Vondas often meets with Nick Sobotka, who frequently serves as Frank's go-between, and Vondas takes an almost paternal interest in the younger man. Impressed with Nick's intelligence, Vondas gave him the task of stealing a shipment of chemicals. Vondas also intervenes in a dispute over a debt between Nick's cousin Ziggy Sobotka and a drug dealer supplied by the Greek, Cheese Wagstaff. Despite a personal dislike for Ziggy, Vondas orders Sergei to argue Ziggy's case to Proposition Joe, Cheese's uncle and superior. Vondas' distrust of Ziggy proves correct when Ziggy kills Glekas in an argument over payment for stolen cars. Ziggy is arrested soon afterward, and Vondas distances the murder from the rest of the operation by removing all evidence of the business from the warehouse.