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NZ Herald
13-05-2025
- NZ Herald
Bulgarian beautician in UK spy ring linked to Russia jailed
He had admitted his role with Dzhambazov, 44, the second-in-command who was jailed for 10 years and two months and Ivan Stoyanov, 33, who was handed five years and three weeks in prison. 'Honeytrap' agents Gaberova, Katrin Ivanova, 33, and Tihomir Ivanov Ivanchev, a 39-year-old competitive swimmer, were found guilty at the Old Bailey in March of activities that police have said put lives and national security at risk. Justice Hilliard jailed Ivanova, of Harrow, northwest London, for nine years and eight months, saying she had 'thrown in' her lot with her partner Dzhambazov and become an 'enthusiastic' participant. Ivanchev, of Acton, west London, was sentenced to eight years in prison. Gaberova, of Euston, north London, was jailed for six years, eight months and three weeks, having found spying for Russia to be 'exciting and glamorous', the judge said. Anthony Metzer KC said Gaberova's case was 'tragic' as she would never have got involved but for her infatuation with Dzhambazov, who had falsely claimed to have cancer and be working for Interpol while retaining his relationship with partner Ivanova. He told the court: 'We say she was controlled, coerced into this conspiracy by Mr Dzhambazov. 'She fell in love with him and continued on her evidence to have feelings for him, not only on the date of her arrest but continued to have feelings for him even as she gave evidence, even though she was shocked, appalled and manipulated by him.' In a televised sentencing, Justice Hilliard commended officers for their 'extremely thorough and determined investigative work'. He noted the defendants were 'motivated by money' and lived 'very comfortably' on the substantial sums they were paid. Victims targeted by the spy ring were forced to enhance their security, the judge said. He said the risk to them was obvious and Roussev would have been aware of the 'extreme actions' Russia had taken against those it regarded as an 'enemy' of the state. Using the UK as a base to plan spy operations against the safety and interests of the nation was a 'very serious offence', Justice Hilliard added. The court had heard that the spies were directed by alleged Russian agent Jan Marsalek, 44, an Austrian businessman wanted by Interpol after the collapse of German payment processing firm Wirecard. Marsalek acted as a go-between for Russian intelligence and Roussev, who led the operation from a former guest house in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. When police moved to arrest the spies in February 2023, they found Dzhambazov naked in bed with his lover Gaberova in Euston, rather than at home with his partner Ivanova. Police pieced together six operations dating back to August 2020 from more than 100,000 Telegram messages on Roussev's phone in which he and Marsalek made light of their dangerous plans. In the chat, Roussev was referred to as Jackie Chan, Dzhambazov went by Mad Max and Jean-Claude Van Damme, and referred to his spies as The Minions. The spy ring is believed to have been one of the 'largest and most complex' enemy operations to be uncovered on UK soil. The network engaged in a series of surveillance and intelligence operations targeting people and places of interest to the Russian state. The defendants' spy activities ranged across the UK, Austria, Spain, Germany and Montenegro. They discussed deploying 'lashes queen' Gaberova as a honeytrap to snare a high-profile journalist, dropped 100 litres of pigs' blood on the Kazakhstan embassy in London by drone and kidnapped a man in the UK. Spyware was recovered from the seaside hotel, described by Roussev in messages as his 'Indiana Jones garage' – including audiovisual spy devices hidden inside a rock, men's ties, a Coca-Cola bottle and a Minions cuddly toy. Kit to make and test counterfeit identity documents was recovered from Roussev's address, with a stash of fake passports also found at the one-bedroom flat in Harrow that Ivanova and Dzhambazov shared. After his arrest, Roussev initially denied spying for Russia, telling police: 'No James Bond activity on my end, I guarantee you.' Justice Hilliard made a confiscation order for Roussev to pay £180,768 ($404,741) in ill-gotten gains. Commander Dominic Murphy, head of Scotland Yard's Counter Terrorism Command, said: 'The investigation team worked incredibly hard to piece together a complex and wide-ranging conspiracy that I would describe as espionage on an industrial scale. 'The significant jail sentences handed to the group reflect the serious threat they posed to the safety and interests of the UK, as well as targets across Europe. 'This case is a clear example of the increasing amount of state threat casework we are dealing with in the UK. It also highlights a relatively new phenomenon whereby espionage is being 'outsourced' by certain states. 'Regardless of the form the threat takes, this investigation shows that we will take action to identify and disrupt any such activity that puts UK national security and the safety of the public at risk.' On Monday Dan Jarvis, the security minister, called the jailing of the spies 'a clear warning' to anyone seeking to threaten the UK. 'These substantial sentences should send a clear warning to anyone seeking to threaten our security, harm the UK and compromise the safety of the public,' he said. 'This case is a stark reminder of the increasingly complex threat we face from hostile states who wish to undermine us and why national security is a foundation of our plan for change. 'We will use the full range of tools and powers available to us to detect, disrupt and deter malicious acts from hostile states and protect the public. 'I am especially grateful for the work of our world-leading law enforcement partners and the Crown Prosecution Service for disrupting this threat and bringing these individuals to justice.'
