Post by Anja Nieser on Sept 5, 2006 9:33:41 GMT -5
CALIFORNIA----re: federal death penalty to be sought
Feds to seek death penalty in case of body dumps near Yosemite
The demands of the kidnappers were simple: Pay the ransom and the
hostages would be freed.
But prosecutors said the crew of Russian immigrants killed their hostages
anyway - even after collecting $1 million from some of the victims'
relatives.
More than 4 years after the 5 bodies were found in a reservoir north
of Yosemite National Park, opening statements are expected this week in
the federal trial of 2 men accused of orchestrating the crimes.
It's a rare instance in which federal prosecutors are seeking the death
penalty.
"Regardless of whether the ransom money defendants demanded was paid or
not, each of the defendants' victims met the same fate," prosecutors said
in court documents. "Defendants brutally murdered each one of them."
Iouri Mikhel, 41, and Jurijus Kadamovas, 39, have pleaded not guilty to
charges that include conspiracy and hostage-taking resulting in death. A
third defendant, Petro Krylov, 33, is scheduled for trial in January after
denying the allegations.
3 other coconspirators have pleaded guilty to similar charges. One is
the girlfriend of Kadamovas, who will likely testify during the upcoming
trial.
Authorities suspect the ring had links to Russian organized crime, but it
appears prosecutors won't raise that issue during trial because no
racketeering charges have been filed.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys declined to comment about the case.
The indictment, however, provides a detailed look at the kidnappings that
occurred over a frenzied four-month period beginning in late 2001.
The documents allege the crew demanded a total of more than $5.5 million
from relatives and associates of the victims, and eventually collected
about $1.2 million that was used to buy expensive cars and make mortgage
payments on luxury homes.
Mikhel used $2,500 to put a down payment on two Doberman pinschers to
guard his house, the documents state.
At trial, prosecutors intend to present tape recordings of ransom calls;
DNA belonging to two victims collected from handcuffs; and a pair of shoes
that were matched to a bloody footprint found on a bridge near the
reservoir.
The scheme began when Mikhel and Kadamovas targeted George Safiev, 37, a
wealthy Russian banking mogul who had recently moved to Los Angeles to
start Matador Media, a film production company, the documents state.
But after several failed abduction attempts and discussions about staging
a car accident, the kidnappers turned their attention to real estate
developer Meyer Muscatel, according to the documents.
Mikhel is accused of posing as a possible investor and luring Muscatel to
what was billed as a business meeting in October 2001. Kidnappers killed
him after they were unable to get money from his bank accounts, the
documents state.
His body was weighted down and dumped over a bridge along the New Melones
Reservoir. It was discovered a few days later, hands bound and a plastic
bag over his head.
Prosecutors wrote that Safiev's accountant, Rita Peckler, was abducted and
killed two months later when she was unable to lead the crew to Safiev.
The next victim was Alexander Umansky, who owned a car accessory business
that once employed Krylov. Umansky was killed after his family paid more
than $230,000 for his release, documents state, adding the crew sought
even more money after his death, promising he would be returned alive.
Prosecutors wrote that Safiev was finally snared in early 2002 after his
business partner, Nick Kharabadze, was abducted and forced to arrange a
meeting with Safiev. Another business associate transferred $960,000 to a
bank account that authorities said was controlled by the kidnappers.
Still, Safiev and Kharabadze were killed and dumped into the reservoir
after being told they would be left alive at a motel, the documents state.
Authorities learned the location of the bodies after arresting a
coconspirator who later pleaded guilty in connection with the case.
Autopsies determined all the victims were either asphyxiated or strangled.
As authorities closed in, members of the crew flew to Aspen, Colo., a
playground for the rich, and planned a trip to Florida to attend a yacht
show to identify other possible victims, documents show.
Before his arrest, Kadamovas told one suspected accomplice that more
bodies would be dumped in the reservoir and eventually "'stacked on top of
each other,'" according to the court documents.
