Law & Order Special Victims Unit s13e07 Episode Script
Russian Brides
In the Criminal Justice system, sexually based offenses are considered especially heinous.
In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit.
These are their stories.
Angel, stop, angel.
Where do you go, little girl? Come back here! Don't run away! My angel, stop! Get in car! Get in car now! Come back here! So, you know how, in the summertime, you're drinkin' outside and gotta put your beer in a paper bag? Yeah, so you don't get a summons--yeah.
Yeah, so how 'bout this? Designer beer bags.
In suede, leather, velour-- all blinged out.
That's hot, right? Gonna get me paid for sure.
Yeah, they already have those.
Koozies.
You're kidding me.
Oh, man.
So let's see what we got.
No purse, no I.
D.
Butterfly tattoo.
The bus boys say the body wasn't here an hour ago.
No one heard any screams.
No one saw anything.
But she was raped? Bruising on the thighs.
Blood on the panties.
Blunt force trauma to the head.
Let's flip her.
On three.
One, two, three.
Damn it.
Doc, is that acid? I mean, her face is gone.
It looks mechanical, not chemical.
Pulled her teeth, roots and all.
No fingertips, either.
These butchers knew their business.
There's another tat here.
What is that? Cyrillic? Either one of you read Russian? - I wish.
- No dental records.
No fingerprints.
No face.
But they leave the tattoos.
Well, they didn't want us to know who she was.
But they wanted to make sure somebody got the message.
What do we got? Our Jane Doe is female, white.
Late 20s to early 30s.
Raped and murdered.
We canvassed the neighborhood.
No one saw or heard a thing.
It's like the body materialized out of thin air.
Well, they did some number on her.
What about these tattoos? I had a buddy in the gang unit take a look at them.
The butterfly is generic.
Could have been inked by anyone, anywhere.
But this one's specific to the Russian mafia.
Most likely done in the motherland.
It's the mark of a prostitute.
What do those words mean? "Mother, forgive me.
" Gettin' an idea of who we're dealing with here.
The prelim autopsy report just came in.
Sand was found in the rectum and vaginal canal of the victim.
There were also cuts from bits of glass and debris.
M.
E.
Fix the time of death? Um, yeah, eight to ten hours before discovery.
So she was murdered on a beach, and then dumped at the restaurant.
It's usually the other way around.
They wanted the body found.
Hold on, didn't the ME's office collect sand samples after the Gilgo Beach murders? Yeah, they wanted to see if any of the victims had been moved from other sites.
All right, we got lucky here.
The sand was made up of fine particle and white mason Indicating that it's from a repaired beach, meaning that the city spread the sand.
So there's only three repaired beaches in the area.
Rockaway, Brighton, or Coney Island.
Well, Brighton Beach is still almost exclusively Russian.
They call it the Odessa by the sea.
So it's a good place to start.
All right, look, if this is Russian mob, this one's gonna scare people off.
So start with the butterfly.
Maybe we can find out who this poor woman was.
No? Thank you.
A lot of these people are illegal.
The last thing they wanna do is talk to the cops.
Girl disappears, it's not their problem.
Especially when they don't know who wanted her gone.
Good thing is, witnesses are like children-- they respond to bribes and threats.
And they're easy to trick.
I'll look for the manager.
Miss Shush! Huh? Excuse me, miss.
Miss.
Detective Tutuola, SVU.
I'm trying to I.
D.
somebody from the neighborhood.
Do any of your customers have this tattoo? No.
Don't know.
No? How 'bout this girl? Well, you must know her.
You have her up on your wall.
Uh, no English.
Sorry.
She doesn't speak English.
Call INS.
They'll send some translators down here.
On it.
We'll have to shut this place down till they get here.
No, wait.
We have a big party coming in.
Now she speaks English.
Last chance.
Who's the girl? Who's she with? Okay.
That is Lena, and the man is Daniel.
They had their engagement party here last Friday.
- I go now? - Engagement party.
They pay with a credit card? Hey.
You get the I.
D.
? Oh, just the first name on our vic.
That's Lena.
She had a fiance, Daniel Carter.
two kids in college.
Runs a nonprofit, NYC habitation.
Lives in Kips Bay.
Finn and Rollins are on their way there.
Any connection to the Russian mob? Not on paper.
There's no record.
Now, I know you're not a romantic, but they just got engaged.
Look, you know the stats.
When a woman is murdered-- You start with the man in her life.
See that's why I'm a firm believer in divorce.
When you feel that thing building, you just gotta get the hell out.
Your parents split.
Yeah.
Yeah, my pop, he, uh Liked to bounce my mom off the walls.
The day he left, we had a party.
It was one of the happiest moments of my life.
You ever talk to him? Last I heard, he got into some trouble.
Went back down to Miami.
Adios y hasta nunca.
This TMI? No.
What about your father? Uh, that's a long story.
Sorry to keep you waiting.
They worked her over.
Aside from the head wound that caused her death, she was raped vaginally and anally.
How'd they do that to her face? Power tools.
Sanded off her face, sawed off her fingertips.
She was dead before the worst of it.
Small favors.
Thanks, Melinda.
What did you say that he did again? He runs a nonprofit.
Builds houses for the homeless.
That would give him access to power tools.
Mr.
Carter works from home.
He should be here.
Something wrong? How well do you know him? We play chess together.
One move every day.
So you know Lena's fiance? Lena pretty girl.
What's going on, detectives? You're making me nervous.
We ask the questions here, okay, hon? Mr.
Carter, open up! It's Luis! Must have stepped out.
Super has keys, right? Or we can knock it down.
It's up to you.
Clear.
All clear.
Come on.
Come on.
Give me a heart attack.
So is this Lena? You got a last name on her? Something Russian.
The man was, uh, definitely smitten.
Older man, younger woman.
Daniel the jealous type? No.
You think he hurt her? No way.
Lena is his sunshine.
Did something happen to her? We need you to call Daniel.
