Pubdate: 30 Mar 1999 Source: ITAR-TASS (Russia) Copyright: 1999 ITAR-TASS. NIZHNY NOVGOROD DRUG DEALER FACES LIFE IMPRISONMENT IN US NEW YORK, March 30 (Itar-Tass) - Oleg Kirillov, believed to be one of the ring leaders of organized crime in Nizhny Novgorod and who was arrested in Miami at the end of 1997, has been found guilty on all charges brought against him, such as money laundering, drug trafficking, extortion, and being in charge of a criminal group. Considering the crimes Kirillov has been convicted of, the sentence, to be handed down on June 8, might entail imprisonment either for a term of 30 years or for life. According to the testimony given by FBI agents, Kirillov is a recidivist who was earlier twice indicted in Russia for thievery and robbery. FBI agent William McCasland testified that Kirillov is one of the ring leaders of a criminal group in Nizhny Novgorod and that his gang had controlled one of Moscow's night clubs. The two telephone conversations between Kirillov and his US accomplice Vadim Gubin on August 9 and 18, 1997, tapped by the FBI, revealed their plans to acquire a shipment of cocaine in the US. Speaking on the telephone with his US accomplices, Kirillov was not only frank and used open language, but he also mentioned concrete deals and concrete funds. The information and testimony given by Kirillov's former accomplices, who decided to cooperate with the Justice Department proved sufficient to convince the jury that the Nizhny Novgorod Godfather was guilty. - --- MAP posted-by: Mike Gogulski