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Man Charged In Murder-For-Hire Case Pleads Guilty

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By ELAINE SILVESTRINI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 27, 2008

Updated: 10/27/2008 05:35 pm

TAMPA - A man accused of being involved in a plot to kill a Sarasota couple pleaded guilty this afternoon in U.S. District Court.

Larik Cholak agreed to help Alez Shevgert find someone to attack Shevgert's in-laws, Grigori and Galina Komissarchuk, according to a plea agreement signed by Cholak and filed in federal court. The charge to which Cholak is scheduled to plead guilty, traveling across state lines with intent to kill, injure and harass someone, carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.

The Komissarchuks, who live in New York part of the year, provided financial help to their son-in-law, giving him money to purchase businesses and restaurants. All the businesses failed, according to Cholak's plea agreement. Unbeknownst to the Komissarchuks, Shevgert moved his family to the Komissarchuks' Sarasota home without their permission, creating friction between the families.

The Komissarchuks then gave Shevgert $100,000 to buy his own house with their daughter, and Shevgert used a portion of the money to buy a new home. He then asked for more money to start another business, according to Cholak's plea agreement.

The Komissarchuks refused to give him more money, and he began to solicit people to help him attack his in-laws, the plea agreement states. Cholak, who didn't know the background, agreed to help find someone and approached Edmon Vardanyan about attacking the couple.

Vardanyan asked to be paid $2,000. After he was given the money, Vardanyan made several attempts to attack the couple in New York and Sarasota, according to court papers.

According to federal complaints, in September 2006, Grigori Komissarchuk was beaten unconscious while returning to his car in the parking lot of a Home Depot in Brooklyn.

The complaints state that Komissarchuk required surgery for internal injuries, had facial fractures and was in the hospital for two weeks.

On Dec. 6, 2006, the Komissarchuks were returning to their Sarasota home from dinner with the Shevgerts when an assailant with a hammer ducked under their closing garage door.

He attacked Galina Komissarchuk, and as her husband attempted to shield her, the attacker beat them both, the complaint states.

Grigori Komissarchuk then cornered the man in a Jacuzzi room, and the attacker hit him on the head with the hammer before running away, the complaint states.

Grigori Komissarchuk suffered a skull fracture, cuts on his head and arm bruises. Galina Komissarchuk suffered two cuts on her head and bruises on her arms and face.

Reporter Elaine Silvestrini can be reached at (813) 259-7837 esilvestrini@tampatrib.com.

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