On his cell phone.
What's this about? We think Daniel might be in a little bit of trouble.
We think he might be running scared.
But he'll talk to you, right? - Yeah.
- Call him up.
Find out where he is.
Put it on speaker.
Hello? Hello? Yo, Mr.
Carter.
Where are you? Luis? Why-- why are you-- is Lena there? Tell him you have a package for him.
I got a package for you, boss.
Uh, UPS won't let me sign.
Can you pop home quick? Package, what-- what kind of package? They won't say.
You gotta come home.
Ah, I can't-- I can't leave where I am.
You okay, man? Tell me where you are.
Mr.
Carter - No, I can't.
- What's going on? Mr.
Carter! He sounds scared.
That music? A kids' party? I'll have TARU trace that number.
I need to borrow your phone.
Thank you.
There's no GPS in this phone.
They triangulated the signal.
It's too wide an area.
If he's even still here.
Rollins said they heard kids on the phone and music.
There's a carousel right at the end of the pier.
We found a body there last fall.
All units converge.
Chelsea Piers Park, carousel area.
I've got him.
We're moving in.
Come on! Daniel Carter.
NYPD.
Go away.
Go away.
I didn't call you.
- They'll kill her.
- Kill who? Kill who? Daniel, who would they kill? - Lena? - Yes! You have to go away.
Where is she? Is she dead? They said they'd bring her here! Who, Daniel? That was the deal! I paid! I--I paid.
I paid, I paid, I paid.
I paid! This way, Mr.
Carter.
- Why don't you have a seat? - Thank you.
- Detective.
- Counselor.
Look, Daniel's a friend.
I've advised him to cooperate fully, but can I ask you to go easy on him? - We're investigating a murder.
- I know, I understand.
But he lost his wife three years ago--cancer.
Lena brought him back to life.
He wasn't prepared for this.
Are you a criminal attorney? Tax law, primarily.
Some estate planning.
Then, counselor, I would suggest you go in And tell your client to tell the truth.
Do you recognize these? This one's on Lena's hip.
The butterfly's on her shoulder blade.
Why can't I just ID The body? Later.
How did you two meet? Just tell them everything, Danny.
Ah, it's gonna sound cheap.
Well, it is cheap.
We met on a Russian bride web site, yourczarina.
com.
We've seen some scams run through those sites.
This wasn't like that.
My buddy told me about it.
He used to go to Russia on business, meet eight to ten girls from the site, sleep with them all and marry none.
He was divorced.
It was like a sex trip for him.
What about you? Detectives it was his fiancee.
I was going through a lonely time.
I started trolling.
Nothing serious.
And then I saw Lena's profile, and there was just something about her right away.
So you two Skyped or Skyping wasn't allowed.
We chatted online a few times, IMing.
I had to fly to Moscow to meet her.
She--she took me everywhere.
Even St.
Petersburg Where my family was originally from.
We talked and talked.
She wanted to know everything about me.
And this was all platonic? Well, no.
But it isn't what you think.
We had a real soul connection.
Did it go both ways? Did she introduce you to her-- her friends, her family? No, she was careful.
She had been in an abusive relationship, her-- She was scared of her ex.
He was stalking her.
That what she told you? Well, I saw him.
He was following us.
One night, he made a big scene outside the hotel about how he wanted her back.
I would see how terrified she was.
And that's when you convinced her to move to New York City? Yeah.
It was like a fairy tale.
I was--I was getting a second chance.
And how long did you live together before she disappeared? Two months.
The night after the engagement party, I got a call the kidnappers wanted $100,000.
All I had was $80,000.
It was my life savings.
But I never hesitated.
And you didn't notify the police? They told him not to call anyone.
They said they were gonna kill her.
Now, where'd you drop the money? A garbage can.
Brighton Beach.
Then they were supposed to bring Lena to the carousel.
I gave them everything I had, and they still killed her.
Look, uh-- your cell phone.
You have any other photos of your Russian trip on there? Uh, hundreds.
And video.
I-I didn't take any pictures of her ex.
He was stalking us.
So just focus on the people in the background.
No, no.
No.
Hi, sweetie.
- Hi.
- Baby doll.
Wake up.
Wake up.
I've got some coffee for you.
Come back to bed.
Next.
Look at the crowd, Daniel, not your girl.
Right there.
Everyone else is looking at the musicians.
That guy is taking pictures of you.
Wait, I'll zoom in.
That's her ex.
I'd know that face anywhere.
Good.
Good, Daniel.
Give us a second.
You're sure that's the guy, right? Let's get this to Real Time's Facial Recognition database.
NCIC, Interpol too.
Hey, so I got something on yourczarina.
com.
You find out who owns it? Bet their hands aren't clean.
Well, they are hosted by a rogue provider.
They've got an office here in Manhattan.
They claim to do Internet security.
It's called QuickSecure.
What are you waiting for? Ohh-kay.
Well, I have nothing on file for yourczarina.
com other than that someone wired in some money from offshore.
That's all I got.
Okay, then give us the IP address and the wire info, and we'll take it from there.
Uh, I can't do that because our clients pay us top dollar to maintain their privacy.
So if you want that information, you gotta come back in with a search warrant, okay? I don't think you understand.
Let's get something straight.
First, spit that lollipop out, before I smack it out your mouth.
You're not a five-year-old.
You make us get a warrant, we're gonna call the feds.
Uh, well, we're not doing anything illegal here.
This place here is a front, your server is illegal.
We're gonna hold you responsible for all of the crimes on all of the sites.
We're gonna shut this toilet down and put your little ass in jail.
You understand me? Jail.
Where you're gonna be suckin' on somethin' else.
Now, what you wanna do? - You want that? - No, no! I don't want that.
So I'm gonna help you out.
But can we not call in the feds on this? Is that cool? We don't like them anyway.
Great, so we're on the same page.
Um, this is the physical address.
Uh, the last place that the website was logged into and changed.
Okay.
