Researchers polled businessmen in the Black Sea port city of Odessa in 1999 about their connections with organized crime. The telephone survey involved a random sample of 500 businessmen, and a personal survey consisted of a convenience sample of 100 businessmen who were involved in the Odessa clothing markets. The study concluded that businessmen who have been victimized by organized crime have been targeted based upon their economic condition and their involvement in activities of interest to organized criminal groups. The extent of victimization is determined not only by the degree of involvement of organized crime but also by the victims' perceptions of how their businesses should be operated. Protection rackets that target businesses are operated by law enforcement personnel and a multitude of extortionists, as well as by more sophisticated criminal organizations. Government officials are involved in a power struggle with organized crime to tap the profits of businesses. The symbiosis between organized crime and businesses in Ukraine will continue to exist as long as the criminal opportunities for businesses are more attractive than the legal ones. Further research on the dynamics and characteristics of the business and economic environment of Ukraine that increase the potential for victimization is needed in order to develop systems that can monitor the practice and identify methods that can prevent the further victimization of businesses in the country. 10 references