Southern California woman convicted of operating drug ring, narcotics delivery service

Yahoo

05-03-2025

A Southern California woman was convicted for operating a large-scale drug ring and narcotics delivery business.
The suspect, Mirela 'Mimi' Todorova, 36, from Hollywood, is a citizen of the United States, Canada, and Bulgaria, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
From June 2020 to March 2021, Todorova operated a 'technology-savvy drug trafficking operation' to deliver drugs to customers across the Southland. She hired drivers and provided them with cell phones and narcotics to carry out the operation.
Some of the drugs she sold included counterfeit oxycodone pills that contained fentanyl. Todorova would sometimes deliver drugs to customers herself.
Throughout the operation, Todorova visited Mexico several times where she continued managing her drug business 'while tending to her pet jaguar, 'Princess,'' court documents said.
Todorova hired Mucktarr Kather Sei, 39, from L.A.'s Koreatown, as a driver and later gave him the keys to her Hollywood drug stash house, allowing him to run the drug ring's operations while she managed him from abroad.
'Despite warnings from customers that the oxycodone pills she was selling were laced with fentanyl and potentially fatal, Todorova continued to sell them,' prosecutors said.
From November 2020 to January 2021, three customers who ingested Todorova's drugs experienced near-fatal overdoses. Despite knowing the danger, prosecutors said Todorova continued to sell fentanyl-laced pills until February 2021.
In March 2021, search warrants were executed at Todorova's home and vehicle. Authorities found a collection of drug trafficking materials and narcotics, including methamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA and more, at the scene.
In December 2021, she was accused of lying to law enforcement when saying she thought the drugs seized from her apartment were vitamins. Officials said she also lied when claiming she never instructed anyone how to package or make drugs and that she had only met her accomplice, Sei, twice before.
On March 4, 2025, after a nine-day trial, authorities said Todorova was found guilty of:
1 count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances resulting in serious bodily injury
1 count of distribution of fentanyl
3 counts of distribution of fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury
1 count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
1 count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine
1 count of possession with intent to distribute MDMA (Ecstasy)
1 count of making false statements to federal investigators
Todorova must also forfeit $498,555 in drug proceeds to the government. She will face anywhere from 20 years to life in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Sept. 12. She has been in federal custody since April 2021.
Sei and two other suspects were charged including Christopher Y. Moreno Núñez, 29, of Pacific Palisades, and Ashley Alicia Nicole Johnson, 34, of Los Angeles. In 2024, each pleaded guilty to felony narcotics distribution charges and will be sentenced in the coming months.
'This case highlights the importance of looking at every overdose incident,' said Matthew Allen, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration's L.A. Field Division. 'This case started with a single overdose and led to the identification of the dealer responsible for multiple overdoses. This drug distributor had knowledge of the harm she was creating and didn't care.'
'This defendant used her knowledge of technology to peddle the poison of fentanyl – despite knowing the pills she sold ran the risk of killing people,' said Joseph McNally, Acting U.S. Attorney. 'Investigating and prosecuting these cases saves lives. I commend our local and federal partners for stopping this dangerous criminal organization and bringing justice to the victims here.'
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