528:
aquarium store owned by
Kadamovas and Mikhel. Kharabadze arrived at the store and was then handcuffed to a chair by Mikhel. He was ordered to call Safiev and to convince him to come to the store. Safiev arrived and was taken prisoner. Both hostages were then taken to Kadamovas' house, where they made Safiev call another business partner of his and plead with him to transfer $ 940,000 to a foreign account. Kharabadze and Safiev remained imprisoned in the house for four days. While held captive, Kadamovas recorded Safiev's voice, planning to use the recordings to extort more money in the future. Mikhel eventually confirmed receipt of the $ 940,000, and then decided to kill the two men. They forced both the victims to drink vodka and then took them to the reservoir in two cars. Mikhel killed Kharabadze at the reservoir by placing a plastic bag over his head and tightening a plastic tie around his throat. A weight was then tied to Kharabadze's body and he was thrown off a bridge into the reservoir. The same thing then happened to Safiev.
582:
also received a substantial assistance specification in exchange for her cooperation. Prosecutors sought an 11-year sentence for
Solovyeva, citing her assistance, but she was sentenced to 15 years in prison, with the judge saying that she had been promised a new BMW if she participated in the kidnappings and that two men would "probably be alive today" had she not taken part. During the hearing, apologized in Russian, saying through a translator "I would like to say over and over again how sorry I am for what I did. I am sorry for all the victims. I know I made a terrible choice I will regret for all my life." Prosecutor Susan DeWitt said that Solovyeva had been controlled and manipulated by Kadamovas. The two also had a child together. Ruven Umansky, the father of victim Alexander Umansky, said he didn't believe Solovyeva had been entirely honest. "She did until the end help abduct and kill people," he said. Soloyeva was released from prison on July 8, 2015.
498:. In December 2001, the pair abducted Safiev's financial advisor, 39-year-old Rita Pekler, who was pregnant at the time. Kadamovas had contacted Pekler pretending to be interested in real estate transaction. She was lured to his Sherman Oaks home where Mikhel, armed with a handgun and stun gun, was waiting with two other accomplices. When Pekler arrived, Mikhel restrained her and told her to contact Safiev. She made contact but Safiev told her he was too busy to meet. Pekler was then injected with diphenhydramine and strangled to death. Her body was also thrown off the Parrotts Ferry Bridge into the reservoir.
578:
leading the police to the bodies and becoming a key witness against
Kadamovas and Mikhel, Altmanis received a substantial assistance specification, allowing him to avoid an otherwise mandatory life sentence. Prosecutors recommended a 20-year sentence, but he was sentenced to 23 years and 4 months in prison. During the hearing, Altmanis apologized, saying in Russian through a court translator "I got totally confused in this life. The life of the person I have become, I do not want it. Please forgive me."
31:
545:
Umansky's debit card to withdraw money from an ATM which had been captured on video by a surveillance camera. Mikhel had also used
Kharabadze's and Safiev's ATM cards to withdraw money and was caught on video from surveillance cameras once again. The FBI also searched the homes of both men and found physical evidence linking them to the crimes, including ransom notes and weapons.
507:
him. He had his keys, telephone, and wallet taken from him and was then questioned about his finances. Umansky was held captive in the house for three days, during which he was forced to call his brother and beg for money to secure his release. Kadamovas and Mikhel also sent the
Umansky family a ransom note demanding nearly $ 235,000. The family contacted the
793:
581:
Natalya
Solovyeva, the girlfriend of Kadamovas, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to take hostages resulting in death and two counts of hostage taking resulting in death. She had lured one of the victims to a bar, where he was abducted and forced to contact another man, who also became a victim. Solovyeva
506:
The third victim was 35-year-old
Alexander Umansky, who owned an automobile shop. In December 2001, Mikhel posed as a customer and pretended to need audio equipment installed in several cars. Umansky was lured to the home of Kadamovas where he was ambushed. Kadamovas sat him on a chair and handcuffed
392:
Documents related to the case allege the crew demanded a total of more than $ 5.5 million from relatives and associates, and received more than $ 1 million from victim's relatives. Prosecutors said the victims were killed regardless of whether the ransoms were paid. The bodies were tied with weights,
536:
Muscatel's body was found near the
Parrotts Ferry Bridge by fishermen. An accomplice of Kadamovas and Mikhel learned the FBI was investigating the case and were onto him. He decided to confess and cooperated with the FBI. He helped them find the bodies of the other four victims. The FBI wire-tapped
473:
In
October 2001, Kadamovas and Mikhel came up with a plan to lure and kidnap 58-year-old Meyer Muscatel, a local real-estate developer. Mikhel posed as a businessman interested in buying real estate. Muscatel was lured to Mikhel's house in Encino where Kadamovas and another accomplice were waiting.
