NCJ Number
197385
Journal
Crime & Justice International Volume: 18 Issue: 65 Dated: September 2002 Pages: 7,8,27
Date Published
September 2002
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the characteristics of post-Soviet crime groups and assumes some of these features will be applied to Internet activities.
Abstract
In the former Soviet Union, extortion, kidnapping, murder, fraud, and corruption are extensive if not rampant. Post-Soviet crime groups have extended their activities to forced prostitution, massive insurance and credit card fraud, identity theft, auto theft, stock fraud, and others. The exploitation of the Internet seems to be a natural progression in the advancement of illicit activities. Because of the highly mobile nature of criminal elements in the Soviet Union, the identity and apprehension of them by law enforcement has been complicated. Crimes might be committed in Europe and the United States with Russia then being used as a safe haven. Progress in building on-going cooperation between law enforcement agencies across national borders has been slow. Lack of sufficient legal tools such as extradition treaties have hampered efforts. The very nature of cyber space increases the likelihood that an individual or group need never leave their domicile and are not likely to be pursued by law enforcement. Crime groups in the former Soviet Union were active in the 1990's in using existing charity organizations or creating their own to collect and funnel monies through laundering and fraud. They used offshore accounts and established their enterprises through representatives or agencies that masked the owner of the entity. In cyber space it is even more difficult to know who stands behind a product, commercial entity, or Internet transaction and message. One of the primary methods used by criminal organizations in pursuing their goals is that threat or use of violence. The main goal of hacking into computer systems is to disrupt operations of a company or government agency. It is easy for groups to penetrate financial institutions at the lowest levels. Geographic expansion has been a hallmark of criminal groups coming out of the former Soviet Union. Crime groups work with virtually any other ethnic group easily. These criminal organizations have the ability to exploit loopholes in any given situation and are well trained in computers and the Internet. They will increase their use of the Internet as a natural environment into which to expand their enterprises.