(source: Associated Press)
Feds to seek death penalty in case of body dumps near Yosemite
The demands of the kidnappers were simple: Pay the ransom and the
hostages would be freed.
But prosecutors said the crew of Russian immigrants killed their hostages
anyway - even after collecting $1 million from some of the victims'
relatives.
More than 4 years after the 5 bodies were found in a reservoir north
of Yosemite National Park, opening statements are expected this week in
the federal trial of 2 men accused of orchestrating the crimes.
It's a rare instance in which federal prosecutors are seeking the death
penalty.
"Regardless of whether the ransom money defendants demanded was paid or
not, each of the defendants' victims met the same fate," prosecutors said
in court documents. "Defendants brutally murdered each one of them."
Iouri Mikhel, 41, and Jurijus Kadamovas, 39, have pleaded not guilty to
charges that include conspiracy and hostage-taking resulting in death. A
third defendant, Petro Krylov, 33, is scheduled for trial in January after
denying the allegations.
3 other coconspirators have pleaded guilty to similar charges. One is
the girlfriend of Kadamovas, who will likely testify during the upcoming
trial.
Authorities suspect the ring had links to Russian organized crime, but it
appears prosecutors won't raise that issue during trial because no
racketeering charges have been filed.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys declined to comment about the case.
The indictment, however, provides a detailed look at the kidnappings that
occurred over a frenzied four-month period beginning in late 2001.
The documents allege the crew demanded a total of more than $5.5 million
from relatives and associates of the victims, and eventually collected
about $1.2 million that was used to buy expensive cars and make mortgage
payments on luxury homes.
Mikhel used $2,500 to put a down payment on two Doberman pinschers to
guard his house, the documents state.
At trial, prosecutors intend to present tape recordings of ransom calls;
DNA belonging to two victims collected from handcuffs; and a pair of shoes
that were matched to a bloody footprint found on a bridge near the
reservoir.
The scheme began when Mikhel and Kadamovas targeted George Safiev, 37, a
wealthy Russian banking mogul who had recently moved to Los Angeles to
start Matador Media, a film production company, the documents state.
But after several failed abduction attempts and discussions about staging
a car accident, the kidnappers turned their attention to real estate
developer Meyer Muscatel, according to the documents.
Mikhel is accused of posing as a possible investor and luring Muscatel to
what was billed as a business meeting in October 2001. Kidnappers killed
him after they were unable to get money from his bank accounts, the
documents state.
His body was weighted down and dumped over a bridge along the New Melones
Reservoir. It was discovered a few days later, hands bound and a plastic
bag over his head.
Prosecutors wrote that Safiev's accountant, Rita Peckler, was abducted and
killed two months later when she was unable to lead the crew to Safiev.
The next victim was Alexander Umansky, who owned a car accessory business
that once employed Krylov. Umansky was killed after his family paid more
than $230,000 for his release, documents state, adding the crew sought
even more money after his death, promising he would be returned alive.
Prosecutors wrote that Safiev was finally snared in early 2002 after his
business partner, Nick Kharabadze, was abducted and forced to arrange a
meeting with Safiev. Another business associate transferred $960,000 to a
bank account that authorities said was controlled by the kidnappers.
Still, Safiev and Kharabadze were killed and dumped into the reservoir
after being told they would be left alive at a motel, the documents state.
Authorities learned the location of the bodies after arresting a
coconspirator who later pleaded guilty in connection with the case.
Autopsies determined all the victims were either asphyxiated or strangled.
As authorities closed in, members of the crew flew to Aspen, Colo., a
playground for the rich, and planned a trip to Florida to attend a yacht
show to identify other possible victims, documents show.
Before his arrest, Kadamovas told one suspected accomplice that more
bodies would be dumped in the reservoir and eventually "'stacked on top of
each other,'" according to the court documents.
(source: Associated Press)