589:
Petro Krylov, the only other defendant to go to trial, was convicted of conspiracy to commit hostage taking in death and three counts of hostage taking resulting in death. Federal prosecutors sought a death sentence for Krylov, but his attorneys convinced the jury to spare his life by arguing that
585:
Aleksejus
Markovskis, who stood guard over two of the victims during their abductions, pleaded guilty to counts of conspiracy to take hostages resulting in death. In exchange for his cooperation, he was granted a substantial assistance specification. Markovskis was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
527:
In January 2002, Kadamovas and Mikhel decided to target Safiev again, as he had returned from a trip and was back in Los Angeles. They planned to get him through his business partner, 29-year-old Nick Kharabadze. Kharabadze was contacted and asked to meet at a private club, which was actually the
577:
Ainar Altmanis, who admitted to participating in the kidnappings of Umansky, Kharabadze and Safiev, and that he took part in suffocating Umansky and Kharabadze, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to take hostages resulting in death and three counts of hostage taking resulting in death. In exchange for
518:
After receiving the money, Kadamovas and Mikhel decided to kill Umansky. Mikhel duct-taped Umansky's mouth shut and placed a bag over his head, while Kadamovas pinned him down and pinched his nose shut. They then twisted a rope around his neck and strangled him to death from behind. They tied a
544:
Other evidence linked the men to the murders. Muscatel's body had been carried to the edge of the Parrotts Ferry Bridge and was accidentally dropped on a curb where it had left blood stains. Kadamovas had also told a friend he had thrown a man off that bridge. Mikhel and an accomplice had used
474:
Muscatel was bound, handcuffed, duct-taped and pistol whipped in the head. His wallet and credit cards were taken and he was then questioned about his finances. Kadamovas and Mikhel attempted to withdraw money from his account but the bank account was frozen. Muscatel was then injected with
552:
investigator traced how the ransom payments were laundered. He discovered that the payments were laundered abroad before being deposited in accounts held by Kadamovas and Mikhel. In total, Kadamovas and Mikhel received over $ 1 million in ransom money from the kidnappings.
195:
590:
he'd participated in the murders out of duress. They said Mikhel and Kadamovas threatened to harm his family if he did not help them with their scheme. Krylov was sentenced to life without parole, and is serving his sentence at
568:
The guilty phase of this trial began in July 2006 and spanned five months. On January 17, 2007, the jury found both defendants guilty on all counts. On March 12, 2007, both men were sentenced to death. U.S. District Judge
511:, where they were advised to pay a part of the ransom. They later received a call in which other family members were threatened, forcing them to pay the rest of the money. The money was transferred to an account in the
573:
formally sentenced both men and called the murders brutal, adding that "the methods in which the individuals were killed, the perpetrators showed no mercy". The two were also ordered to forfeit over $ 1 million.
619:
726:
519:
weight plate around Umansky's body and put his corpse in Kadamovas’ van. They then drove to the New Melones Lake once again, where they threw Umansky's body off a bridge into the reservoir.
586:
After Soloyeva received a 15-year sentence, Markovskis had his sentence reduced to 12.5 years, since prosecutors said he was less culpable than her. He was released from prison in 2012.