United News of India
13-05-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
London court sentences 6 Bulgarians to prison terms for spying for Russia: Police
United Kingdom, May 13 (UNI) London's Old Bailey criminal court has sentenced six Bulgarian citizens to prison terms for allegedly spying for Russia, the London police said. "A group of six Bulgarians living in the UK have been jailed for a combined total of more than 50 years for being part of a spying operation across Europe on behalf of Russia," the Metropolitan Police said in a statement on Monday. Orlin Roussev, Bizer Dzhambazov, Katrin Ivanova, Ivan Stoyanov, Vanya Gaberova and Tihomir Ivanchev were given sentences ranging from 5 years and 3 months to 10 years and 8 months, the statement read. According to the police, Ivanova, Gaberova and Ivanchev were found guilty of "conspiracy to spy," while Roussev, Dzhambazov and Stoyanov pleaded guilty to espionage before the trial began. The activities of the convicted were aimed, in particular, against investigative journalists, the statement noted, adding that the group also planned to organise protests in London, "carried out surveillance" at a US military facility in Germany, where they believed Ukrainian soldiers were being trained, and spied on a man "who was designated as a 'foreign agent' by Russia" in Montenegro. In August 2023, UK media reported that five Bulgarian citizens were detained in the United Kingdom on suspicion of spying allegedly for Russia. The Crown Prosecution Service gave permission to charge them with spying for Russia in September of that year. The suspects named included Roussev, Dzhambazov, Ivanova, Stoyanov and Gaberova. In February 2024, the London police said that another Bulgarian national, Ivanchev, had also been charged with espionage. UNI SPUTNIK ARN
Powys County Times
12-05-2025
- Powys County Times
Six Bulgarians jailed for spying for Russia
Six Bulgarians have been jailed after being convicted of spying for Russia on an industrial scale. Ringleader Orlin Roussev, 47, who led the spy ring from a rundown guesthouse on the east coast of England, was sentenced to 10 years and eight months on Monday. He had admitted his role along with his second-in-command, Biser Dzhambazov, 44, who was jailed for 10 years and two months and Ivan Stoyanov, 33, who was handed five years and three weeks in prison. Female 'honeytrap' agents Katrin Ivanova, 33, and Vanya Gaberova, 30, and competitive swimmer Tihomir Ivanov Ivanchev, 39, were found guilty at the Old Bailey in March of activities which police have said put lives and national security at risk. Mr Justice Hilliard jailed Ivanova, of Harrow, north-west London, for nine years and eight months, saying she had 'thrown in' her lot with her partner Dzhambazov and become an 'enthusiastic' participant. Gaberova, of Euston, north London, was jailed for six years, eight months and three weeks, having found spying for Russia to be 'exciting and glamorous', the judge said. Her ex-boyfriend Ivanchev, of Acton, west London, was sentenced to eight years in prison. Earlier in mitigation for 'naive' beautician Gaberova, Anthony Metzer KC said her case was 'tragic' as she would never have got involved but for her infatuation with Dzhambazov, who had falsely claimed to have cancer and be working for Interpol while retaining his relationship with partner Ivanova. He told the court: 'We say she was controlled, coerced into this conspiracy by Mr Dzhambazov. 'She fell in love with him and continued on her evidence to have feelings for him, not only on the date of her arrest but continued to have feelings for him even as she gave evidence, even though she was shocked, appalled and manipulated by him.' In a televised sentencing, Mr Justice Hilliard commended officers for their 'extremely thorough and determined investigative work'. He noted the defendants were 'motivated by money' and lived 'very comfortably' on the substantial sums they were paid. Victims targeted by the spyring had been left 'deeply concerned' and been forced to enhance their security, the judge said. He said the risk to them was obvious and Roussev would have been aware of the 'extreme actions' Russia had taken against those it regarded as an 'enemy' of the state. Using the UK as a base to plan spy operations against the safety and interests of the nation was a 