Ivans Haritonovs

Ivans Haritonovs (; born 27 April 1954, in Monino, Moscow Oblast, then Russian SFSR) is a former Latvian Russian boxer and criminal, founder of the informally known organized crime "Kharitonov group". In 1998, he was convicted of extortion in an organized group and was referred to in the press as a "legend of the criminal underworld."

Biography Ivans Haritonovs was born in the village of Monino, Moscow Oblast, Soviet Union. He moved to Riga (Latvian SSR) when he was still an infant, and his father worked for the KGB. There he began boxing training at the age of 11 under veteran coach Ivars Zunde. Zunde later recalled, "There was a fighter's spirit in that fragile boy!" Haritonovs trained with Zunde for several years, achieving success in the All-Union sports club "Labor Reserves" competitions.

As a teenager, Haritonovs was convicted for a fight at a disco involving the son of a prominent port official. He faced charges of aggravated hooliganism. His coach intervened in court proceedings, arguing that the trial might be biased. The court found that the victim had been intoxicated and instigated the conflict. Haritonovs received a suspended three-year sentence. This incident nearly ended his boxing aspirations. co-founded the company "Brih," directed by Grigory Bobovich (Григорий Бобович) who was an Israeli citizen. The company dealt in oil product business and owed the state 168,000 Latvian lats in unpaid taxes. Bobovich fled to Sweden, which refused extradition due to his new Swedish citizenship. Haritonovs also owned companies such as "Tess AB", "Nova Lada", and "AVV". Then–Prosecutor General Jānis Skrastiņš dubbed him the "king of racketeering." Shortly afterward, Riga City Council member Juris Dobelis and others petitioned for his release, earning Dobelis the nickname "Haritonov's mailman."

A month later, Vladimir Dukat, president of the company "Dukat," was killed in a remote-controlled car bombing. After Haritonov's arrest, his authorized representative at large became Valery Berlin (Tsygan), who stopped sharing with the Solntsevo group. Berlin was killed in an explosion in January 2000, in Imanta. Four months later, another former comrade of Haritonov, Viktors Balulis, nicknamed Animal, was shot in the Netherlands. He founded a boxing center, sponsored competitions,

In 2019, Haritonov’s name surfaced again in connection with an illegal cigarette trafficking ring at Riga Central Market.