Vyacheslav Ivankov killers jailed

Vyacheslav Ivankov, alias Yaponchik or 'The Little Japanese' was shot in the abdomen by sniper fire as he left a glitzy Thai restaurant in the Russian capital. He died from his wounds several months later, in October 2009, aged 69. Murtazi Shadaniya, Dzhambul Dzhanashiya and Kakha Gazzayev were charged in Ivankov's murder. They carried out the killing at the behest of a rival mob boss. They received between 13 and 16 years at a strict regime penal colony. Mastermind Ilya Simoniya has fled Russia. An international warrant has been issued for his arrest.

Ivankov was a notorious Russian mafia boss and thief in law.

Vyacheslav Ivankov reigned over the Russian community of Brighton Beach in Brooklyn, New York. It was described as 'ground zero for Russian mafia in the United States'. Ivankov was a partner of 'Boss of all Bosses' Semion Mogilevich. After serving a nine-year sentence in a U.S. prison, Ivankov was released in 2004 and deported to Russia. He was said to have connections with Russian state intelligence.

See ----->Semion Mogilevich - 'Boss of Bosses'