Eastern European gangsters have been charged with arson after allegedly torching a New York City apartment block that housed a rival illegal gambling operation.

In May 2016, a three-story residential building in Brooklyn caught fire, trapping two residents – including a 12-year-old boy – on the top floor. Brooklyn fire fighters were called to the scene and eventually rescued the trapped residents before the building was completely gutted. Two residents and five firemen suffered flame-related injuries.

On Wednesday, federal authorities unsealed an indictment indicating that the blaze was sparked by a gang of Eastern European organized crime members known as Vory V Zakone aka ‘Thieves-in-Law’ who were based in Brighton Beach and Coney Island. The group is believed to have connections with organized crime groups in former states of the Soviet Union and in Israel.

According to the indictment, the gangsters set fire to the building because its ground floor was the site of an illegal high-stakes poker operation. Apparently, the Thieves-in-Law had their own illegal gambling den about one mile away, and business had been suffering due to the unwanted competition.