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Speaking of dysfunctional families, we'd now like to introduce you to one of the more unsavory of the bunch on this week's list: the Botsvynyuk brothers. 

The Botsvynyuks are five brothers from Ukraine, living in Philadelphia, who run a cleaning service.

Federal authorities were recently tipped off by "an international source" that the Botsvynyuks had a rather horrific way of stocking their business with employees.

Turns out that since 2000, the brothers had been engaging in human trafficking -- victimizing more than 30 immigrants in total.

Two of the brothers were still based in Ukraine, where they recruited victims, mostly men in their 20s and 30s, with promises of prosperity in America.

The brothers then helped sneak the workers into the country, where their eldest brother, 51-year-old Omelyan awaited his unwitting slaves, forcing them to work as part of his nighttime cleaning crew, which provided services at Targets, Kmarts, Wal-Marts, and various grocery chains throughout New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Washington D.C.

In one case, a woman signed-on with the brothers in 2000. When she arrived in the States, Omelyan forced her to clean houses for him during the day and offices at night, paying her nothing. 

She was forced to live with the other worker's in a small apartment owned by one of the brothers. If she tried to flee, Omelyan warned her that he'd track her down, tie her into a bag, and throw her into the ocean, where the fish could eat her. 

From 2001 to 2002, the victim claims that Omelyan repeatedly raped her and also let other men rape her once he was through with her. 

Her husband had also been recruited by the brothers and was often beaten into submission while working for them. 

On June 30, authorities finally caught up with Omelyan, who'd fled to Germany, and arrested him. Two of the brothers responsible for running the cleaning crews were also arrested, along with one more, who was tracked down in Canada.

Only one brother remains at large, and he is believed to still be in the Ukraine.

A federal indictment charges all five brothers with conspiracy to commit racketeering, as well as extortion.

Article extracted from : http://www.truecrimereport.com

The United States government yesterday removed Nigeria from the major drug list.

According to a statement released by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the US President, Barack Obama, said that this was the first time that Nigeria would be delisted from the drug majors list since 1991. The anti-narcotics agency stated that Mr Obama said that Nigeria was a onetime drug trafficking focal point but that the country had taken a lot of drastic steps to make counter narcotics a top national security for the country. He said that international data showed that there was a strengthening of illegal drug trafficking between Latin America and West Africa, especially via Brazil and Venezuela, with a considerable portion of illegal product destined for Europe.

According to the report, Nigeria, Brazil, and Paraguay were recently removed this year from the list because they no longer meet the criteria for the list according to US law. Reacting, Ahmadu Giade, the Chief Executive of the NDLEA, said that Nigeria had gotten a well deserved honour. He noted that the removal of Nigeria from the majors drug list was an endorsement of the collective efforts of the agency to combat drug traffickers with the aim of having a drug free society. According to him, the honour given to Nigeria by removing her from the drug list was as a product of dedication, transparency, hard work, and cordial working relationship between Nigeria and United States in controlling drug trafficking in the country.

“I appreciate President Barack Obama and Americans for this candid and credible assessment,” he said. “The removal speaks volumes concerning our impressive scorecard and determination to address the drug problem. Illicit trade in narcotics transcends national boundaries. Our foreign collaborators also have a way of monitoring most assiduous efforts. All exit entry points will remain invincible to drug criminals through effective drug interdiction.” The NDLEA boss also thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for his anti-drug policies, and other stakeholders for their unrelenting efforts. He promised that no drug baron or major drug trafficker would go unpunished in the country, adding that NDLEA was one of the best anti-drugs agencies in Africa and that the agency is prepared to make sacrifices to sustain and improve on its drug control performance “Our level of professionalism shall be further consolidated on the tripod of transparency, anti-corruption and respect for the rule of law,” he said. “It is a call to duty that demands higher commitment on our part. We shall continue to partner with the United States and other stakeholders. No stone will be left unturned in our quest for a drug free society.”

According to the agency, the 20 countries on the list this year are Afghanistan, The Bahamas, Bolivia, Burma, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, Peru and Venezuela. A major drug-transit country is defined as a significant direct source of illicit narcotic or psychotropic drugs or other controlled substances significantly affecting the United States; or a country through which such drugs or substances are transported.

Edo monarch arrested for human trafficking

An Edo monarch, Chief Dogwo Ebiredelu, and the Nigeria Immigration Service, Lagos State Command, are bickering over an alleged attempt by the monarch to traffic two ladies to Turkey.

Ebiredelu was intercepted at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, on Friday with two ladies, Mrs. Queen Ebiredelu and Miss Egharevba Omozuwa, both 22 year-old, whom he claimed were his wife and maid respectively.

On one hand, the monarch, who is the Ebiredelu of Emuhi in Esan West Local Government, Edo State, said his wife and maid needed to travel with him so as to attend to his need in Turkey..

"They said they will deal with me because I refused to settle them. As a traditional ruler, I travel with my wife and maid to take care of my needs," he said.

But on the other hand, the NIS said the monarch gave a similar reason when he was intercepted on a similar journey with two ladies on their way to Switzerland in January 2009.

Ebiredelu carried a genuine diplomatic and a valid Turkish visa, while the ladies had their visas on Nigerian e-passport.

Parading the suspects before newsmen in Lagos on Tuesday, Comptroller of the Lagos State Command of the NIS, Mr. Lasun Olaitan, said in the course of routine investigation at the airport, NIS officials discovered that the Edo monarch could not give any genuine reasons why he was travelling with the two ladies.

Olaitan said, "We did not allow him to continue with his journey because he could not give genuine reasons why he was travelling with the two ladies. The monarch was also using a diplomatic passport, which is strictly meant for top government officials. This passport is only owned and used by government officials who have official duties to perform for the federal or state government outside the country.

"But the chief said he is going for seven-day holiday in Turkey and you know, the issue of human trafficking has become rampant and we are trying to curb it.

"The situation also became worse when we discovered that the monarch was interrogated in January 2009 for also attempting to carry two ladies abroad and he gave the same reasons."

Olaitan said that while investigations continued, Ebiredelu and the suspected victims of human trafficking would be handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and Other Related Offences for further questioning.

Speaking angrily however, the monarch said he obtained his diplomatic passport from the Federal Government, adding that it was the sixth that he was using.

He blamed the Immigration for not carrying out proper investigation on the authenticity of his passport and visa before going to the press.

Ebiredelu also clarified that the ladies and not him were intercepted, adding that it became incumbent on him to intervene since they were travelling with him.

When asked if he had any document to show one of the ladies was his wife, he said there was no document, adding that he had three wives and eight children.

The alleged wife, Queen, who appeared weak, said they had been married since 2005, adding that there was no document to show that they were married because they had traditional wedding.

She also claimed to possess an Ordinary National Diploma certificate from Edo State Polytechnic, Usen.

The maid, who said she stopped schooling after obtaining Junior Secondary School Certificate in 2004, but spoke eloquent English Language, also corroborated her master's claim that she was a maid going to Turkey to tend to the monarch.