So that's the best that I can do for you.
Okay? So are we cool now? Yeah, yeah.
- We're done here.
- Great.
FBI, hands up now! Move away from your keyboards.
Come on, you lied to me?! - Yeah.
- Ain't life a bitch? You never heard of yourczarina.
com, then why is their web site being run off one of your computers? This is a travel agency.
I give you flight, hotel.
You have to find the bride yourself.
Look, check my computer.
My records, whatever you want.
We run a legitimate business here.
You give us permission to search the premises? Yes! Yes, if you need to.
I have nothing to hide.
Hey, man.
Hey.
Hey! Hey, stop! Police! Hey, you Hey, agh! What you running from, man? Travel agent.
That's a good cover for the yourczarina webmaster.
I-I just book flights.
Well, one of the girls you flew in got murdered.
So if you just book flights, tell us who you're working for.
You know who this man is? You have no idea who you're dealing with, do you? No.
Why don't you tell us? Well, you already know he's a killer.
But this one, he lives by the code.
The code? He's vor v zakone.
He's Russian mafia.
If I talk, he'll kill my family, my friends, my dog, as sure as we're sitting here.
You know what your problem is? You're scared of the wrong people.
Let's release him.
I don't understand.
You see, everybody in Brighton Beach saw you getting picked up and talking to the cops.
So we're gonna drop you off right back on that same boardwalk.
Yeah, and everybody's gonna know you cooperated.
So I'm screwed, no matter what! You help us, we help you.
I'm thinking that's the best you got.
We got a name.
Liev Bodrov.
"The Butcher.
" He's wanted on multiple charges of murder, prostitution, and racketeering.
He did ten years in Vorkuta Gulag in Siberia in the '90s.
He escaped.
They haven't caught him since.
Well, I got something too.
We heard back from Interpol.
Four other murders fit our MO.
Moscow, Johannesburg, Vancouver, and Munich.
So the Butcher is running an international prostitution kidnapping ring? That's just great.
And each case, our vic was found with no face, the teeth removed, and her fingertips cut off.
No way for us to trace.
Except they all had the "Mother, forgive me" tattoo.
He's branding them so the mark knows his czarina is dead.
Thanks for meeting me here.
Something you didn't want to say in front of my partner? I couldn't risk coming to the precinct.
Why? What's going on? I did my own search online.
And I found this.
Different name, Irene.
Different haircut.
Different color.
But that's Lena.
I'd know here anywhere.
She's alive.
We don't know that.
We don't know when this photo was taken.
It was taken after she was kidnapped.
That necklace, I gave it to Lena at our engagement party.
She disappeared the next morning.
I loved her.
I grieved for her.
She was playing me the whole time.
I mean, those people faked everything.
We have a body in our morgue.
They didn't fake that.
Daniel I need you to show me how to set up a date on a web site like this.
Detectives, what are you proposing? We want to wire up an undercover, send him out on a date with Lena, AKA Irene.
Our UC Needs to be her type.
Lonely, mature, with money.
Are you sure you need the wire? A suspect can say something exculpatory.
I have seen it backfire.
These are dangerous people, Counselor.
If our UC gets lured somewhere, we need to be able to protect him.
How quickly do you need the warrant? Yesterday-- these are career criminals with a global network.
Okay, I'll see if any of the DA's investigators fit your profile.
Well, actually, uh We got it covered.
I'm gonna take it.
When was the last time you were undercover? Probably before either of you were born.
Remember, Captain, no matter how tempting it might be, you cannot get intimate with the suspect.
It will undermine your credibility at trial.
I'll try to control myself, Counselor.
Captain, TARU set up a laptop in your office so you can IM Lena and it won't trace back here.
You want us to come in there with you? Not a chance.
Now, I did a lot of undercover work in narcotics.
I know Finn did too.
The key is-- is to choose an identity as close to your own as possible.
I know the drill, detectives.
Right.
Sorry, Captain.
I just didn't know they had, you know, tape recorders when you graduated the academy.
At least we didn't have to inflate his bank account, 'cause he hasn't spent a dollar of his captain's pay on his wardrobe.
Thank you very much for your help, fellas.
But I've got to prepare for my cyber date.
Knock it out, killa.
I heard that! Uh, Lena's getting out of the cab now.
She arrived alone, but we made two guys at the end of the bar.
So, um, definitely get her up to your room.
We'll move in once you're there.
You'll do fine.
You look good.
- Irene? - Yes.
Michael? You are, uh, much prettier than your picture.
Oh, thank you.
- And you are handsome.
- Please.
They say I have a face for radio.
Don't say that.
Your eyes are very kind.
Ma'am.
What are you having? Club soda.
I'm, uh, not a drinking man anymore.
But don't let that spoil your fun.
A man who doesn't drink.
You're new for me already.
Um, an orange juice, please.
Children's Rights Coalition? What do you do? Well, actually, it's, uh Just what it says.
We advocate for the rights of children worldwide.
There are horrible abuses out there.
How'd you get involved with that? Probably started during the war, Vietnam.
I saw some conditions in the villages that truly shocked me.
Such sadness.
Must be very hard to deal with it every day.
No, it-- people think that, but you're standing up for victims who have no voice.
I mean, I worry more about my staff.
The--the work really takes a toll on them.
You worry about children.
You worry about your staff.
Who worries about you? Have you ever been married, Michael? Yes.
I'm a widower.
Marge, my wife, I lost her a long time ago.
Any children? Well, there was a miscarriage.
And, uh we tried to adopt.
I guess I was just too busy all the time.
That's my biggest regret.
You're a man.
It's not too late.
Okay.
Enough of my violins.
All right? I wanna know about you.
Were you ever married? Children? Who are you, Irene? You hear sad stories every day.
Tonight, I just want to enjoy.
I hope you're enjoying it too.
I think you know I am.
Thank you.
Well As my favorite bartender used to say, uh, we don't have to go home, but we can't stay here.
