Last year, middleweight contender Avtandil Khurtsidze (33-2-2, 22
KOs) was on the verge of a mandatory world title shot, when he knocked
out Tommy Langford in April to secure a crack at WBO world champion
Billy Joe Saunders.
But before he was able to get his hands on Saunders, the hard
punching Khurtsidze, 39-years-old, was arrested as a part of a RICO
prosecution - with allegations that he worked as an "enforcer"
to Brooklyn mob boss Razhden Shulaya.
On Monday, the boxer's racketeering trial began.
Khurtsidze has been in federal lockup since his arrest and faces as a much as 40 years if convicted.
“Shulaya acted as the boss and Khurtsidze acted as his solider,”
prosecutor Andrew Thomas told the jury, according to the New York Post.
Khurtsidze’s lawyer, Megan Benett, said the two men knew each other
from their days in post-Soviet Georgia and that they “socialized
together” — but they were not associates in a criminal organization.
But the video evidence may create some issues for Khurtsidze.
The prosecutors indicated to the jury, that several videos in their
possession will show the boxer threatening or assaulting people on
behalf of Shulaya.
In one video, as BoxingScene.com reported last year, Khurtsidze is
seen punching a man directly in the face after he is accused of stealing
money from a Brighton Beach poker ring Shulaya allegedly ran. Shulaya
then slaps to the man’s face and tell him he had better pay up or suffer
the consequences.
“You will hear threat after threat after threat,” Thomas said of Khurtsidze.
The organization, which Khurtsidze is alleged to have been a part of,
is being accused of running several illegal operations - including the
buying and selling untaxed cigarettes, running an illegal poker ring
that cheated its players and hacking the code on slot machine software
so that members of the organization could rig the winnings.
Link:
WBO world boxing champ Avtandil Khurtsidze arrested by US over connections with Russian mafia
Georgian boxer Avtandil Khurtsidze, who was to compete for the WBO
middleweight title against British Billy Joe Saunders on July 8, was
arrested. He is suspected of having links with the criminal group of
thief in law Raden Shulaya, known in the criminal world under the
nicknames Razhden Pitersky, Roma and Brat.
As reported by the portal Boxing News referring to promoter of the
battle Frank Warren, Khurtsidze was among the 33 alleged members of the
organized crime group, 23 of whom were detained by the police of New
York.
Earlier, the CrimeRussia quoted the official report of the US Justice
Department, which published a list of detainees. Avtandil Khurtsidze was
the 18th number.
Another five members of the OCG are currently on the wanted list. They
are Mamuka Chaganava, Semyon Saraidarov (Sammy), Irakli Kereselidze,
Georgy Lomishvili and Denis Savgir. Another, Timur Suyunov, is already
serving time in a federal prison for another crime.
"Under such circumstances, Khurtsidze's fight with Saunders, scheduled
for July 8, can not be held on the appointed day. Promoter of the
Georgian boxer Lu DiBella said that he will not be able to come to this
moment," Warren said. He added that the issue of adjourning the fight is
now being considered.
Khurtsidze himself hastened in his Facebook account to report that the
incident is a big mistake, and he himself is not guilty of anything.
Recall that all members of the organized crime group have already been
charged with a number of crimes ranging from smuggling cigarettes,
stealing goods, including 10.000 pounds (4.5 tons) of chocolate and
confectionery, drug possession, racketeering, selling stolen and giving
bribes to the organization of illegal gambling, storage and sale of
weapons, looting, drug trafficking and contract killings.
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