Georgian "Thief-in-Law" Shulaya Sentenced to 45 Years in US

Georgian so-called thief-in-law Razhden Shulaya has been sentenced to 45-year imprisonment by the Federal Court of Manhattan.

The US Department of Justice says the sentence is based on charges against Shulaya, raised in June 2018.

The BBC's Russian service reports that the federal judge said that in the case of Shulaya it is clear that the criminal does not regret the committed crimes and there is no expectation he will improve his behavior. Accordingly, the judge concluded that the man should spend as much time in prison as possible, ordering 45-year imprisonment.

After being released from prison, Razhden Shulaya will be deported to Russia, which he left in 2010.

The prosecution accused Shulaia of many crimes. Among them are violence, extortion, illegal gambling business, forging IDs, financial machinations and more.

The Prosecutor's Office claimed that the man committed the crime inside the country (New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida, Nevada) and abroad.

Shulaia was detained in the US last June along with more than 20 people who were accused of membership of criminal gangs. Among them was Georgian boxer Avtandil Khurtsidze, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison on September 7.

By Thea Morrison