I don't want to go home.
I have a room upstairs.
It's a beautiful view.
- Okay? - Thank you.
Have you done this before? Me? No, never.
Is something wrong? I'm just a little bit old-fashioned.
But you got a room.
I will be a gentleman.
I promise.
Maybe we should wait for a second date.
Len--Lena, wait.
Wai--damn it.
She's on the move.
Go! Go! Go! - Freeze! - No! Police.
Up against the wall.
- Up against the wall! - No, no, no.
Turn around.
Get your hands behind your back.
No, you can't arrest me! You can't! You don't understand.
You don't understand.
Please, you have to help me.
Whoever you are.
Please.
- Don't do it, Captain.
- What's that? Have a drink.
I know you want one.
Look, we caught her.
That's what's important.
She made me at the end, she made me.
Come on.
Did a good job, captain.
It's not you that we really want.
It's Liev.
But we need your help.
There's no reason for you to spend the rest of your life in jail.
Look, we understand he has you scared, but we can relocate you.
Put you in Witness Protection.
They won't get to you or your family.
That, we can promise.
I only have one daughter.
And Liev already has her.
What? He has my baby, and he's going to kill her if he finds out I'm with the police.
This is how he controls people.
Do you think I wanna do these things? What things, Lena? You need to tell us everything.
Liev runs mail-order bride sites, here and in Russia.
Which is just a front for his blackmail operation.
And prostitution.
So tell us how the scam works.
I meet wealthy men through the site, and I make them fall for me.
I tell them I have a jealous ex.
I get kidnapped and Liev just takes all their money.
You left out the part where he kills and disfigures a girl who's supposed to be you.
Yes.
But at first, I didn't know he was killing these girls.
I swear! Lena, whose bodies are they? Prostitutes who-- who work for Liev, just No family, illegal.
No one to miss them.
No mothers to forgive them.
What do you mean? All the bodies had "Mother, forgive me" tattooed on their hip and a butterfly on their shoulder.
The Russian one is his brand.
The butterfly I had that tattooed before I met Liev.
He said it made me special.
Well, you are special, aren't you? They die and you live.
You don't understand.
I beg to stop.
But he won't let me! He says I'm-- I'm the best at this job.
He has me trapped.
Because of your daughter? He moves her from country to country, and I never know where she is.
Does he ever let you see her? Every once in a while, for a few hours.
In a safe house.
And then he just he just takes her from me.
Can you give me my phone? I show you.
My baby girl.
Her name is Anna.
Captain, I did a quick check on Lena's ID.
She is in the states on an expired work visa, but she doesn't have a criminal record in Russia.
Does she even have a daughter? Yeah, she does.
One--one daughter that's four years old.
All right, so that checks out.
Okay, so we use Lena to get to Liev.
If he's not already spooked.
As far as Liev knows, she's still in the room with you hooking her mark.
How do we draw him out? She'll know.
We got it, captain.
No, no.
No.
I'll handle it.
Uh, you two give us the room.
No offense.
And send Lena in.
Right now, we have to consider you part of a conspiracy to commit extortion and murder.
- Liev forced me! - Listen to me! You're in big trouble here, Lena.
Now, help yourself by helping us to get Liev.
I want my daughter back.
Well, we'll do what we can.
But, Lena, you need to cooperate.
Do you understand that? If you want to make a deal, you have to tell us everything about Liev's operation.
Co-conspirators, names, victims, dates, places.
You'll have to testify.
No.
Okay.
After our date, what was going to be the next step with me? I would call Liev and I would tell him I have a big fish on the hook.
And then I would set up another date.
And Liev would be watching, right? Yes, he always watches.
Call him.
Set it up.
I know what you think of me.
But we need to look like we're lovers.
Come closer, captain.
Smile.
I'm gonna kiss you.
Otherwise, he'll know, okay? Thank you.
Thank you for helping me get my Anna back.
Police, drop your weapon.
No! Stop! No! No! - Okay, back up.
- Liev! - No, Lena, back up! - No.
Liev.
Where is she? Where is she? Where is she?! Where's Anna?! He's gone, Lena.
Come on.
No! No.
We'll never find her! We'll never find her! His soldiers will kill her! Do you understand?! They will kill Anna! This text just came in in Russian.
What does that mean? It's--it's one of Liev's people asking where to meet him after.
He's got Anna! Do you know the location of any of the safe houses? Yes, yes, one.
Um, in Brighton Beach.
I'm scared.
- One, two, three.
- It's gonna be okay.
NYPD! Hands up! Watch out! No.
Officer down! Officer down! - My daughter's-- - Stay here! My daughter's in there.
We're clear, captain.
They're down.
- Get your hands off me! - Take it easy.
Who got hit? I'm okay, captain.
Vest got it.
He's lucky as hell.
Captain, I just searched the house room by room.
I couldn't find the daughter anywhere.
Shots fired! Shots fired! - You ready? - Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I got it.
Lena? Lena! Son of a bitch.
- I got her.
- Amaro, she's got his gun! Central, be advised that the perp is female, blonde, in her 20s, with an officer's gun.
I want this bitch caught now! Don't move! Don't move, or I'll blow your damn head off right now! Don't shoot! Don't shoot! Don't shoot! Freeze! Get up.
The DA says she wants me to testify.
Do I have to? I'll look like a fool.
No, no.
This woman is very, very good at what she does.
Any man would fall for her.
The newspapers say she walked you into a trap.
Claimed she had a daughter? Well, turns out that she did have a daughter.
Four years ago, the child was abducted and murdered in St.
Petersburg.
Liev found the killers and took them out.
So since then, she has been in Liev's debt.
They work together as a team.
Maybe not.
He might have made her do these things.
She shot a 22-year-old officer at point blank range.
Now, Liev maybe brought her into his world, but she has since crossed over.
There's--there's another side of her.
I know you don't believe it, but there really is.
Daniel I believe you.
Okay.
I'll do what you want.
Okay.
