pittance, but enough for them to start a new life. Vladimir made a vast profit from the sale. With the profits he went into business with fellow Russian mobster Nikolai Vanka and began dealing in arms.
By now he was probably the most powerful gangster Europe had ever known. His tentacles reached out far - Brothels in Paris, Illegal Bookies in Rome, drug running in London, smuggling in France and much more.
Vladimir prospered and it came to a point where he became one of the men who was know to be able to supply nuclear materials not only to terrorist groups, but developing world governments. He is also know to have links and business dealings to a shadowy figure known as "Darkel" in Liberty City supplying him with a vast amount of arms around 2001.
He had his sights America, much money was to be made. Immediately the Russians moved in on the Leones, Forellis and even the Triads action. They were moving too fast for the families. Before they knew it they were losing territory all over the city. Gangland murder rates skyrocketed and the families were losing men rapidly.
Joey Leone called a meeting with the Giorgio Forelli in early 2006. They met at the mansion in St Marks and Joey proposed a deal. The Russians were too strong, at this rate the families will have nothing left. They needed to work together if they were going to defeat this threat.
Joey wanted to reunite the families, Leone and Forelli one again, like their grandfathers. Giorgio agreed. They shook hands and the blood feud between the Forellis and Leones for the past 30 years was over.