Local, State, and Federal criminal investigators assigned to drug squads and units dealing with property crime, white-collar crime, organized crime, and violent crime are increasingly encountering individuals with roots in the former Soviet Union. Criminal entrepreneurs from the former Soviet Union have quickly established a reputation for the sophistication and range of their illicit operations. Their crimes include providing illicit services such as prostitution and gambling, committing violent and property crimes, and conducting fraud schemes such as bank fraud and health care fraud. Russian organized crime groups have a level of knowledge and experience in working the system that sets them in a criminal class by themselves. The challenge they present to law enforcement will grow as they become more acculturated and learn more about business and government systems in this country. The lack of a distinct structure and the continuous change that many groups undergo often make it impractical to use traditional proactive investigative strategies to disrupt and dismantle these criminal enterprises. Local, State, Federal, and international police agencies can combine efforts through communication, cooperation, and coordination to counter the threat posed by Russian organized crime. Photographs and reference notes