# Obshchak

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Organized crime group in Estonia

The **Obshchak** ([Russian](/source/Russian_language): Общак), **obštšak** (Estonian spelling), or **ühiskassa** (Estonian) or "common treasury" is a traditional [umbrella organisation](/source/Umbrella_organisation) of criminal groups in [Estonia](/source/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](/source/Russian_mafia) and [Estonian organized crime](/source/Crime_in_Estonia#The_Common_Fund). Between 2003 and 2016, the Common Fund was dominated by Nikolai Tarankov (1953–2016)[1] of Russian heritage and [KGB](/source/KGB) training.[2][3] Tarankov was found murdered in [Haapsalu](/source/Haapsalu), apparently in a revenge murder related to his past actions.[4][5] The Common Fund pays for lawyers of caught members, purchases and delivers packages to imprisoned members, and covers other expenses.[2] The organization has about ten member groups.[5] The members have also operated significantly in Finland, where in 2009, high-level drug dealing was controlled by Estonians.[6]

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.[7]

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](/source/Extortion), [tax fraud](/source/Tax_evasion), drug trafficking, and violent crimes. In general, violent crime and [protection rackets](/source/Protection_racket) 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](/source/White-collar_crime) such as tax fraud. Also, many former mafia "businesspeople" have moved to legitimate businesses.[8]

## In media

The Obschak is a plot element in the 2021 American action film *[Nobody](/source/Nobody_(2021_film))*.[9]

## See also

- [Organized crime in Estonia](/source/Organized_crime_in_Estonia)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Убит предполагаемый лидер преступного мира Эстонии](https://www.stena.ee/blog/ubit-predpolagaemyj-lider-prestupnogo-mira-estonii-nikolaj-tarankov) Николай Таранков // Опубликовано: Kollane 14|09|2016

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-epl-2002_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-epl-2002_2-1) [Eesti Päevaleht](/source/Eesti_P%C3%A4evaleht) 11 February 2002: [Kuritegelik sõpruskond keerutab ühiskassa miljoneid](http://www.epl.ee/?artikkel=191821) by Risto Berendson

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [Eesti Ekspress](/source/Eesti_Ekspress) 12 March 2003: [Nikolai Tarankov – vaikne valitseja](http://paber.ekspress.ee/viewdoc/7E1279E84A309C02C2256CE60047B4F5) by Raul Ranne

1. **[^](#cite_ref-HS2016_4-0)** ["Mafiapomon kuolema oli ikava muistutus Viron menneisvvdesta"](http://www.hs.fi/ulkomaat/art-2000002921272.html). *[Helsingin Sanomat](/source/Helsingin_Sanomat)*. 17 September 2016. Retrieved 21 August 2019.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-MTV32016_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-MTV32016_5-1) Petteri Savolainen (15 September 2016). ["Poliisi selvittää Viron alamaailman kummisedän murhaa – ruumis löytyi autosta"](http://www.mtv.fi/uutiset/ulkomaat/artikkeli/poliisi-selvittaa-viron-alamaailman-kummisedan-murhaa-ruumis-loytyi-autosta/6074242). *MTV(Company)*. Retrieved 21 August 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Täältä tulevat huumeet Suomeen"](https://web.archive.org/web/20170227145936/http://www.iltalehti.fi/uutiset/2009121510783328_uu.shtml). Archived from [the original](http://www.iltalehti.fi/uutiset/2009121510783328_uu.shtml) on 27 February 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [Eesti Ekspress](/source/Eesti_Ekspress) 27 January 2005: [Ühiskassa lahjad päevad](http://paber.ekspress.ee/viewdoc/553624F5D1A7F13AC2256F8700448D76) by Janar Filippov

1. **[^](#cite_ref-hs2017_8-0)** ["Viron poliisin uusi taktiikka tuottaa tulosta: Alamaailman "legendoja" jäänyt kiinni yksi toisensa jälkeen"](https://www.hs.fi/ulkomaat/art-2000005353261.html) [Estonian police's new tactic pays off: Underworld "legends" caught one after another]. *Helsingin Sanomat* (in Finnish). 4 September 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Couch, Aaron (29 March 2021). ["How 'Nobody' Director Ilya Naishuller Turned Bob Odenkirk Into an Action Star"](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/how-nobody-director-ilya-naishuller-turned-bob-odenkirk-into-an-action-star-4157725/). *The Hollywood Reporter*. Retrieved 23 April 2026.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Obshchak](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obshchak) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obshchak?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.