Killing of mafia head Yushayev leaves Hadera vulnerable to further organized criminal violence

More than a month after Caucasian mafia head Yanis Yushayev was shot dead at a restaurant in Caesarea, his killing has left Hadera vulnerable to further criminal violence, including possible revenge attacks, as police continue searching for whoever ordered the murder.

Figures familiar with Hadera's criminal underworld are considering what the city will look like following Yushayev's killing. Alongside the names that have surfaced in connection with the case and disputes that have shaped the area's criminal landscape, other significant criminal figures remain in the city, including Elad "Dadi" Ben-Haim, Sharhabil Odeh, the brother of Kutier Odeh, and the Arbiv family.

Yushayev was shot dead at a restaurant in Caesarea on August 23. His murder continues to occupy both police investigators and figures in the region's criminal underworld. A person who knew Yushayev for years described the man behind the headlines, the businesses he ran, his family, and the question that has lingered since his murder: Who wanted him dead?

Despite the indictment filed last Friday against Doron Weizman, who is suspected of being the gunman who pulled the trigger, the Israel Police's Coastal District Central Unit is continuing its investigation in an effort to trace the person or people who sent him.

Investigators believe that at least some of those involved left Israel before the murder in an effort to establish an alibi. Weizman is not suspected of involvement in planning or commissioning the murder.

The source said he did not know precisely who Yushayev had been in conflict with, but said he had been involved in numerous disputes with different groups.

"I have no idea who he was in conflict with. I know that, of course, he had a lot of issues with all kinds of fronts and groups. It's hard to know," he said.

Yushayev may have been involved in a previous murder

Yushayev's name had also surfaced in connection with an old dispute stemming from a murder involving a family several years ago.

"Five or six years ago, there was a murder at a convenience store in Hadera, where his brother was murdered. According to what people are saying on the street, Yanis, or someone acting on his behalf, was suspected of the murder, and they held a grudge for a long time. So that's the talk. But you know, these are urban legends. They don't really know what happened."

Claims have also circulated in the criminal underworld regarding who might have been behind Yushayev's killing, according to the source. He stressed, however, that they amounted only to rumors and were not based on established information.

Asked about other figures in the criminal underworld, the source said Osher Shmilov and Patrick Krasnopolsky were both being held in custody until the end of legal proceedings.

Will Yushayev's associates seek revenge?

He rejected the suggestion that the so-called Caucasian mafia had been significantly weakened by recent arrests and Yushayev's murder.

"Of course not. It's a large group. It's not three people, it's a lot of guys," he said.

Whether Yushayev's associates will seek revenge remains unclear.

"I really don't know. At the end of the day, the criminal underworld knows how to settle scores," the source said.

One of the most striking aspects of the restaurant footage is how exposed Yushayev appeared while sitting there. According to the source, who knew him personally, this may indicate that Yushayev did not believe he was facing an imminent threat.

"Maybe that's actually a moment that shows just how unafraid he was, or at least how, at that time, he didn't really feel threatened. But yes, they caught him by surprise."

Shooter was not linked to Yushayev

Police suspect that Weizman carried out the shooting, but the source said there was no known connection between him and Yushayev.

"No, there's no connection between them. Doron Weizman is a property offender, you know, someone who breaks into houses, not some kind of... He's a guy you can use. In my opinion, there's no connection between them. Again, I don't really know."

Despite knowing Yushayev for many years, the source said he deliberately avoided asking him detailed questions about what was happening behind the scenes.

"I've been very, very involved for many years. But I never ask the intrusive questions," he said.

Yushayev had not spoken to him about any disputes that he believed needed to be resolved, the source said.

Family man, business man, mafia member

Beyond his reputation in the criminal underworld, Yushayev was a husband and father of two young children.

"Sad. A tragic end. He has two young children; he has a wife. He was a good father to his children, you know, a real father. A family man," the source said.

Asked whether Yushayev feared that he might one day be killed, the source said, "I assume everyone lives in some way knowing they're taking that kind of calculated risk."

Yushayev was also involved in numerous businesses and had accumulated considerable wealth, according to the source.

"He had businesses; he was really a businessman. He had convenience stores, he had a skewer restaurant, car lots. He had a hand in a lot of businesses. He was a very wealthy man."