Thank you.
Liv About that stuff I said on the wire What stuff? Okay.
In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit.
These are their stories.
Angel, stop, angel.
Where do you go, little girl? Come back here! Don't run away! My angel, stop! Get in car! Get in car now! Come back here! So, you know how, in the summertime, you're drinkin' outside and gotta put your beer in a paper bag? Yeah, so you don't get a summons--yeah.
Yeah, so how 'bout this? Designer beer bags.
In suede, leather, velour-- all blinged out.
That's hot, right? Gonna get me paid for sure.
Yeah, they already have those.
Koozies.
You're kidding me.
Oh, man.
So let's see what we got.
No purse, no I.
D.
Butterfly tattoo.
The bus boys say the body wasn't here an hour ago.
No one heard any screams.
No one saw anything.
But she was raped? Bruising on the thighs.
Blood on the panties.
Blunt force trauma to the head.
Let's flip her.
On three.
One, two, three.
Damn it.
Doc, is that acid? I mean, her face is gone.
It looks mechanical, not chemical.
Pulled her teeth, roots and all.
No fingertips, either.
These butchers knew their business.
There's another tat here.
What is that? Cyrillic? Either one of you read Russian? - I wish.
- No dental records.
No fingerprints.
No face.
But they leave the tattoos.
Well, they didn't want us to know who she was.
But they wanted to make sure somebody got the message.
What do we got? Our Jane Doe is female, white.
Late 20s to early 30s.
Raped and murdered.
We canvassed the neighborhood.
No one saw or heard a thing.
It's like the body materialized out of thin air.
Well, they did some number on her.
What about these tattoos? I had a buddy in the gang unit take a look at them.
The butterfly is generic.
Could have been inked by anyone, anywhere.
But this one's specific to the Russian mafia.
Most likely done in the motherland.
It's the mark of a prostitute.
What do those words mean? "Mother, forgive me.
" Gettin' an idea of who we're dealing with here.
The prelim autopsy report just came in.
Sand was found in the rectum and vaginal canal of the victim.
There were also cuts from bits of glass and debris.
M.
E.
Fix the time of death? Um, yeah, eight to ten hours before discovery.
So she was murdered on a beach, and then dumped at the restaurant.
It's usually the other way around.
They wanted the body found.
Hold on, didn't the ME's office collect sand samples after the Gilgo Beach murders? Yeah, they wanted to see if any of the victims had been moved from other sites.
All right, we got lucky here.
The sand was made up of fine particle and white mason Indicating that it's from a repaired beach, meaning that the city spread the sand.
So there's only three repaired beaches in the area.
Rockaway, Brighton, or Coney Island.
Well, Brighton Beach is still almost exclusively Russian.
They call it the Odessa by the sea.
So it's a good place to start.
All right, look, if this is Russian mob, this one's gonna scare people off.
So start with the butterfly.
Maybe we can find out who this poor woman was.
No? Thank you.
A lot of these people are illegal.
The last thing they wanna do is talk to the cops.
Girl disappears, it's not their problem.
Especially when they don't know who wanted her gone.
Good thing is, witnesses are like children-- they respond to bribes and threats.
And they're easy to trick.
I'll look for the manager.
Miss Shush! Huh? Excuse me, miss.
Miss.
Detective Tutuola, SVU.
I'm trying to I.
D.
somebody from the neighborhood.
Do any of your customers have this tattoo? No.
Don't know.
No? How 'bout this girl? Well, you must know her.
You have her up on your wall.
Uh, no English.
Sorry.
She doesn't speak English.
Call INS.
They'll send some translators down here.
On it.
We'll have to shut this place down till they get here.
No, wait.
We have a big party coming in.
Now she speaks English.
Last chance.
Who's the girl? Who's she with? Okay.
That is Lena, and the man is Daniel.
They had their engagement party here last Friday.
- I go now? - Engagement party.
They pay with a credit card? Hey.
You get the I.
D.
? Oh, just the first name on our vic.
That's Lena.
She had a fiance, Daniel Carter.
two kids in college.
Runs a nonprofit, NYC habitation.
Lives in Kips Bay.
Finn and Rollins are on their way there.
Any connection to the Russian mob? Not on paper.
There's no record.
Now, I know you're not a romantic, but they just got engaged.
Look, you know the stats.
When a woman is murdered-- You start with the man in her life.
See that's why I'm a firm believer in divorce.
When you feel that thing building, you just gotta get the hell out.
Your parents split.
Yeah.
Yeah, my pop, he, uh Liked to bounce my mom off the walls.
The day he left, we had a party.
It was one of the happiest moments of my life.
You ever talk to him? Last I heard, he got into some trouble.
Went back down to Miami.
Adios y hasta nunca.
This TMI? No.
What about your father? Uh, that's a long story.
Sorry to keep you waiting.
They worked her over.
Aside from the head wound that caused her death, she was raped vaginally and anally.
How'd they do that to her face? Power tools.
Sanded off her face, sawed off her fingertips.
She was dead before the worst of it.
Small favors.
Thanks, Melinda.
What did you say that he did again? He runs a nonprofit.
Builds houses for the homeless.
That would give him access to power tools.
Mr.
Carter works from home.
He should be here.
Something wrong? How well do you know him? We play chess together.
One move every day.
So you know Lena's fiance? Lena pretty girl.
What's going on, detectives? You're making me nervous.
We ask the questions here, okay, hon? Mr.
Carter, open up! It's Luis! Must have stepped out.
Super has keys, right? Or we can knock it down.
It's up to you.
Clear.
All clear.
Come on.
Come on.
Give me a heart attack.
So is this Lena? You got a last name on her? Something Russian.
The man was, uh, definitely smitten.
Older man, younger woman.
Daniel the jealous type? No.
You think he hurt her? No way.
Lena is his sunshine.
Did something happen to her? We need you to call Daniel.
On his cell phone.
What's this about? We think Daniel might be in a little bit of trouble.
