Career
He is notable for writing, directing, producing and starring in a short television series called Spets, which aimed to show viewers the reality of the Russian underworld. Although Dyomochka was an A-grade student, he was expelled from school and later college. Vitali was convicted of several crimes including extortion and shooting a rival gangster, and after his release from prison in 1997 became the head of the Podstava criminal group.
The gang specialized in blackmailing money from passing drivers by setting up car accidents.
Dyomochka was also interviewed in the 2010 documentary Thieves by Law. Unsatisfied with the way organized crime was depicted in film and television, Vitali set about creating his own television series.
Largely financed by his own money, the seven-part series finished production in 2003 and became a huge success, getting close to 100% ratings on a local television station. The series drew a lot upon Vitali"s own experiences, such as when a driver he had attempted to blackmail turned out to be a judge.