{{Short description|Organized crime group in Estonia}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}}
The '''Obshchak''' ({{langx|ru|Общак}}), '''obštšak''' (Estonian spelling), or '''ühiskassa''' (Estonian) or "common treasury" is a traditional [[umbrella organisation]] of criminal groups in [[Estonia]], a trade union of sorts that settles conflicts and establishes boundaries of the spheres of interest of various groups such as the [[Russian mafia]] and [[Crime in Estonia#The Common Fund|Estonian organized crime]]. Between 2003 and 2016, the Common Fund was dominated by Nikolai Tarankov (1953–2016)<ref>[https://www.stena.ee/blog/ubit-predpolagaemyj-lider-prestupnogo-mira-estonii-nikolaj-tarankov Убит предполагаемый лидер преступного мира Эстонии] Николай Таранков // Опубликовано: Kollane 14|09|2016</ref> of Russian heritage and [[KGB]] training.<ref name="epl-2002">[[Eesti Päevaleht]] 11 February 2002: [http://www.epl.ee/?artikkel=191821 Kuritegelik sõpruskond keerutab ühiskassa miljoneid] by Risto Berendson</ref><ref>[[Eesti Ekspress]] 12 March 2003: [http://paber.ekspress.ee/viewdoc/7E1279E84A309C02C2256CE60047B4F5 Nikolai Tarankov – vaikne valitseja] by Raul Ranne</ref> Tarankov was found murdered in [[Haapsalu]], apparently in a revenge murder related to his past actions.<ref name="HS2016">{{cite web|url=http://www.hs.fi/ulkomaat/art-2000002921272.html |title=Mafiapomon kuolema oli ikava muistutus Viron menneisvvdesta |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=17 September 2016 |website=[[Helsingin Sanomat]] |access-date=21 August 2019}}</ref><ref name="MTV32016">{{cite web|author=Petteri Savolainen|date=15 September 2016|title=Poliisi selvittää Viron alamaailman kummisedän murhaa – ruumis löytyi autosta|url=http://www.mtv.fi/uutiset/ulkomaat/artikkeli/poliisi-selvittaa-viron-alamaailman-kummisedan-murhaa-ruumis-loytyi-autosta/6074242|access-date=21 August 2019|website=MTV(Company)}}</ref> The Common Fund pays for lawyers of caught members, purchases and delivers packages to imprisoned members, and covers other expenses.<ref name="epl-2002" /> The organization has about ten member groups.<ref name="MTV32016" /> The members have also operated significantly in Finland, where in 2009, high-level drug dealing was controlled by Estonians.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.iltalehti.fi/uutiset/2009121510783328_uu.shtml |title=Täältä tulevat huumeet Suomeen |access-date=26 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170227145936/http://www.iltalehti.fi/uutiset/2009121510783328_uu.shtml |archive-date=27 February 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In 2005, the Estonian Central Criminal Police noticed a decline in revenues of the Common Fund, leading to the capture of several high-ranking members.<ref>[[Eesti Ekspress]] 27 January 2005: [http://paber.ekspress.ee/viewdoc/553624F5D1A7F13AC2256F8700448D76 Ühiskassa lahjad päevad] by Janar Filippov</ref>
Estonian police have been successful in disrupting the operations of the Obshchak by arresting their high-ranking members since at least the 2010s. One of the kingpins, Assar Paulus, was convicted in 2016 for founding a criminal organization and funding drug trafficking. The mafia got its income through illegal debt collection using methods like [[extortion]], [[Tax evasion|tax fraud]], drug trafficking, and violent crimes. In general, violent crime and [[protection racket]]s have become a thing of the past in the organization: it is no longer necessary for ordinary businesspeople to pay protection money to the mafia. Instead, the mafia is more involved in drug trade and [[white-collar crime]] such as tax fraud. Also, many former mafia "businesspeople" have moved to legitimate businesses.<ref name="hs2017">{{Cite web|url=https://www.hs.fi/ulkomaat/art-2000005353261.html|title=Viron poliisin uusi taktiikka tuottaa tulosta: Alamaailman "legendoja" jäänyt kiinni yksi toisensa jälkeen|date=4 September 2017|website=Helsingin Sanomat |language=fi |trans-title=Estonian police's new tactic pays off: Underworld "legends" caught one after another}}</ref>
==In media== The Obschak is a plot element in the 2021 American action film ''[[Nobody (2021 film)|Nobody]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Couch |first=Aaron |date=29 March 2021 |title=How 'Nobody' Director Ilya Naishuller Turned Bob Odenkirk Into an Action Star |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/how-nobody-director-ilya-naishuller-turned-bob-odenkirk-into-an-action-star-4157725/ |access-date=23 April 2026 |website=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref>
==See also== * [[Organized crime in Estonia]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
[[Category:Organized crime groups in Estonia]] [[Category:Organized crime groups in Finland]] [[Category:Factions of the Russian Mafia]]