In the 1980s, under the leadership of Spyredon "Spiro" Velentzas (also known as Spyridon), the organization rose to prominence controlling a number of illegal gambling operations in the New York City area.
In the late 1980s, the group grew to over 30 members and had gained more territory in Queens and Brooklyn by taking over more illegal gambling rackets, dice games and horse-racing parlors.
[9][10] By the late 1990s, Fotios Dimopoulos began leading the Greek crew and controlled the gambling operations in Astoria, Queens for the Lucchese family.
[11] On August 3, 2001, Rudaj organization member Ljusa Nuculovic and five others attacked Dimopoulos's associate Antonios Balampanis who was running a gambling club known as Soccer Fever.
[11] The attack from the Rudaj organization was retaliation after a Greek member of the Velentzas family and Lucchese associate named Tony had reportedly broken some of their gambling machines.