💵Vladimir "Vulpea" Bodrug 💵

TMalkin · August 5, 2021

Early Life
Vladimir Dimitrovich Bodrug was born in Tiraspol, Transnistria on April 24, 1997 into a mixed Romanian, Russian and Ukrainian family headed by parents Dimitrie and Natalia Bodrug (nee Ciobanu). Vladimir was raised as an only child in Tiraspol by his small family; he was brought up in the Borodinka neighborhood that rests along the Dnister River. Both his parents were workers who provided for their family; Dimitrie, also a twice-wounded Transnistria War veteran, was a factory worker at the October Industrial Unit. Natalie was a primary school teacher. Life at home was fairly normal for the Bodrug family, with arguments and fights kept to a minimum, and abuse being totally absent. From 2003, at age 6, Vladimir traveled to Russia over the years with his parents when their financial situation was permitting. He visited relatives who lived in Moscow and St Petersburg, with most of them being guest workers in Russia at the time.

Vladimir attended School №17 in Borodinka, graduating with honors in 2014, aged 17. While attending secondary school, Vladimir's father died from liver cancer that was caused by prolonged exposure to industrial chemicals. This exposure took place during his 20 year long career in Tiraspol's manufacturing. Following his secondary graduation, Vladimir took up a series of jobs in the service industry. These jobs included working as a supermarket cashier and fast food cook. Quality of life for Bodrug family considerably fell after his father's passing, as he had the most lucrative job with the greatest benefits. Fearful of falling further into poverty, Vladimir became criminally involved in Borodinka while working legitimate jobs. He participated in a series of petty petty thefts over several months, led by his old friends. The money earned from these activities were spent on groceries and bills for the utilities and cable television at home. Vladimir was never apprehended for his criminal activities.

Military service
From 2015 - 2016, Vladimir was a conscripted soldier in the 4th Motorized Infantry Brigade. He completed his basic and Infantry School training in Tiraspol and Bender, respectively. Halfway through his service, he voluntarily transferred to the Intelligence Company after receiving a Commissioned Officer's recommendation. He spent the remainder of his service training and serving in Tiraspol, where he experienced a white collar working environment. Vladimir's performance during training and at his units afterward were rated as being "Above Average to High" by his superiors, up to the JR Officer level. He had minimal conflicts with his peers and was never charged with any service offenses. He was honorably released from the Transnistrian Militia with the rank of Corporal.

Later activities
Following his military discharge, Vladimir made arrangements to emigrate to the United States on a permanent basis. He acquired Green Card family sponsorship from his uncle, Mircea Bodrug, who had resided in Brooklyn, NY for 15 years and who had since acquired U.S. Citizenship. In the meantime, Vladimir traveled to Russia for employment and education. While lawfully residing in Moscow with student permits, he attended the Polytechnic College № 47 in the Pokrovskoye-Streshnevo District, he lived with his cousin, and uncle Mircea's son, Ivan Bodrug who had criminal ties to local drug gangs. Vladimir's own progress through his education was hampered by his cousin's criminality. This happened because Ivan was consuming drugs such as marijuana, magic mushrooms and cocaine inside of their shared apartment. Additionally, other drug dealers and even prostitutes would visit the residence for social gatherings and parties that Ivan hosted.

After just a year of combined studies and employment as an apprentice mechanic in Moscow, Vladimir aborted his schooling due to the instability at home. During this process, Vladimir and his cousin Ivan had a massive falling-out and went no-contact with each other. Bodrug returned to Tiraspol in 2018. He attempted to find work as an automotive mechanic, but found little success. He was eventually hired on as an automotive assistant, with his employer assuring him that he'd receive educational accreditation for his work at the vehicle body shop. However, this turned out to be false and his employer lied to him. He was laid off after just three months of employment, having been terminated after the probationary period ended. Bodrug was then forced to live back at his mother's house while unemployed, living off of her comparatively low wages as a school teacher. Living at home caused great embarrassment and shame for Vladimir, and for the first ever time, he and his mother started arguing and fighting within the home.

Recent immigrant in the United States
Vladimir emigrated to the United States in 2019 directly from Tiraspol. He settled in Brooklyn, NY and began working with his uncle, Mircea Bodrug. Tensions between the uncle and nephew were very strong from the start, with Mircea having suspicions about Vladimir's time in Moscow. Mircea always denied that his nephew was a drug addicted criminal, and falsely accused Vladimir of being lazy and lacking the motivation to succeed at schools. Regardless of the daily arguments and fights between the two, Vladimir was gainfully employed at his uncle's little construction company. He worked a regular 9 - 5 job while earning $20.00 USD an hour. While smartly saving his own earnings, his uncle Mircea was contrasted by his gambling addiction. This addiction led to him being heavily indebted to Russian criminals from Brighton Beach.

Vladimir's family connection in Brooklyn, NY was cut after his uncle accused him of stealing from the business. His uncle Mircea claimed that his store's recorded earnings didn't match up with what money he physically had inside the business. His other employee, an American local from Borough Park, backed him up by claiming that he personally witnessed Vladimir steal money . Vladimir countered by saying that his uncle's gambling addiction, and problems with Mafia-affiliated loan sharks, is what caused the financial losses. This fighting went on for weeks before Bodrug's uncle fired him and banished him from the company, and in addition, kicked him out of their shared house in Brighton Beach. This left Bodrug alone and by himself in the streets of Brooklyn.

Move to Los Santos and involvement with organized crime
Vladimir resorted to working construction around Brooklyn while living with friends throughout 2020. His employment was stable but his living conditions were not, as most of these friends suffered from drug and alcohol problems. He lived in the disreputable areas of Brighton Beach that were most infamous for Russian Mafia activity. It was here that he first experienced American urban poverty, which motivated him to migrate elsewhere for better opportunities. Towards the end of 2020, he had finalized his plans to move across the United States and to Los Santos. He used the majority of his life's savings for the move, and even had to borrow money from overseas family in Transnistria to cover some of the costs.

Bodrug arrived in Los Santos, SA in 2020 and has lived and worked in the city ever since. His jobs have included work as a taxicab driver and he has gotten involved with the criminal underworld as a way to keep himself off of the streets.