TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Defense Tears Into Driver In Attack Conspiracy Trial

ADVERTISEMENT

By ELAINE SILVESTRINI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 10, 2008

Updated: 11/10/2008 05:29 pm

TAMPA - Larik Cholak insisted this morning that Alex Shevgert telephoned him to let him know his parents-in-law were home the night of Dec. 12.

There are no records of a telephone call between Cholak and Shevgert the night Cholak says he participated in an attack on Shevgert's in-laws, Galina and Grigori Komissarchuk.

Cholak has pleaded guilty and is testifying for the prosecution against Shevgert, who is accused of orchestrating brutal attacks on the couple because they stopped giving him money after financing a string of failed businesses.

Cholak says he served as driver and middleman for two of the attacks he says were carried out by Edmon Vardanyan, who has also pleaded guilty but is not cooperating.

The Dec. 12 attack in Sarasota happened after the Komissarchuks were invited to a party at the Shevgert home. Cholak says Vardanyan called him and alerted him the victims were home.

Vardanyan slipped into their garage and beat Galina Komissarchuk with a hammer, evidence has shown.

Cholak was cross-examined this morning by defense attorney Stephen Stanley, who accused him of lying and saying whatever he had to in order to get a reduced sentence.

Had he not cooperated and entered a plea deal, he could have faced up to 45 years in prison, Cholak testified under cross-examination. Now he probably faces less than 20 years.

Stanley also asked about what Cholak initially told the FBI when he was first arrested regarding the involvement of someone named Valentin. Cholak said Valentin was a cover story he and Shevgert invented in case they were caught.

Stanley asked whether Valentin was real. He accused Cholak of being behind the attacks and blackmailing Shevgert.

Cholak denied both accusations.

"You lie a lot, don't you, Mr. Cholak?" Stanley asked.

"I did in the beginning in this case," Cholak responded.

Also testifying for the prosecution today was Sergey Zub, who served as a driver for the assailant in the final attack on Galina Komissarchuk in Brooklyn.

Zub has pleaded guilty and testified in hopes of getting a reduced sentence. He said he drove a man he knew only as Nikolai to the site of the attack.

He said Shevgert called him and asked him to give a ride to someone who had to beat someone up.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT