Defendants Plead Guilty in Manhattan Federal Court to Participating in Racketeering Conspiracy with Russian-American Organized Crime Enterprise Operating International Sportsbook and to Participating in a Gambling Ring

Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Vadim Trincher pled guilty today in Manhattan federal court to participating in a racketeering conspiracy in connection with his role as a member of a Russian-American organized crime enterprise. Vadim Trincher’s son, Eugene Trincher, also pled guilty today to operating an illegal gambling business. Vadim Trincher and Eugene Trincher were charged in April 2013 along with 32 other alleged members and associates of two Russian-American organized crime enterprises in an indictment that included racketeering, money laundering, extortion, and various gambling offenses. They pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said, “Vadim Trincher played a critical role in the Taiwanchik-Trincher Organization—by helping both to launder tens of millions of dollars in proceeds from the organization’s sportsbook and to run the illegal gambling business. His son Eugene ran a high-stakes illegal card game in New York City for more than two years. We will not stop until, like Vadim and Eugene Trincher, everyone involved in this international crime ring is held to account.”

According to the indictment, other documents filed in Manhattan federal court, and statements made at various proceedings in this case, including today’s guilty pleas:

The Taiwanchik-Trincher Organization is a nationwide criminal enterprise with strong ties to Russia and Ukraine. The leadership of the organization ran an international sportsbook that catered primarily to Russian oligarchs living in Russia and Ukraine and throughout the world. The Taiwanchik-Trincher Organization laundered tens of millions of dollars in proceeds from the gambling operation from Russia and the Ukraine through shell companies and bank accounts in Cyprus, and from Cyprus into the United States. Once the money arrived in the United States, it was either laundered through additional shell companies or invested in seemingly legitimate investments, such as hedge funds or real estate. Vadim Trincher was a U.S.-based participant in the enterprise. As part of his plea, Vadim Trincher acknowledged that he, in furtherance of the Taiwanchik-Trincher Organization, laundered the proceeds of the organization’s international sportsbook and assisted in the operation of the illegal gambling business.

Eugene Trincher ran a high-stakes illegal poker game in New York City from 2010 through April 2013. At these games, the pots frequently reached tens of thousands of dollars or more. The operators of these poker games, including Eugene Trincher, collected percentages of the pots known as "rakes." Each of the poker games employed at least five or more people to assist with the operation of the poker games, payments of debts, and collection of debts.

* * *

Vadim Trincher, 52, of New York, New York, faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and three years of supervised release. As part of his plea agreement, Vadim Trincher agreed to forfeit cash and property worth over $20 million. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Furman on March 20, 2014, at 3:45 p.m.

Eugene Trincher, 27, of Beverly Hills, California, faces a maximum of five years in prison and three years of supervised release. As part of his plea agreement, Eugene Trincher agreed to forfeit the proceeds of his illegal gambling business. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Furman on March 24, 2014, at 3:00 p.m.

Vadim Trincher is the 15th defendant in this case to plead guilty. Eugene Trincher is the 16th defendant in this case to plead guilty. The following defendants previously pled guilty and await sentencing:

• Bryan Zuriff pled guilty to gambling charges on July 26, 2013
• William Barbalat pled guilty to gambling charges on August 14, 2013
• Kirill Rapoport pled guilty to gambling charges on August 16, 2013
• Edwin Ting and Justin Smith pled guilty to gambling charges on September 4, 2013
• Dmitry Druzhinsky and David Aaron pled guilty to gambling charges on October 4, 2013
• Alexander Zaverukha pled guilty to gambling charges on October 10, 2013
• Nicholas Hirsch pled guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud on October 16, 2013
• Anatoly Shteyngrab pled guilty to conspiring to commit money laundering on October 17, 2013
• Yugeshwar Rajkumar pled guilty to gambling charges on October 18, 2013
• Stan Greenberg pled guilty to conspiring to commit racketeering on October 22, 2013
• Arthur Azen pled guilty to conspiring to commit money laundering and conspiring to collect extensions of credit by extortionate means on November 5, 2013
• Hillel Nahmad pled guilty to gambling charges on November 12, 2013.

Mr. Bharara praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York City Police Department, and Internal Revenue Service.

The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harris M. Fischman, Joshua A. Naftalis, Peter Skinner, and Kristy J. Greenberg of the Organized Crime Unit are in charge of the prosecution. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander Wilson and Christine Magdo of the Office’s Asset Forfeiture Unit are responsible for the forfeiture aspects of the case.

Follow the FBI’s New York Office on Twitter. Sign up for our e-mail alerts to receive the latest information from the FBI’s New York Office on breaking news, arrests, and fugitives.