1138:
602:
882:
537:
the phones of Kadamovas and Mikhel and recorded them discussing ransom money. They also secured data from their cellphones. The data showed both men had been driving north on
1010:
1202:
614:
478:
and pinned to the ground, where Mikhel placed a plastic bag over his head and suffocated him to death. Muscatel's body was then taken in Kadamovas’ van to the
1192:
565:. A federal grand jury indicted Kadamovas and Mikhel on multiple counts. The government filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against both men.
229:
624:
562:
664:
914:
734:
1197:
375:
686:
429:
1151:
644:
1055:
892:
861:
1104:
1030:
1207:
416:. Four others were sentenced for participating in the plot, receiving sentences ranging from 11 years to life imprisonment.
385:
and murders. The kidnappings occurred over a four-month period beginning in late 2001, in which the kidnappers demanded
261:
93:
1182:
919:
866:
706:
538:
449:
990:
759:
946:
780:"United States of America, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Iouri Mikhel & Jurijus Kadamovas, Defendant-Appellants"
441:
924:
1187:
1177:
711:
649:
398:
779:
456:. The men owned a joint business called Designed Water World, which was a fish aquarium store located on
821:
841:
597:
Both Kadamovas and Mikhel are currently on federal death row awaiting execution and are imprisoned at
512:
453:
445:
887:
413:
406:
257:
252:
107:
89:
84:
1156:
951:
764:
570:
457:
494:
Their next target was 37-year-old George Safiev, a wealthy Russian businessman who lived in
479:
394:
665:"Rare Federal Death Penalty Trial Begins for two Accused of Yosemite Kidnappings, Murders"
598:
475:
339:
171:
826:
61:
1171:
1134:
995:
966:
797:
495:
363:
359:
275:
265:
97:
691:
233:
65:
440:. Both men were foreign nationals who emigrated to the United States and lived in
30:
1015:
591:
402:
382:
319:
246:
151:
78:
727:"Two Soviet Emigrants Sentenced to Death in California for Yosemite Killings"
483:
433:
378:
367:
225:
1080:
194:
409:
under murder during a hostage-taking, (18 U.S.C. 1203), a federal crime.
258:
Conspiracy to commit hostage taking resulting in death (18 U.S.C. § 1203)
90:
Conspiracy to commit hostage taking resulting in death (18 U.S.C. § 1203)
425:
57:
947:"Federal jury finds businessmen guilty in kidnapping, killing of five"
386:
371:
967:"United States v. Mikhel, 889 F.3d 1003 | Casetext Search + Citator"
687:"Bring up the bodies: the retired couple who find drowning victims"
482:. The pair then tossed his body off Parrotts Ferry Bridge into the
796:
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the
645:"Two men sentenced to death in California reservoir bodies case"
437:
1105:"Man convicted in Russian kidnap, murder ring to be sentenced"
846:
620:
List of inmates at the United States Penitentiary, Terre Haute
549:
541:
toward the New Melones Lake on the days each victim had died.
508:
262:
Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments (18 U.S.C. § 1956)
94:
Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments (18 U.S.C. § 1956)
1152:"Death sentence upheld against 2 men in California killings"
915:"Trial to start soon in brutal series of kidnap-slayings"
432:, and Iouri Gherman Mikhel was born on April 9, 1965, in
16:
Lithuanians convicted of murder, on death row in the U.S.
