Thread: KGB and Russian mafia

Is there a connection between the Mafia and the KGB. It's just a theory I heard spouted once not really sure if it's true but I'm doing an essay on the subject and if there is some valididity it might be worth looking into for me. Just interested to know what you all think.

Originally Posted by Sean

Is there a connection between the Mafia and the KGB. It's just a theory I heard spouted once not really sure if it's true but I'm doing an essay on the subject and if there is some valididity it might be worth looking into for me. Just interested to know what you all think.

If I said yes, would you believe me? If I said no, would you believe me? This is a silly question.

"Google knows everything!" (c.)

How something that doesn't exist can be connected to something that doesn't exist? Just curious...

Originally Posted by Sean

Is there a connection between the Mafia and the KGB. It's just a theory I heard spouted once not really sure if it's true but I'm doing an essay on the subject and if there is some valididity it might be worth looking into for me. Just interested to know what you all think.

I think it's valid for yellow press.

KGB?

"KGB" and "Russian mafia" are very similiar in one aspect: they don't exist.

KGB ceased to exist in 1991. (It's supetceded by lot of organisations, including SVR, FSB, RUOP/ORB, OBNON, etc.)

"Russian mafia" was and remains another myth.

You mean there's no organised crime in Russia?

Da konechno...

Originally Posted by scotcher

You mean there's no organised crime in Russia?

Da konechno...

Of course, there *is* an organised crime in Russia (as well as anywhere else).
But "organised crime" and "mafia" don't have same meanings for me.

Russian organized crime is alive and well in Los Angeles. Smuggeling drugs and Russian prostitutes (these girls are getting top dollar in Hollywood!) through Mexico is very easy. Also Russian auto repair shops are very good at laundering money.

Originally Posted by JB

Russian organized crime is alive and well in Los Angeles. Smuggeling drugs and Russian prostitutes (these girls are getting top dollar in Hollywood!) through Mexico is very easy. Also Russian auto repair shops are very good at laundering money.

Are you involved in any of those activities? No? Then why are you talking about something you've no experience of nor in?

All I know is that Norway, for example, has a big problem with Russians smuggeling Russian women and forcing them to be prostitutes. And we call them the Russian mafia. No, VM, I have no experience in this, but trust me, the problem is very real.

I hate to say this, but - if you have no experience, why exactly should we trust you?

Just be careful you don't get your information from the media, because in my experience that can be very warped. At least, you can't rely on it.

PS "smuggling" - you can also use "trafficking"

Don't have to trust me, I am just a random guy on the internet. So are we all, might as well not even ask for help on this forum, how can you trust us?

I, for some reason, do trust the Norwegian media. Our "free press" has no reason to lie about human trafficking, and if one media outlet lies, the others would be pretty fast to point it out. That is what competition is about

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

but trust me

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

Don't have to trust me

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

I, for some reason, do trust the Norwegian media. Our "free press" has no reason to lie about human trafficking, and if one media outlet lies, the others would be pretty fast to point it out. That is what competition is about

What I'm talking about is often much more subtle than that, although sometimes it can be quite extreme. If you ever watch the American media, you may see things that you find to be breathtakingly untrue. A good example is the story of Private Jessica Lynch in Iraq. Your arguments apply just as much to the American media as they do the Norwegian media (this is my presumption - I actually know nothing of the Norwegian media), so something must be wrong somewhere...

One of the keys to this little puzzle is that the public at large are generally utterly uninterested in the objective truth of a situation (this is especially true if the story concerns something outside the normal sphere of their everyday life). They want to see what reinforces their world view, or sometimes what titillates them and satisfies their salacious appetites.

You have pointed out the positive aspect of the "free market" model of media, and I am pointing out the negative aspect - if media is a commodity bought by consumers, then the most successful supplier will certainly not be the one who most accurately presents the truth - unless the truth happens to be the most entertaining angle, which it rarely is.

So your media certainly does have a reason to lie about human trafficking.
Although it probably isn't

[quote=waxwing]

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

but trust me

Originally Posted by "kalinka_vinnie":21oqrbx7

Don't have to trust me

[/quote:21oqrbx7]
Sorry if it is unclear: I want you to trust me, but you don't have to.

Originally Posted by waxwing

What I'm talking about is often much more subtle than that, although sometimes it can be quite extreme. If you ever watch the American media, you may see things that you find to be breathtakingly untrue. A good example is the story of Private Jessica Lynch in Iraq. Your arguments apply just as much to the American media as they do the Norwegian media (this is my presumption - I actually know nothing of the Norwegian media), so something must be wrong somewhere...

One of the keys to this little puzzle is that the public at large are generally utterly uninterested in the objective truth of a situation (this is especially true if the story concerns something outside the normal sphere of their everyday life). They want to see what reinforces their world view, or sometimes what titillates them and satisfies their salacious appetites.

You have pointed out the positive aspect of the "free market" model of media, and I am pointing out the negative aspect - if media is a commodity bought by consumers, then the most successful supplier will certainly not be the one who most accurately presents the truth - unless the truth happens to be the most entertaining angle, which it rarely is.

So your media certainly does have a reason to lie about human trafficking.
Although it probably isn't

I disagree. First of all, you cannot compare Norwegian media to American media, it's like comparing grapefruits to coconuts. Second of all, you are generalizing the term "media". I consider myself rather careful in chosing my sources of information. American television in general I can't stand, so most of my american news I get from certain internet newspapers and National Public Radio. These are what I consider the more neutral media outlets and do not have this "sensationalism" taint to it, as TV Journalism does. Tabloids are useless. Pick the media you trust, not all American media is bad!

That said, human trafficking in Norway is not "sensational news" as something like Jessica Lynch was. We have known about our problem for about 10 years now and the government has taken several measures to stop it from happening. heck, maybe they have been telling us these stories all this time to sell more newspapers. OK, next time I am in Norway I will go to a Russian prostitute and ask her state of affairs, that way I can gain the experience you desire. But you still wouldn't trust me, since you have no way of knowing if I am telling the truth.

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

[ and National Public Radio.

Originally Posted by JB

Russian organized crime is alive and well in Los Angeles. Smuggeling drugs and Russian prostitutes (these girls are getting top dollar in Hollywood!) through Mexico is very easy. Also Russian auto repair shops are very good at laundering money.

Not surprised. As I read (in plenty of sources) the crime situation in Los Angeles is exactly like this.
The only thing I want to emphasize: if these gangs of criminal are operating in USA, why are they "Russian mafia"? For me they look more like *american mafia* (although of "russian" origin).
Not to mention calling "mafia" a gang of thugs... Isn't it lame.

Of course, everything I said applies to Norway as well.

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

No, VM, I have no experience in this, but trust me, the problem is very real.

Yes, and so are the flying sourcers. I suggest you explore the link between the flying sourcers and the so-called Russian mafia. Success attend you.

I don't get my information from any media I get it straight from people who work in the LAPD Vice Squad and from the district attorney who is in charge of prosecuting Russian organized crime (and I have no idea why he refers to them as the "Russian Mob" and "Russian Mafia"). They are not American citizens or legal residents so they cannot be "American Mafia". I haven't been told any stories of Russian girls here being forced into prostitution. They all seem to move about freely and all have Russian passports and only call their pimps when they need to be bailed out of jail. A few hours out of jail they set up shop (and computers) in a new location and are back in business.