We think he might be running scared.
But he'll talk to you, right? - Yeah.
- Call him up.
Find out where he is.
Put it on speaker.
Hello? Hello? Yo, Mr.
Carter.
Where are you? Luis? Why-- why are you-- is Lena there? Tell him you have a package for him.
I got a package for you, boss.
Uh, UPS won't let me sign.
Can you pop home quick? Package, what-- what kind of package? They won't say.
You gotta come home.
Ah, I can't-- I can't leave where I am.
You okay, man? Tell me where you are.
Mr.
Carter - No, I can't.
- What's going on? Mr.
Carter! He sounds scared.
That music? A kids' party? I'll have TARU trace that number.
I need to borrow your phone.
Thank you.
There's no GPS in this phone.
They triangulated the signal.
It's too wide an area.
If he's even still here.
Rollins said they heard kids on the phone and music.
There's a carousel right at the end of the pier.
We found a body there last fall.
All units converge.
Chelsea Piers Park, carousel area.
I've got him.
We're moving in.
Come on! Daniel Carter.
NYPD.
Go away.
Go away.
I didn't call you.
- They'll kill her.
- Kill who? Kill who? Daniel, who would they kill? - Lena? - Yes! You have to go away.
Where is she? Is she dead? They said they'd bring her here! Who, Daniel? That was the deal! I paid! I--I paid.
I paid, I paid, I paid.
I paid! This way, Mr.
Carter.
- Why don't you have a seat? - Thank you.
- Detective.
- Counselor.
Look, Daniel's a friend.
I've advised him to cooperate fully, but can I ask you to go easy on him? - We're investigating a murder.
- I know, I understand.
But he lost his wife three years ago--cancer.
Lena brought him back to life.
He wasn't prepared for this.
Are you a criminal attorney? Tax law, primarily.
Some estate planning.
Then, counselor, I would suggest you go in And tell your client to tell the truth.
Do you recognize these? This one's on Lena's hip.
The butterfly's on her shoulder blade.
Why can't I just ID The body? Later.
How did you two meet? Just tell them everything, Danny.
Ah, it's gonna sound cheap.
Well, it is cheap.
We met on a Russian bride web site, yourczarina.
com.
We've seen some scams run through those sites.
This wasn't like that.
My buddy told me about it.
He used to go to Russia on business, meet eight to ten girls from the site, sleep with them all and marry none.
He was divorced.
It was like a sex trip for him.
What about you? Detectives it was his fiancee.
I was going through a lonely time.
I started trolling.
Nothing serious.
And then I saw Lena's profile, and there was just something about her right away.
So you two Skyped or Skyping wasn't allowed.
We chatted online a few times, IMing.
I had to fly to Moscow to meet her.
She--she took me everywhere.
Even St.
Petersburg Where my family was originally from.
We talked and talked.
She wanted to know everything about me.
And this was all platonic? Well, no.
But it isn't what you think.
We had a real soul connection.
Did it go both ways? Did she introduce you to her-- her friends, her family? No, she was careful.
She had been in an abusive relationship, her-- She was scared of her ex.
He was stalking her.
That what she told you? Well, I saw him.
He was following us.
One night, he made a big scene outside the hotel about how he wanted her back.
I would see how terrified she was.
And that's when you convinced her to move to New York City? Yeah.
It was like a fairy tale.
I was--I was getting a second chance.
And how long did you live together before she disappeared? Two months.
The night after the engagement party, I got a call the kidnappers wanted $100,000.
All I had was $80,000.
It was my life savings.
But I never hesitated.
And you didn't notify the police? They told him not to call anyone.
They said they were gonna kill her.
Now, where'd you drop the money? A garbage can.
Brighton Beach.
Then they were supposed to bring Lena to the carousel.
I gave them everything I had, and they still killed her.
Look, uh-- your cell phone.
You have any other photos of your Russian trip on there? Uh, hundreds.
And video.
I-I didn't take any pictures of her ex.
He was stalking us.
So just focus on the people in the background.
No, no.
No.
Hi, sweetie.
- Hi.
- Baby doll.
Wake up.
Wake up.
I've got some coffee for you.
Come back to bed.
Next.
Look at the crowd, Daniel, not your girl.
Right there.
Everyone else is looking at the musicians.
That guy is taking pictures of you.
Wait, I'll zoom in.
That's her ex.
I'd know that face anywhere.
Good.
Good, Daniel.
Give us a second.
You're sure that's the guy, right? Let's get this to Real Time's Facial Recognition database.
NCIC, Interpol too.
Hey, so I got something on yourczarina.
com.
You find out who owns it? Bet their hands aren't clean.
Well, they are hosted by a rogue provider.
They've got an office here in Manhattan.
They claim to do Internet security.
It's called QuickSecure.
What are you waiting for? Ohh-kay.
Well, I have nothing on file for yourczarina.
com other than that someone wired in some money from offshore.
That's all I got.
Okay, then give us the IP address and the wire info, and we'll take it from there.
Uh, I can't do that because our clients pay us top dollar to maintain their privacy.
So if you want that information, you gotta come back in with a search warrant, okay? I don't think you understand.
Let's get something straight.
First, spit that lollipop out, before I smack it out your mouth.
You're not a five-year-old.
You make us get a warrant, we're gonna call the feds.
Uh, well, we're not doing anything illegal here.
This place here is a front, your server is illegal.
We're gonna hold you responsible for all of the crimes on all of the sites.
We're gonna shut this toilet down and put your little ass in jail.
You understand me? Jail.
Where you're gonna be suckin' on somethin' else.
Now, what you wanna do? - You want that? - No, no! I don't want that.
So I'm gonna help you out.
But can we not call in the feds on this? Is that cool? We don't like them anyway.
Great, so we're on the same page.
Um, this is the physical address.
Uh, the last place that the website was logged into and changed.
Okay.
So that's the best that I can do for you.
Okay? So are we cool now? Yeah, yeah.
