The Vienna Regional Court decided to send Aslan Gagiev, known by the moniker "Dzhako," back to Russia to face trial for alleged crimes as head of a notorious Russian crime group said to be responsible for more than 60 murders in the Moscow and North Caucasus regions.
The third attempt at extradition was approved after assurances that Gagiev would receive a fair trial in Russia with oversight from Austrian officials, according to Russian state news agency Interfax.
In addition to heading the criminal group, the alleged mob boss is suspected of committing six murders himself and seriously injuring three people, according to Austria’s federal police. He fled Russia in 2013.
Vienna police arrested Gagiev in January 2015 after Interpol informed Austrian authorities that he was suspected of hiding in the country. At the time of his arrest, he was found to be in possession of a forged Bulgarian passport.
Gagiev was released on €100,000 (US$ 106,375) bail in March under orders not to leave Vienna.
Gagiev’s crime group is suspected of murdering senior police officers and high-profile government officials, including the deputy vice president of Russia’s North Ossetia region.
