Six members of Russian spy ring to have ‘too lenient' jail sentences reviewed
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SIX members of a Russian spy ring are to have their jail sentences reviewed for being too lenient, we can reveal.
The Bulgarians — who lived and worked in the UK — plotted sex stings, and targeted Russian dissidents and journalists critical of President Vladimir Putin's war effort against Ukraine.
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Russian Spy Vanya Gaberova was sentenced to eight years in jail
Credit: Reuters
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The operations was run out of a Great Yarmouth guesthouse
Credit: PA
The ring included lab worker Katrin Ivanova, 33, and beauty shop owner Vanya Gaberova, 30 — dubbed 'killer sexy brunettes' by cell leaders.
Ivanova got nine years and eight months and Gaberova eight years.
They were both found guilty in March of breaching the Official Secrets Act by conspiring to provide information useful to an enemy between August 2020 and February 2023.
Ivanova also got a concurrent sentence of 15 months for forged ID documents.
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All six got a total of more than 50 years last month.
The Attorney General's Office has been asked to consider the sentences under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.
The ULS scheme allows anyone to ask for a Crown Court sentence to be assessed by the Attorney General's office if they think it is too lenient.
Law officers have 28 days from sentencing to make a decision.
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Katrin Ivanova was sentenced to nine years and eight months
Credit: Central News
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Orlin Roussev ran the spy ring
Credit: PA
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Ivan Iliev Stoyanov was convicted of carrying out surveillance for Putin
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Tihomir Ivanov Ivanchev was also jailed for his part in the spy ring
Credit: PA
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Biser Dzhambazov was convicted as part of the ring
Credit: PA
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