- We're done here.
- Great.
FBI, hands up now! Move away from your keyboards.
Come on, you lied to me?! - Yeah.
- Ain't life a bitch? You never heard of yourczarina.
com, then why is their web site being run off one of your computers? This is a travel agency.
I give you flight, hotel.
You have to find the bride yourself.
Look, check my computer.
My records, whatever you want.
We run a legitimate business here.
You give us permission to search the premises? Yes! Yes, if you need to.
I have nothing to hide.
Hey, man.
Hey.
Hey! Hey, stop! Police! Hey, you Hey, agh! What you running from, man? Travel agent.
That's a good cover for the yourczarina webmaster.
I-I just book flights.
Well, one of the girls you flew in got murdered.
So if you just book flights, tell us who you're working for.
You know who this man is? You have no idea who you're dealing with, do you? No.
Why don't you tell us? Well, you already know he's a killer.
But this one, he lives by the code.
The code? He's vor v zakone.
He's Russian mafia.
If I talk, he'll kill my family, my friends, my dog, as sure as we're sitting here.
You know what your problem is? You're scared of the wrong people.
Let's release him.
I don't understand.
You see, everybody in Brighton Beach saw you getting picked up and talking to the cops.
So we're gonna drop you off right back on that same boardwalk.
Yeah, and everybody's gonna know you cooperated.
So I'm screwed, no matter what! You help us, we help you.
I'm thinking that's the best you got.
We got a name.
Liev Bodrov.
"The Butcher.
" He's wanted on multiple charges of murder, prostitution, and racketeering.
He did ten years in Vorkuta Gulag in Siberia in the '90s.
He escaped.
They haven't caught him since.
Well, I got something too.
We heard back from Interpol.
Four other murders fit our MO.
Moscow, Johannesburg, Vancouver, and Munich.
So the Butcher is running an international prostitution kidnapping ring? That's just great.
And each case, our vic was found with no face, the teeth removed, and her fingertips cut off.
No way for us to trace.
Except they all had the "Mother, forgive me" tattoo.
He's branding them so the mark knows his czarina is dead.
Thanks for meeting me here.
Something you didn't want to say in front of my partner? I couldn't risk coming to the precinct.
Why? What's going on? I did my own search online.
And I found this.
Different name, Irene.
Different haircut.
Different color.
But that's Lena.
I'd know here anywhere.
She's alive.
We don't know that.
We don't know when this photo was taken.
It was taken after she was kidnapped.
That necklace, I gave it to Lena at our engagement party.
She disappeared the next morning.
I loved her.
I grieved for her.
She was playing me the whole time.
I mean, those people faked everything.
We have a body in our morgue.
They didn't fake that.
Daniel I need you to show me how to set up a date on a web site like this.
Detectives, what are you proposing? We want to wire up an undercover, send him out on a date with Lena, AKA Irene.
Our UC Needs to be her type.
Lonely, mature, with money.
Are you sure you need the wire? A suspect can say something exculpatory.
I have seen it backfire.
These are dangerous people, Counselor.
If our UC gets lured somewhere, we need to be able to protect him.
How quickly do you need the warrant? Yesterday-- these are career criminals with a global network.
Okay, I'll see if any of the DA's investigators fit your profile.
Well, actually, uh We got it covered.
I'm gonna take it.
When was the last time you were undercover? Probably before either of you were born.
Remember, Captain, no matter how tempting it might be, you cannot get intimate with the suspect.
It will undermine your credibility at trial.
I'll try to control myself, Counselor.
Captain, TARU set up a laptop in your office so you can IM Lena and it won't trace back here.
You want us to come in there with you? Not a chance.
Now, I did a lot of undercover work in narcotics.
I know Finn did too.
The key is-- is to choose an identity as close to your own as possible.
I know the drill, detectives.
Right.
Sorry, Captain.
I just didn't know they had, you know, tape recorders when you graduated the academy.
At least we didn't have to inflate his bank account, 'cause he hasn't spent a dollar of his captain's pay on his wardrobe.
Thank you very much for your help, fellas.
But I've got to prepare for my cyber date.
Knock it out, killa.
I heard that! Uh, Lena's getting out of the cab now.
She arrived alone, but we made two guys at the end of the bar.
So, um, definitely get her up to your room.
We'll move in once you're there.
You'll do fine.
You look good.
- Irene? - Yes.
Michael? You are, uh, much prettier than your picture.
Oh, thank you.
- And you are handsome.
- Please.
They say I have a face for radio.
Don't say that.
Your eyes are very kind.
Ma'am.
What are you having? Club soda.
I'm, uh, not a drinking man anymore.
But don't let that spoil your fun.
A man who doesn't drink.
You're new for me already.
Um, an orange juice, please.
Children's Rights Coalition? What do you do? Well, actually, it's, uh Just what it says.
We advocate for the rights of children worldwide.
There are horrible abuses out there.
How'd you get involved with that? Probably started during the war, Vietnam.
I saw some conditions in the villages that truly shocked me.
Such sadness.
Must be very hard to deal with it every day.
No, it-- people think that, but you're standing up for victims who have no voice.
I mean, I worry more about my staff.
The--the work really takes a toll on them.
You worry about children.
You worry about your staff.
Who worries about you? Have you ever been married, Michael? Yes.
I'm a widower.
Marge, my wife, I lost her a long time ago.
Any children? Well, there was a miscarriage.
And, uh we tried to adopt.
I guess I was just too busy all the time.
That's my biggest regret.
You're a man.
It's not too late.
Okay.
Enough of my violins.
All right? I wanna know about you.
Were you ever married? Children? Who are you, Irene? You hear sad stories every day.
Tonight, I just want to enjoy.
I hope you're enjoying it too.
I think you know I am.
Thank you.
Well As my favorite bartender used to say, uh, we don't have to go home, but we can't stay here.
I don't want to go home.
I have a room upstairs.
It's a beautiful view.
