Four Charged In Plot to Kidnap LA Businessman

Los Angeles - Three men from Central Europe and one from Arizona were charged today with conspiring to kidnap, threaten to murder and steal approximately $5 million from a Los Angeles businessman, federal officials said.

Istvan "Steve Kelly" Kele, 70, of Austria; Attila Berkesi, 35, of Hungary; Zsolt Simon, 36, of Hungary; and Lazlo Kopacsi, 64, of Arizona are charged in a federal grand jury indictment with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by threats and violence, according to Laura Eimiller of the FBI .

Kopacsi is also charged with being a felon alien in possession of guns and ammunition; transfer of a gun for use in a crime of violence; and being in the United States illegally following deportation, Eimiller said.

According to the indictment, Vienna resident Kele allegedly devised a scheme to enter the United States illegally and recruit co-conspirators to come to the U.S. from Hungary to rob Vadim Shapiro, identified in court papers as the owner of several Los Angeles jewelry stores and a medical marijuana dispensary.

Prosecutors contend the defendants planned to kidnap Shapiro and threaten him at gunpoint in order to obtain the keys to a safe at his home in which they believed he kept $5 million in cash and jewelry.

According to the indictment, Kele allegedly recruited Berkesi and Simon from Budapest to take part in the scheme, and brought Kopacsi aboard to provide weapons.

The plan came to the attention of authorities when Kele began talking about the plot with someone in Los Angeles who turned out to be a cooperating witness for the FBI, Eimiller said.

The indictment alleges that Kele assured the informant that Shapiro would not put up a fight when confronted with handguns.

When asked what he planned to do with the intended victim after the robbery, Kele allegedly replied, "It depends, it all depends ... we improvise."

On another occasion, Kele apparently said Shapiro would be knocked out and would "get it" if he did not submit, the indictment said.

Berkesi and Simon flew to Los Angeles from Hungary last month and met with the informant, according to prosecutors.

During the meeting, Berkesi allegedly indicated to the undercover agent that cutting off Shapiro's fingers would be an option if the intended victim refused to hand over the keys to his safe, as well as the possibility of threatening his family, Eimiller said.

Kele was arrested by Austrian police on Oct. 30, pursuant to a provisional arrest warrant filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, federal prosecutors said. It is expected that extradition to the U.S. will be sought, Eimiller said.

Berkesi and Simon were arrested on Oct. 26 in Los Angeles, following their meeting with the undercover FBI agent in Los Angeles, Eimiller said.

Kopacsi was arrested by the FBI in Lake Havasu on Oct. 28, Eimiller said.

Berkesi, Simon and Kopacsi are being held without bond at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles and are expected to be arraigned in Los Angeles federal court sometime in the next two weeks.

If convicted on all counts, Kopacsi faces a statutory maximum sentence of 60 years in prison. The other defendants face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, prosecutors said.