Assistant Director in Charge Janice K. Fedarcyk Announces Two Leaders of Violent Albanian Organized Crime Group Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court to Life Plus 55 Years’ Imprisonment
Defendants Convicted of Two Murders, Three Kidnappings, Racketeering, and Other Offenses Sentenced to Life Terms

Brothers Bruno Kransniqi and Saimir Kransniqi, leaders of a violent Albanian organized crime group, were sentenced today to life imprisonment for their commission of numerous crimes, including racketeering, two murders, kidnapping, narcotics trafficking, arson, robbery, extortion, obstruction of justice, interstate transportation of stolen narcotics, and possession and use of firearms. The Kransniqis were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Katherine B. Forrest.

According to the trial evidence and other documents filed in the case:

Bruno Kransniqi and Saimir Kransniqi led a racketeering enterprise (the “Krasniqi Organization”) that engaged in murder, kidnapping, narcotics trafficking, extortion, robbery, arson, obstruction of justice, and interstate transportation of stolen goods. The Krasniqi Organization operated in New York, Michigan, and Connecticut, among other locations.

Among other offenses, Bruno Krasniqi and Saimir Krasniqi were convicted of two separate homicides. On July 17, 2005, Erion Shehu, a member of a rival Albanian drug crew, was murdered outside a Queens café in a drive-by-shooting carried out by the Krasniqi Organization. On the night of the murder, Saimir Krasniqi parked in front of Shehu’s car, trapping him inside. Bruno Krasniqi and another member of the organization then shot Shehu approximately 11 times with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun and a .22 caliber handgun equipped with a silencer. Shehu died of multiple gunshot wounds shortly thereafter.

The murder of Erion Shehu was the result of a turf battle with a rival Albanian drug gang that the Krasniqi Organization had robbed at gunpoint of approximately 20 pounds of marijuana. Approximately two weeks prior to the murder of Shehu, members of the Krasniqi Organization, including Bruno Krasniqi and Saimir Krasniqi, kidnapped another member of the rival drug gang, Neritan Kocareli, at gunpoint, pistol-whipped him, and threatened to kill him if he did not disclose the locations of other members of his narcotics crew.

On January 13, 2006, the Kransniqis executed Erenick Grezda, a member of their organization, because they believed he had previously set Bruno Krasniqi up to be kidnapped by rival drug dealers from whom Bruno Krasniqi had stolen $250,000 worth of marijuana. Grezda was shot twice in the head while he was sitting in an SUV that belonged to another member of the organization. Following the murder, the Kransniqis and other organization members drove the SUV to New Jersey, where they set it on fire in an attempt to destroy evidence inside.

In addition to these crimes, the Kransniqis were convicted of participating in two other kidnappings. In 2003, members of the Krasniqi organization kidnapped a victim in Michigan at gunpoint and threatened to kill him because they believed he had disrespected one of their members. In July 2005, members of the Krasniqi Organization kidnapped and shot at a victim in Staten Island as part of a dispute with yet another Albanian drug gang.

The Kransniqis were also convicted of conspiring to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana, conspiring to commit extortion, two counts of firearms possession and use, including possession of a firearm with a silencer, and obstruction of justice.

ADIC Fedarcyk praised the work of the FBI’s Balkan Organized Crime Task Force and U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.