Which organization is the more sophisticated, smartest and most powerful of the two?
The bratva is estimated to have about 5000 members, this is just my personal guess based on the 9000 estimate (LE always inflate the figures)
Okay, my next guess is the five families have about 700-800 made guys and about 4000 connected guys.
In terms of numbers they are about the same.
Estimated worth of these organizations ? No way of knowing.
The bratva is global and the five families are only based in the US.
Who do you think is the most successful organization?
It's a hard comparison to make. Structurally, the Solntsevskaya is basically an "umbrella group" for thousands of Russian criminals who are loosely connected. Russian OC in general tends not to have the hierarchical framework the LCN does. And in the U.S., Russian OC is more involved in various financial frauds, as well as human trafficking, prostitution, theft, extortion, etc. Not so much in the LCN staples of gambling and loansharking. The Russian bookmaking bust a few years ago in NY was more an exception to the rule. Anyway, if comparisons are to be made, in terms of size and international scope, the Italian crime groups in Italy - Cosa Nostra, 'Ndrangheta, Camorra, SCU - would be a better comparison.