883:"4 Immigrant Killings Linked to Russian Kidnapping Gang"
1031:"Man gets 23-year sentence for immigrant kidnappings"
787:
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
253:
Hostage taking resulting in death (18 U.S.C. § 1203)
85:
Hostage taking resulting in death (18 U.S.C. § 1203)
1081:"Man gets 15 years for Calif. ransom killings role"
822:"United States v. Mikhel, 07-99008 (9th Cir. 2018)"
424:Jurijus Kadamovas was born on October 22, 1966, in
335:
325:
313:
305:
295:
287:
282:
271:
266:
Conspiracy to escape from custody (18 U.S.C. § 371)
244:
204:
185:
167:
157:
145:
137:
127:
119:
114:
103:
98:
Conspiracy to escape from custody (18 U.S.C. § 371)
76:
40:
21:
667:. FoxNews.com. Associated Press. September 5, 2006
1056:"Lithuanian gets 12 years for kidnap-murder role"
842:"Five California bodies linked to Russian Mafia"
816:
814:
812:
810:
808:
806:
615:List of death row inmates in the United States
358:(born April 9, 1965) are Soviet-born American
412:On March 12, 2007, Kadamovas and Mikhel were
8:
862:"Report: Calif lake used in mob kidnap scam"
707:"Judge sentences 2 to death in murder case"
625:List of serial killers in the United States
1011:"Death sentence in Calif. ransom killings"
991:"Final Sentences Given in Ca. Kidnappings"
754:
752:
563:Metropolitan Detention Center, Los Angeles
193:
182:
29:
18:
760:"Victims' Families Sentenced to Silence"
636:
605:upheld their death sentences in 2018.
374:, respectively. They are currently on
1203:Soviet emigrants to the United States
7:
301:October 2001 – January 2002
133:October 2001 – January 2002
1193:Hostage taking in the United States
14:
523:Nick Kharabadze and George Safiev
881:Madigan, Nick (March 23, 2002).
791:
1198:Serial killers from California
603:Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
561:Both men were detained at the
1:
444:. They each owned a house in
354:(born October 22, 1966) and
920:The San Diego Union-Tribune
448:, with Kadamovas living in
1224:
867:United Press International
515:. The calls then stopped.
345:
240:
192:
177:
72:
28:
199:Mikhel before his arrest
1130:United States v. Mikhel
442:Los Angeles, California
712:Los Angeles Daily News
650:Orange County Register
399:Yosemite National Park
362:who immigrated to the
35:Kadamovas on death row
1208:Soviet serial killers
1135:889 F.3d 1003
452:and Mikhel living in
999:. February 21, 2008.
513:United Arab Emirates
356:Iouri Gherman Mikhel
209:Iouri Gherman Mikhel
955:. January 18, 2007.
768:. October 17, 2006.
695:. January 16, 2020.
446:San Fernando Valley
297:Span of crimes
129:Span of crimes
1183:American gangsters
927:on October 9, 2011
895:on October 6, 2016
888:The New York Times
414:sentenced to death
393:and dumped in the
336:Imprisoned at
168:Imprisoned at
1157:The Seattle Times
1141: 2018-05-09).
1019:. March 12, 2007.
952:Los Angeles Times
870:. March 20, 2002.
850:. March 21, 2002.
765:Los Angeles Times
737:on April 12, 2013
715:. March 13, 2007.
653:. March 12, 2007.
571:Dickran Tevrizian
502:Alexander Umansky
458:Ventura Boulevard
352:Jurijus Kadamovas
349:
348:
181:
180:
23:Jurijus Kadamovas
1215:
