Mikhail Faustin

"None of you will survive in this country without me! This American greed takes everyone! It's like a disease. Only I am still sane!"

- Mikhail Faustin

Mikhail Faustin (Russian: Михаил Фаустин) is a character in the Grand Theft Auto series who appears as a main character and the senary antagonist in Grand Theft Auto IV. He is also mentioned, though not by name, in The Lost and Damned. He was the founder and the Pakhan of the Faustin Bratva. Faustin was known for his very short temper, which was most probably partially caused by alcohol and Cocaine abuse. He gradually became extremely violent and worryingly murderous, which led to him making decisions that caused his closest friend orchestrating his execution.

Background In Russia
Mikhail Faustin was born and raised in the Soviet Union. He met a man named Dimitri Rascalov while serving in the military during the Cold War as early as 1987, and they were later cell mates in a Siberian prison camp. Both he and Dimitri have tattoos on the palms of their hand which represent that they are "brothers for life" (many initiated members of his organization have the same tattoo later on in time.) It is apparent that Mikhail protected Dimitri from being raped in prison (which he will sometimes remind Dimitri of in order to guilt him into following orders.) In 1988, when Mikhail was twenty-five years of age, his future wife Ilyena gave birth to their daughter Anna - Ilyena was only eighteen years old at the time. Ilyena reminisces that Mikhail was "beautiful" at this time, before he became possessed by anger. Dimitri also talks of Mikhail in a more positive tongue. The Cold War ended in 1991; both Mikhail and Dimitri began selling Hashish to tourists in Red Square, Moscow. Both men had multiple murder convictions by this time.

Criminal Enterprise In United States
Mikhail "exploited a loophole in the immigration treaty to gain US residency in the late 90s" - relocating to Hove Beach in Liberty City with Dimitri, Ilyena, and Anna. Men who had worked for Faustin in Russia had travelled to Liberty City too. He quickly established a foothold for his organization in Hove Beach, and he was eventually arrested in 1998 for extortion. His enterprise was made up of several investments - the Perestroika cabaret, protection rackets, Cocaine distribution, pornography, and stolen goods (which he was arrested for in 2002). Life of crime provided him with a lavish lifestyle, consisting of a large home in Beachgate, and two luxury cars (a Turismo and custom black Schafter.) Mikhail was able to offer his daughter an upper-class lifestyle, and claims to have spoiled her as she grew up.

He began to frequently abuse Cocaine and alcohol - likely since 2005. Ilyena and Dimitri grew accustom to Mikhail's disturbing new personality by 2008, which was probably caused by his drug habits. Mikhail became abusive and unfaithful towards his wife, as well as stern towards Anna. He is very stubborn and refuses to take advise from his peers, particularly Dimitri.

Examples of his violent streak include the murders of Andrei (a member of the organization in which Dimitri favored), Jason Michaels (a member of The Lost Brotherhood who was dating Mikhail's daughter) and Lenny Petrovic, the son of another Russian crime lord, Kenny Petrovic.

Death
Among other violent, rash moves, Mikhail called for the death of Lenny Petrovic, who was the son of the most powerful Russian mob boss in Liberty City, Kenny Petrovic because he assumed that Lenny has snitched on him. This results in an all-out war between the two Russian factions. Kenny contacts Dimitri and explains that setting Mikhail up to be killed will ultimately restore order. Dimitri agrees to betray Mikhail, and tells Kenny that the man who eliminated his son was a "hired gun" who had no affiliation with Faustin's organization, in order to keep Niko safe from harm. Kenny tells Dimitri that he who killed his son, must be the man to exterminate Mikhail Faustin.

Niko immediately goes to the Perestroika, where he locates Mikhail. After a bloody shoot-out between Niko and members of Mikhail's faction, Mikhail is finally confronted on the rooftop, where he falls to his death after being shot.

Murders committed

 * Andrei - Murdered for agitating Mikhail.

Mission Appearances

 * GTA IV
 * Crime and Punishment
 * Do You Have Protection? (Boss)
 * Final Destination (Boss)
 * No Love Lost (Boss)
 * Rigged to Blow (Boss)
 * The Master and the Molotov (Killed)

Trivia

 * His favorite radio station is Vladivostok FM.
 * Mikhail is the second of his former employers that Niko kills (the first one being Vlad).
 * The only time Mikhail appears outside of cutscenes is in the mission The Master and the Molotov.
 * After the death of Mikhail Faustin, if you call his number, a voice message will be left by his wive Ilyena, telling Faustin's enemies that he is dead, and out of respect for Ilyena and Anna, to leave the Faustin family alone.

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