“Shoot me in the head before they take me. You gotta destroy the brain, or they'll bring it back to life in a jar.” —Avi Schwartzman to the GTA Online Protagonist in Pacific Standard - Signal.
Avi Schwartzman is a main character appearing in Grand Theft Auto Online, introduced as part of the Heists update.
Contents
1Plot
1.1Heists
1.2The Diamond Casino Heist
1.3Los Santos Tuners
1.4San Andreas Mercenaries
1.5A Safehouse in the Hills
2Prominent Appearances in Gameplay
2.1Grand Theft Auto Online
2.1.1Heists
2.1.2The Diamond Casino Heist
2.1.3Los Santos Tuners
2.1.4San Andreas Mercenaries
2.1.5A Safehouse in the Hills
3Gallery
4Trivia
5References
6Navigation
Plot[]
Heists[]
Avi is a professional Jewish hacker who used to work with Lester Crest. He is described by Lester as a very paranoid person. During the Pacific Standard - Signal mission, Lester tasks the players into finding Avi and giving him the transponder recovered in the Pacific Standard - Vans mission, so he can tune the crew into the Pacific Standard Bank frequency. However, Avi is found by government agents and the crew needs to rescue him.
He is located on a small island off the west coast, surrounded by government agents in a small shack in the center of the island. The players are required to ride Seasharks to the island and take out the government agents. The players then need to escort Avi to a drop off after losing the cops where Paige takes in Avi. After this, the mission will end.
The Diamond Casino Heist[]
“He's certainly a skill fit. Whether he understands the culture we're trying to create down here's another thing.” —Lester Crest to the GTA Online Protagonist about Avi in the hacker role selection in The Diamond Casino Heist.
In 2019, the government put out Signal Jammers that bother Avi as they interfere with his radio broadcast. Once the first Signal Jammer is destroyed, Lester messages the player, informing them that Avi is grateful for their efforts and promises to provide his hacking skills should they destroy all of the Signal Jammers for him. The player can then unlock him as a hacker for The Diamond Casino Heist after destroying all 50 Signal Jammers.
According to Moodymann in The Data Contract, 'he worked for whoever hit the casino', confirming that Avi's return as a hacker is canonical.
He takes 10% from the final take in the Diamond Casino Heist and is the most expensive hacker available.
Avi provides 3 minutes and 30 seconds in the vault upon entering undetected. This is reduced to 2m 26s if the team is detected.
Los Santos Tuners[]
“Okay, Avi. Just concentrate. You didn't die on that godforsaken little island, and you're not gonna die here. You're gonna be on your boat, deep sea fishing again, in no time. One last job.” —Avi Schwartzman uploading Don Percival's secret files.
In 2021, after hearing about KDJ and Sessanta making moves in Los Santos, Avi reaches out to the GTA Online Protagonist with a contract that he doesn't trust his associates with, to rob Don Percival, the CEO of Merryweather Security. The player is tasked with breaking into Percival's secret bunker, stealing four hard drives that contain sensitive information and delivering them to Avi at Elysian Island. Once there, Merryweather attacks the site and the player must protect Avi while he uploads the data, using equipment stolen from Merryweather during their planning work. The contract ends once all data is uploaded, and Avi hands the player their payment before walking off.
San Andreas Mercenaries[]
In 2023, Charlie Reed informs the GTA Online Protagonist that Avi has been kidnapped by Merryweather, as they are forcing him to dig up classified intelligence on the Los Santos criminal underworld, including the Los Santos Angels. Subsequently, Charlie directs the player to rescue Avi from the server farm inside the NOOSE Headquarters. The player parachutes to the government facility, where they are successful in escorting Avi to the rendezvous point. Once Avi is safely transported in an Avenger, he informs his rescuers that his kidnapping was a consequence of leaking intel from Don Percival's bunker.
A Safehouse in the Hills[]
In early December 2025, Avi abruptly re-establishes contact with the GTA Online Protagonist, instructing them to answer a payphone at a Xero gas station on Calais Avenue in Little Seoul. Upon picking up the payphone, they listen to Avi's account of an FIB-led mass surveillance program backed by KnoWay's fleet of autonomous vehicles. Seeing as Avi offers to pay the protagonist for their services, they gladly assist with Avi's plans, sabotaging KnoWay's operations in Los Santos. Notably, Avi sets up the player to be arrested by the FIB at a shopping complex, as he believes the protagonist can escape custody to reach the FIB servers. Ultimately, the protagonist is successful in doing so, allowing them to wipe the KnoWay-obtained personal data from the bureau's system.
Following the duo's success, Avi meets the GTA Online Protagonist on a tugboat on the eastern coast of Southern San Andreas, informing them that KnoWay's stocks are crashing as investors frantically pull the plug. It turns out that Avi had rerouted the funds beforehand, which he uses to pay the protagonist. Avi advises the protagonist to join him in going off the grid, as their enemies will be hunting for them. Ultimately, Avi discusses his plans to go deep-sea fishing in the Pacific Ocean, before promptly bidding the player farewell.
