Cash Only 2016

Arson and the insurance scam

Elvis Martini commits arson as part of an insurance scam. The fire unexpectedly kills his wife who returns home early, leaving him to raise their daughter alone. This act places him in a desperate fight to cover mounting debts.

Elvis becomes sole guardian

With his wife dead, Elvis becomes the sole caregiver for his daughter. He wrestles with debt while attempting to provide for her, pulling rent income into the primary means of support. The tragedy heightens his willingness to bend rules to survive.

Two years later: court extends repayment

A judge grants Elvis a brief extension to repay debts to the bank. The extension buys him time to juggle payments, but the financial pressure remains intense. This pause complicates his plans as new demands emerge.

Debt pressure mounts

Elvis owes money to both the bank and a loan shark, creating a squeeze from multiple creditors. With the clock ticking, he begins focusing on collecting from his tenants to raise funds. The mounting pressure fuels riskier and more coercive behavior.

Tenants pressured; Blerta affair

Under pressure to raise funds, Elvis starts collecting from tenants, including Albanian tenant Leka and his fiancée Blerta, with whom Elvis is having an affair. The financial strain strains personal loyalties and cross-border relationships within his community. The dynamic foreshadows deadly consequences.

Kush and the new terms

Elvis pushes Kush to accept new terms that include a cut of Kush's profits from growing marijuana and increased rent. Kush warns that their friendship is at risk as the demands escalate. The relationship with tenants becomes transactional.

Security cameras and Rolexa

Using security cameras to monitor tenants, Elvis spots Rolexa stashing something in her apartment. He hires Agroni to change Rolexa’s lock while she’s away, tightening his control over the building. This marks a shift toward more aggressive tactics.

Rolexa's money funds schooling

In Rolexa’s apartment, Elvis finds enough money to put his daughter back in a private Catholic school and keep paying the bank and loan shark. The windfall temporarily alleviates some immediate pressures, but it forces him to confront the consequences of his actions. The money, however, ties him further to criminal schemes.

Eviction of Rolexa

After briefly caring for Rolexa’s unsupervised son, Elvis evicts her, dismissing her threats. The eviction clears the way for his rent scheme and intensifies his grip on the housing situation. His methods become increasingly ruthless.

Dino's warning and daughter's kidnapping

Elvis is interrupted during sex with Blerta when thugs knock him unconscious and kidnap his daughter. Dino, a mob boss, warns him that he has until the next night to return the money Rolexa stole plus penalties. The threat from the underworld tightens around him.

Rolexa's death discovered

Martini tracks down Rolexa, attempting to reason with her, but finds her dead. The discovery confirms the money she stole is a lost cause and pushes him toward drastic actions. The loss pushes him further into desperation.

Rent scam begins

With Rolexa dead, Elvis hurriedly sets up a rent scam by taking cash-only security deposits from many people for the same apartment. He tries to raise funds quickly, dodging scrutiny from authorities and anxious tenants. The scheme marks a deeper descent into criminal behavior.

Sells car and pawns possessions

To raise more capital, Elvis sells his car to Agroni and pawns most of his possessions. He is cutting every corner to keep creditors at bay while debt collectors loom. His desperation grows as opportunities diminish.

Kush money theft and warehouse confrontation

When Kush refuses to help, Elvis sneaks into Kush's apartment, knocks him unconscious, and steals Kush's drug money. He divides the money into two bags and heads toward Dino's warehouse to meet Dino's thugs. The tension escalates toward a violent confrontation.