Nikodem Skotarczak, known as “Nikos,” is regarded as the godfather of the Tricity underground and one of Poland’s most notable criminals.
Niko Skotarczak’s presence is documented on the official Wikipedia page. He was born and raised in Pruszcz Gdansk, Poland. Initially employed as a security guard at the “Lucynka” club in Gdansk, he later pursued a career as a landscaper.
Additionally, he worked as a bouncer at Maxim’s restaurant in Gdynia and served as a guardian for “Donator,” the Tri-City’s largest fence.
During the 1970s, he ventured into money laundering and established the first organized criminal cell to smuggle stolen vehicles from Germany and Austria into Poland. Despite government efforts to label him as a fence, attempts to prove his involvement in trafficking only twenty vehicles were made.
Niko was a supporter of Lechia Gdansk in the early 1980s, and after their victory in the Polish Cup during the 1982/1983 season, he was bestowed the title of “Honorary Citizen of Gdansk” by Kazimierz Rynkowski, the city’s then-president.
During the 1980s, he relocated to West Germany, where he continued to oversee the trafficking of stolen vehicles. Niko resided in Hamburg with his third wife, where they jointly owned the “Skotex” firm and an electronics store.
In November 1986, Nikos moved from Hamburg to Berlin, where he was apprehended by police in 1989 while driving a stolen Audi Coupé. He was sentenced to one year and nine months in prison for this offense and was incarcerated at Berlin’s Moabit prison.
Remarkably, he escaped on December 4, 1989, after less than 90 days in prison: he exchanged clothing with his brother and discreetly left Berlin-Tegel prison during a visit.
Nikos illegally returned to Poland via Austria in the early 1990s. He managed to evade a police raid in Krakow in 1992 and slipped away from a police convoy in Warsaw in July of the same year. Remaining in hiding for an extended period after a warrant was issued for his arrest.
In February 1993, he was apprehended in Warsaw’s Oliborz district on suspicion of forging a passport and evading a police convoy.
Nikos was sentenced to two years in prison in 1993 but was released in February 1994, ostensibly for good behavior, though in reality due to bribery paid to officials by the Prison Service.
Upon regaining his freedom, he began investing in legitimate ventures. He was also known for recovering stolen vehicles free of charge.
The prosecution of Nikodem Skotarczak, accused by prosecutors of leading a criminal cell involved in car theft, commenced in October 1996 at the Provincial Court in Gdansk.
Is the Gangster Story of Nikodem Skotarczak Real?
The Polish crime drama “How I Fell in Love with a Gangster” depicts the life of Nikodem ‘Nikos’ Skotarczak. The film aims to portray the life of the legendary criminal as narrated by various sources, based on real-life accounts.
“How I Fell In Love With A Gangster” aspired to be many things but failed to deliver on any of its original concepts or strategies.
The movie depicts Nikos’ rise in Poland and his financial expansion, as well as the constant threat of the law. The circumstances surrounding the gangster’s death remain shrouded in mystery, with various interpretations suggesting involvement from several of his adversaries.
How Did Nikos Skotarczak Die?
Nikos Skotarczak died in Gdynia on April 24, 1998.
Two masked individuals entered the “Las Vegas” escort agency on ul. Chwarznieska 170a in Gdynia around noon on April 24, 1998, and fatally shot Nikos.
Investigators from the Gdansk District Prosecutor’s Office conducted an investigation that yielded no results.
It is speculated that Nikodem Skotarczak’s death may have been the result of his conflict with members of the Pruszków group, as suggested by the testimony of a key witness, Jaroslaw Sokolow, also known as “Masa.”