‘Grandpa Hassan’ shot dead in Moscow downtown

YEREVAN, January 16. /ARKA/. Mafia godfather Aslan Usoyan, also known as ‘Grandpa Hassan,’ was shot by a sniper rifle in central Moscow on Wednesday and died without regaining consciousness upon hospitalization, Moscow healthcare department representative told RIA Novosti, Novosti-Armenia reports.

The representative said he was in a deep coma and died 10 minutes later after being hospitalized at Botkin Clinic while doctors were getting ready for the surgery.

Media described Usoyan as one of Russia’s most notorious criminal masterminds. ‘Grandpa Hassan’ had managed to survive the previous assassination attempt in 2010 when he and his bodyguard were gunned down in Moscow downtown.

Usoyan is said to be shot dead today as he was walking out of a restaurant on Povarskaya  street.

In recent years, ‘Grandpa Hassan’ was widely suspected of controlling various organized criminal gangs involved in illegal gambling, arms and drug trafficking, and the theft of natural resources.  -0-

18:09 16.01.2013