Say Russian, Italian Mobsters Ran Huge Operation; More Than 2-Dozen Arrested.
Federal authorities say they’ve busted a global underground immigration ring, and at the center of the scheme — strip clubs across Manhattan.
The feds carried out boxes of evidence from one Midtown strip club during an early Wednesday morning raid, dubbed “Operation Dancing Brides.â€
They said the club — Cheetah’s — is one of several at the center of an underground immigration ring that stretches from Times Square to the heart of Russia.
“Today’s arrests bring to an end a long-standing criminal enterprise operated by colluding organized crime entities that profited wildly through a combination of extortion and fraud,†ICE HSI Special Agent-in-Charge James T. Hayes, Jr. told 1010 WINS’ Juliet Papa. “As alleged, the defendants controlled their business and protected their turf through intimidation and threats of physical and economic harm. Today, that business model has been extinguished.â€
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