A short time later, the GTA Online Protagonist seemingly receives an unexpected phone call from Avi, which is revealed to be a deepfake by the real Avi. He subsequently warns the protagonist that they are in "danger" and have been "tracked" by KnoWay, but the phone call abruptly disconnects. The warning provided by Avi allows the player to save their mansion while it is under siege.
Prominent Appearances in Gameplay[]
Grand Theft Auto Online[]
Heists[]
Pacific Standard - Signal
The Diamond Casino Heist[]
Casino Heist (optional)
Los Santos Tuners[]
The Data Contract
San Andreas Mercenaries[]
Unconventional Warfare
Shock & Awe (voice)
A Safehouse in the Hills[]
KnoWay Out
Negative Press (voice/boss)
Inside Job (voice/boss)
Tunnel Vision (voice/boss)
Trash Talking (voice/boss)
A Clean Break (boss)
Home Sweet Home (voice/boss)
Gallery[]
Avi in The Diamond Casino Heist.Avi in The Data Contract finale.Avi inside the Avenger during Unconventional Warfare.
Trivia[]
Avi appears to have taken some leave of his senses during his time on the island, as he rants about talking to animals, among other things, during Pacific Standard - Signal.
According to Avi, he knows where Lester "hid the bodies", suggesting Lester was part of a murder.
During The Data Contract finale, KDJ mentions that Avi's paying for the job with the fund he's secured during The Standard Pacific Job or from "whoever's paying him during The Diamond Casino Heist". This means Avi's canonically hired by the player at least once during the Diamond Casino Heist.
In Unconventional Warfare, Avi states that he has vertigo and is allergic to peanuts.
Schwartzman is a surname of German and Jewish origin, which suggests Avi is most likely of German or Jewish descent.
References[]
↑Screenshot
Avi is seen fishing on a Suntrap in the Pacific Standard - Signal job image. Later referenced during The Data Contract finale quote:
“You didn't die on that godforsaken little island, and you're not gonna die here. You're gonna be on your boat, deep sea fishing again, in no time.” —Avi Schwartzman
Navigation[]
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Premium Deluxe Repo Work
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The DiamondCasino & Resort
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The DiamondCasino Heist
Main characters
Lester Crest | Georgina Cheng | Huang
Minor characters
Jimmy De Santa | Wendy | Zhao | Pansy | Agatha Baker | Tom Connors | Vincent Effenburger | Brucie Kibbutz | Yung Ancestor | Debbie | Josephine | Felipe | Casino Vault Guard | Los Santos Slasher†
Heist Crew Members
Avi Schwartzman | Charlie Reed | Christian Feltz | Chester McCoy | Eddie Toh | Gustavo Mota | Karl Abolaji | Karim Denz | Paige Harris | Patrick McReary | Rickie Lukens | Taliana Martinez | Yohan Blair | Zach Nelson
Gerald'sLast Play
Gerald | The Boss (Marabunta Grande)† | The Boss (Los Santos Triads)†
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Danny Brown | Skepta
Los Santos Summer Special
Main characters
Brendan Darcy
Minor characters
Solomon Richards | The Boss (Kkangpae)† | Tom Connors | Yacht Bartender | John Doe†
The Cayo Perico Heist
Main characters
Miguel Madrazo | Juan Strickler | English Dave | Pavel
Minor characters
Patricia Madrazo | Jackie | Kaylee | Enrique | Jorge | Josephine | Gustavo† | Tom Connors | VIP Charter Jets Pilot | Beach Party Coordinator | Head of Cayo Perico Security† | Pernell Moss | Evan | Unnamed Party Girl | Unnamed Party Girl's Friend | Sleeping Guard
Heist Crew Members
Charlie Reed | Viktor Sokolov | Rooster McCraw | Paige Harris | Unnamed heist crew member (heavy weapons supply drop) | Unnamed heist crew member (weapon stash)
Residency DJs
Moodymann | Palms Trax | Keinemusik
Celebrity cameos
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Los Santos Tuners
Main characters
Sessanta | Kenny "KDJ" Dixon Jr. | Mimi | Hao
Minor characters
Lil' Dee | Race Organizer | LSCM Tattooist | Benny | Corrupt IAA Agent† | Crystal Vape Dealer | Jorge | Corrupt Union Depository Businessman† | Union Depository Bank Manager
Contract Clients
Avi Schwartzman | Miguel Madrazo | Unnamed Korean client | Unnamed Armenian client | Chef | Unnamed FIB client
The Contract
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Even the Score Mixtape
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DāM-FunK
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Bottom Dollar Bounties
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Jenette Eccles | Maude Eccles | Vincent Effenburger | Martin Madrazo
American 
Avi in The Data Contract finale.
Avi inside the Avenger during Unconventional Warfare. 
