In the early 1970’s, the largest immigration of Eastern Europeans since the times of Ellis Island began to settle in major U.S. cities.

Most of these immigrants were scientists, engineers, doctors, and artists who were escaping Soviet persecution. A small percentage were unvetted criminals.

Many of these immigrants had a family history in Ukraine that included Pogroms, WW2 massacres by the local auxiliary police, and ongoing antisemitism  during the rise of the Soviet Union.

As a two year old boy, Michael Shuster arrived in Chicago in the 1970’s with his physician parents. Growing up, he was groomed to be a concert violinist. As he reached adulthood, something went terribly wrong.He ended up being an enforcer for a Chicago area crime family. After 20 years, he wanted out.