1162:
1161:
1148:
1142:
1132:
1126:
1120:
1119:
1117:
1116:
1101:
1095:
1094:
1092:
1091:
1077:
1071:
1070:
1068:
1067:
1052:
1046:
1045:
1043:
1042:
1027:
1021:
1020:
1007:
1001:
1000:
987:
981:
980:
978:
977:
963:
957:
956:
943:
937:
936:
934:
932:
923:. Archived from
911:
905:
904:
902:
900:
891:. Archived from
878:
872:
871:
858:
852:
851:
838:
832:
831:
818:
801:
795:
794:
790:
784:
776:
770:
769:
756:
747:
746:
744:
742:
733:. Archived from
723:
717:
716:
703:
697:
696:
683:
677:
676:
674:
672:
661:
655:
654:
641:
480:New Melones Lake
395:New Melones Lake
327:Date apprehended
316:
278:(March 12, 2007)
272:Criminal penalty
249:
222:
218:
216:
197:
183:
159:Date apprehended
148:
110:(March 12, 2007)
104:Criminal penalty
81:
54:
51:October 22, 1966
50:
48:
33:
19:
1223:
1222:
1218:
1217:
1216:
1214:
1213:
1212:
1168:
1167:
1166:
1165:
1150:
1149:
1145:
1128:
1127:
1123:
1114:
1112:
1103:
1102:
1098:
1089:
1087:
1079:
1078:
1074:
1065:
1063:
1054:
1053:
1049:
1040:
1038:
1029:
1028:
1024:
1009:
1008:
1004:
989:
988:
984:
975:
973:
965:
964:
960:
945:
944:
940:
930:
928:
913:
912:
908:
898:
896:
880:
879:
875:
860:
859:
855:
840:
839:
835:
820:
819:
804:
792:
782:
778:
777:
773:
758:
757:
750:
740:
738:
725:
724:
720:
705:
704:
700:
685:
684:
680:
670:
668:
663:
662:
658:
643:
642:
638:
633:
611:
599:USP Terre Haute
559:
534:
525:
504:
492:
476:diphenhydramine
471:
466:
422:
340:USP Terre Haute
328:
314:
298:
264:
260:
256:
245:
236:
223:
220:
214:
212:
211:
210:
200:
188:
172:USP Terre Haute
160:
146:
130:
96:
92:
88:
77:
68:
55:
52:
46:
44:
36:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1221:
1219:
1211:
1210:
1205:
1200:
1195:
1190:
1185:
1180:
1170:
1169:
1164:
1163:
1160:. May 9, 2018.
1143:
1121:
1096:
1072:
1047:
1035:East Bay Times
1022:
1002:
982:
958:
938:
906:
873:
853:
833:
830:. May 9, 2018.
827:Court Listener
802:
789:. May 9, 2018.
771:
748:
718:
698:
678:
656:
635:
634:
632:
629:
628:
627:
622:
617:
610:
607:
558:
555:
533:
530:
524:
521:
503:
500:
491:
488:
470:
469:Meyer Muscatel
467:
465:
462:
421:
418:
360:serial killers
347:
346:
343:
342:
337:
333:
332:
329:
326:
323:
322:
317:
311:
310:
307:
303:
302:
299:
296:
293:
292:
289:
285:
284:
280:
279:
273:
269:
268:
250:
242:
241:
238:
237:
224:
208:
206:
202:
201:
198:
190:
189:
186:
179:
178:
175:
174:
169:
165:
164:
161:
158:
155:
154:
149:
143:
142:
139:
135:
134:
131:
128:
125:
124:
121:
117:
116:
112:
111:
105:
101:
100:
82:
74:
73:
70:
69:
62:Lithuanian SSR
56:
42:
38:
37:
34:
26:
25:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1220:
1209:
1206:
1204:
1201:
1199:
1196:
1194:
1191:
1189:
1188:Criminal duos
1186:
1184:
1181:
1179:
1178:Living people
1176:
1175:
1173:
1159:
1158:
1153:
1147:
1144:
1140:
1136:
1131:
1125:
1122:
1110:
1106:
1100:
1097:
1086:
1082:
1076:
1073:
1061:
1057:
1051:
1048:
1036:
1032:
1026:
1023:
1018:
1017:
1012:
1006:
1003:
998:
997:
996:The Oklahoman
992:
986:
983:
972:
968:
962:
959:
954:
953:
948:
942:
939:
926:
922:
921:
916:
910:
907:
894:
890:
889:
884:
877:
874:
869:
868:
863:
857:
854:
849:
848:
843:
837:
834:
829:
828:
823:
817:
815:
813:
811:
