Payi n g protectio n mo n ey is a dow n ward spiral ''Those involved with blackmailing for protection money almost always are also involved with forced prostitution and exploitation as well." "Extortion comes almost always with a milieu of other areas,'' Krichel said. He does not want to be named because his clients want him to remain anonyms. The blackmailed person is quite anxious as the blackmailer can get angry if they find out that someone who they are extorting has broken their silence. The extorted money is camouflaged through contributions or a work contract so that can nothing be proved. Krichel said the police are unaware of the blackmailing, which means extortion activities have gone unnoticed and it is difficult to change the state of affairs, because it is almost impossible to prove there has been a crime.įor example, a local business owner is compelled to hire a bouncer, for 100 euros ($128) per hour or to regularly make generous contributions to a certain organization. This sends a clear signal while the extortionists remain safe from punishment by law enforcement agencies because they have not openly threatened or harmed anyone.īlackmaili n g is difficult to prove Protection money can bankrupt a business Image: dpa ''They attempt to engender fear and tell people, 'You do this, or something will happen, we'll see that you business can't operate' - usually through violence or bringing in the wrong kinds of guests.'' ''The main tool of extortion is fear,'' Krichel said. He said he has observed that the extortion gangs have divided up the territories amongst themselves.
Krichel, a security consultant for businesses, is regularly approached by people working in the hospitality industry who are being blackmailed.
This strategy means that victims are kept under control, while keeping police at bay.Įxtortio n groups operati n g across Europe The hospitality industry is a target for European extortion rackets Image: dpaĪccording to an independent security advisor from the German town of Krefeld, Roland Krichel, these extortion gangs operate especially in densely-populated areas like Berlin, Hamburg, the Ruhr Valley and the Rhein-Main region. Like many organized crime groups throughout the world, which use blackmail to come into money quickly and maintain control over entire business sectors, Mafia-style organizations are running large-scale protection rackets in Germany, which operate by gangs spreading fear and demanding silence. This scene was not taking place in Italy, the traditional territory for the Mafia, but in Germany. While one of them set fire to a napkin with a cigarette lighter, the other offered the owner private protection for the premises - naturally at a high price. One recent day, two men in leather jackets showed up at Jörg K.'s Bistro.
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