- Okay? - Thank you.
Have you done this before? Me? No, never.
Is something wrong? I'm just a little bit old-fashioned.
But you got a room.
I will be a gentleman.
I promise.
Maybe we should wait for a second date.
Len--Lena, wait.
Wai--damn it.
She's on the move.
Go! Go! Go! - Freeze! - No! Police.
Up against the wall.
- Up against the wall! - No, no, no.
Turn around.
Get your hands behind your back.
No, you can't arrest me! You can't! You don't understand.
You don't understand.
Please, you have to help me.
Whoever you are.
Please.
- Don't do it, Captain.
- What's that? Have a drink.
I know you want one.
Look, we caught her.
That's what's important.
She made me at the end, she made me.
Come on.
Did a good job, captain.
It's not you that we really want.
It's Liev.
But we need your help.
There's no reason for you to spend the rest of your life in jail.
Look, we understand he has you scared, but we can relocate you.
Put you in Witness Protection.
They won't get to you or your family.
That, we can promise.
I only have one daughter.
And Liev already has her.
What? He has my baby, and he's going to kill her if he finds out I'm with the police.
This is how he controls people.
Do you think I wanna do these things? What things, Lena? You need to tell us everything.
Liev runs mail-order bride sites, here and in Russia.
Which is just a front for his blackmail operation.
And prostitution.
So tell us how the scam works.
I meet wealthy men through the site, and I make them fall for me.
I tell them I have a jealous ex.
I get kidnapped and Liev just takes all their money.
You left out the part where he kills and disfigures a girl who's supposed to be you.
Yes.
But at first, I didn't know he was killing these girls.
I swear! Lena, whose bodies are they? Prostitutes who-- who work for Liev, just No family, illegal.
No one to miss them.
No mothers to forgive them.
What do you mean? All the bodies had "Mother, forgive me" tattooed on their hip and a butterfly on their shoulder.
The Russian one is his brand.
The butterfly I had that tattooed before I met Liev.
He said it made me special.
Well, you are special, aren't you? They die and you live.
You don't understand.
I beg to stop.
But he won't let me! He says I'm-- I'm the best at this job.
He has me trapped.
Because of your daughter? He moves her from country to country, and I never know where she is.
Does he ever let you see her? Every once in a while, for a few hours.
In a safe house.
And then he just he just takes her from me.
Can you give me my phone? I show you.
My baby girl.
Her name is Anna.
Captain, I did a quick check on Lena's ID.
She is in the states on an expired work visa, but she doesn't have a criminal record in Russia.
Does she even have a daughter? Yeah, she does.
One--one daughter that's four years old.
All right, so that checks out.
Okay, so we use Lena to get to Liev.
If he's not already spooked.
As far as Liev knows, she's still in the room with you hooking her mark.
How do we draw him out? She'll know.
We got it, captain.
No, no.
No.
I'll handle it.
Uh, you two give us the room.
No offense.
And send Lena in.
Right now, we have to consider you part of a conspiracy to commit extortion and murder.
- Liev forced me! - Listen to me! You're in big trouble here, Lena.
Now, help yourself by helping us to get Liev.
I want my daughter back.
Well, we'll do what we can.
But, Lena, you need to cooperate.
Do you understand that? If you want to make a deal, you have to tell us everything about Liev's operation.
Co-conspirators, names, victims, dates, places.
You'll have to testify.
No.
Okay.
After our date, what was going to be the next step with me? I would call Liev and I would tell him I have a big fish on the hook.
And then I would set up another date.
And Liev would be watching, right? Yes, he always watches.
Call him.
Set it up.
I know what you think of me.
But we need to look like we're lovers.
Come closer, captain.
Smile.
I'm gonna kiss you.
Otherwise, he'll know, okay? Thank you.
Thank you for helping me get my Anna back.
Police, drop your weapon.
No! Stop! No! No! - Okay, back up.
- Liev! - No, Lena, back up! - No.
Liev.
Where is she? Where is she? Where is she?! Where's Anna?! He's gone, Lena.
Come on.
No! No.
We'll never find her! We'll never find her! His soldiers will kill her! Do you understand?! They will kill Anna! This text just came in in Russian.
What does that mean? It's--it's one of Liev's people asking where to meet him after.
He's got Anna! Do you know the location of any of the safe houses? Yes, yes, one.
Um, in Brighton Beach.
I'm scared.
- One, two, three.
- It's gonna be okay.
NYPD! Hands up! Watch out! No.
Officer down! Officer down! - My daughter's-- - Stay here! My daughter's in there.
We're clear, captain.
They're down.
- Get your hands off me! - Take it easy.
Who got hit? I'm okay, captain.
Vest got it.
He's lucky as hell.
Captain, I just searched the house room by room.
I couldn't find the daughter anywhere.
Shots fired! Shots fired! - You ready? - Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I got it.
Lena? Lena! Son of a bitch.
- I got her.
- Amaro, she's got his gun! Central, be advised that the perp is female, blonde, in her 20s, with an officer's gun.
I want this bitch caught now! Don't move! Don't move, or I'll blow your damn head off right now! Don't shoot! Don't shoot! Don't shoot! Freeze! Get up.
The DA says she wants me to testify.
Do I have to? I'll look like a fool.
No, no.
This woman is very, very good at what she does.
Any man would fall for her.
The newspapers say she walked you into a trap.
Claimed she had a daughter? Well, turns out that she did have a daughter.
Four years ago, the child was abducted and murdered in St.
Petersburg.
Liev found the killers and took them out.
So since then, she has been in Liev's debt.
They work together as a team.
Maybe not.
He might have made her do these things.
She shot a 22-year-old officer at point blank range.
Now, Liev maybe brought her into his world, but she has since crossed over.
There's--there's another side of her.
I know you don't believe it, but there really is.
Daniel I believe you.
Okay.
I'll do what you want.
Okay.
Thank you.
Liv About that stuff I said on the wire What stuff? Okay.