809:
807:
803:
799:
798:public domain
788:
781:
775:
772:
767:
766:
761:
755:
753:
749:
736:
732:
728:
722:
719:
714:
713:
708:
702:
699:
694:
693:
688:
682:
679:
666:
660:
657:
652:
651:
646:
640:
637:
630:
626:
623:
621:
618:
616:
613:
612:
608:
606:
604:
600:
595:
593:
587:
583:
579:
575:
572:
566:
564:
556:
554:
551:
546:
542:
540:
532:Investigation
531:
529:
522:
520:
516:
514:
510:
501:
499:
497:
496:Beverly Hills
489:
487:
485:
481:
477:
468:
463:
461:
459:
455:
451:
447:
443:
439:
435:
431:
427:
419:
417:
415:
410:
408:
407:death penalty
404:
400:
396:
390:
388:
384:
380:
377:
373:
369:
365:
364:United States
361:
357:
353:
344:
341:
338:
334:
331:February 2002
330:
324:
321:
318:
312:
309:United States
308:
304:
300:
294:
290:
286:
281:
277:
274:
270:
267:
263:
259:
254:
251:
248:
247:Conviction(s)
243:
239:
235:
231:
227:
221:(age 59)
219:April 9, 1965
207:
203:
196:
191:
184:
176:
173:
170:
166:
163:February 2002
162:
156:
153:
150:
144:
141:United States
140:
136:
132:
126:
122:
118:
113:
109:
106:
102:
99:
95:
91:
86:
83:
80:
79:Conviction(s)
75:
71:
67:
63:
59:
53:(age 57)
43:
39:
32:
27:
20:
1155:
1146:
1129:
1124:
1113:. Retrieved
1111:. 2008-01-11
1108:
1099:
1088:. Retrieved
1084:
1075:
1064:. Retrieved
1062:. 2008-04-21
1060:Daily Breeze
1059:
1050:
1039:. Retrieved
1037:. 2008-02-21
1034:
1025:
1014:
1005:
994:
985:
974:. Retrieved
971:casetext.com
970:
961:
950:
941:
929:. Retrieved
925:the original
918:
909:
899:February 28,
897:. Retrieved
893:the original
886:
876:
865:
856:
845:
836:
825:
786:
774:
763:
739:. Retrieved
735:the original
730:
721:
710:
701:
692:The Guardian
690:
681:
669:. Retrieved
659:
648:
639:
596:
588:
584:
580:
576:
567:
560:
547:
543:
535:
526:
517:
505:
493:
472:
450:Sherman Oaks
423:
411:
391:
355:
351:
350:
234:Soviet Union
230:Russian SFSR
187:Iouri Mikhel
66:Soviet Union
731:Russian Spy
490:Rita Pekler
405:sought the
403:prosecutors
383:kidnappings
1172:Categories
1115:2022-02-09
1109:Daily News
1090:2022-03-23
1066:2022-03-23
1041:2022-03-23
1016:Boston.com
976:2022-01-17
631:References
592:USP Canaan
539:Highway 99
420:Background
401:. Federal
320:California
255:(3 counts)
215:1965-04-09
152:California
87:(3 counts)
47:1966-10-22
931:30 August
741:30 August
671:August 8,
484:reservoir
434:Leningrad
430:Lithuania
381:for five
379:death row
368:Lithuania
226:Leningrad
1139:9th Cir.
1085:NBC News
609:See also
315:State(s)
147:State(s)
464:Murders
426:Vilnius
376:federal
306:Country
288:Victims
283:Details
138:Country
120:Victims
115:Details
58:Vilnius
1137: (
1133:,
601:. The
454:Encino
387:ransom
372:Russia
783:(PDF)
557:Trial
397:near
366:from
276:Death
108:Death
933:2020
901:2021
743:2020
673:2020
438:USSR
370:and
205:Born
41:Born
847:CNN
550:IRS
548:An
509:FBI
1174::
1154:.
1107:.
1083:.
1058:.
1033:.
1013:.
993:.
969:.
949:.
917:.
885:.
864:.
844:.
824:.
805:^
785:.
762:.
751:^
729:.
709:.
689:.
647:.
594:.
486:.
460:.
436:,
428:,
389:.
232:,
228:,
217:)
64:,
60:,
49:)
1118:.
1093:.
1069:.
1044:.
979:.
935:.
903:.
800:.
745:.
675:.
291:5
213:(
123:5
45:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
