TPV would you say it's accurate to state that no " mafia style " Russian/Russian speaking organized crime groups exist in the US ?
Please, ellaborate what you mean as "mafia style".
As in Solntsevskaya Bratva type groups . All the recent Russian OC busts in the States seem to involve small and relatively unsophisticated groups , as opposed to relatively large sophisticated ones that have important connections to the upperworld ( which is my personal definition of mafia style organized crime groups ) .
The Solntsevskaya isn't really a 100% centralized organization. It's composed out of a ton of independently operating brigades with origins in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova... (mostly ethnic Russian and Jewish criminals). The only thing which really ties them are their similar key money laundering contacts in Russia and the businessmen that provide them with the necessary political connections. There are often brigades feuding with one another.
Of course, the USA isn't really local territory for them so it's extremely difficult for them to penetrate politics in America. That's why they resort to strong-arm rackets and running scams in their own communities.