'very serious offence', Mr Justice Hilliard added. The court had heard that the spies were directed by alleged Russian agent Jan Marsalek, 44, an Austrian businessman wanted by Interpol after the collapse of German payment processing firm Wirecard. Marsalek acted as a go-between for Russian intelligence and Roussev, who led the operation from a former guesthouse in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. When police moved to arrest the spies in February 2023, they found Dzhambazov naked in bed with his lover Gaberova in Euston, rather than at home with his partner Ivanova. Police pieced together six operations dating back to August 2020 from more than 100,000 Telegram messages on Roussev's phone in which he and Marsalek made light of their dangerous plans. In the chat, Roussev was referred to as Jackie Chan, Dzhambazov went by Mad Max and Jean-Claude Van Damme, and referred to his spies as The Minions. The spy ring, which operated over at least three years, is believed to have been one of the 'largest and most complex' enemy operations to be uncovered on UK soil. The network engaged in a series of surveillance and intelligence operations targeting people and places of interest to the Russian state. The defendants' spy activities ranged between the UK, Austria, Spain, Germany and Montenegro. They discussed deploying 'lashes queen' Gaberova as a honeytrap to snare a high-profile journalist, dropped 100 litres of pigs' blood on the Kazakhstan embassy in London by drone, and kidnapped a man in the UK. Spyware was recovered from the seaside hotel, described by Roussev in messages as his 'Indiana Jones garage' – including audiovisual spy devices hidden inside a rock, men's ties, a Coca-Cola bottle and a Minions cuddly toy. Kit to make and test counterfeit identity documents was recovered from Roussev's address, with a stash of fake passports also found at the one-bedroom flat in Harrow that Ivanova and Dzhambazov shared. After his arrest, Roussev initially denied spying for Russia, telling police: 'No James Bond activity on my end, I guarantee you.' Mr Justice Hilliard made a confiscation order for Roussev to pay £180,768 in ill-gotten gains. Commander Dominic Murphy, head of Scotland Yard's Counter Terrorism Command, said: 'The investigation team worked incredibly hard to piece together a complex and wide-ranging conspiracy that I would describe as espionage on an industrial scale. 'The significant jail sentences handed to the group reflect the serious threat they posed to the safety and interests of the UK, as well as targets across Europe. 'This case is a clear example of the increasing amount of state threat casework we are dealing with in the UK. It also highlights a relatively new phenomenon whereby espionage is being 'outsourced' by certain states. 'Regardless of the form the threat takes, this investigation shows that we will take action to identify and disrupt any such activity that puts UK national security and the safety of the public at risk.' Security minister Dan Jarvis said: 'These substantial sentences should send a clear warning to anyone seeking to threaten our security, harm the UK, and compromise the safety of the public. 'This case is a stark reminder of the increasingly complex threat we face from hostile states who wish to undermine us, and why national security is a foundation of our Plan for Change. We will use the full range of tools and powers available to us to detect, disrupt, and deter malicious acts from hostile states and protect the public. 'I am especially grateful for the work of our world-leading law enforcement partners and the Crown Prosecution Service for disrupting this threat and bringing these individuals to justice.'
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Six Bulgarians jailed for spying for Russia
Six Bulgarian have been jailed for spying on the enemies of Russia's Vladimir Putin in the UK and beyond. During a lengthy trial, the Old Bailey heard the ring was paid handsomely for their services, including spying on two journalists who had exposed nerve agent attacks on the Russian dissidents Alexei Navalny and Sergei Skripal. On Monday, the ringleader Orlin Roussev was jailed for 10 years and eight months for the charge of conspiracy to spy while his second-in-command, Biser Dzhambazov, was sentenced to 10 years and two months. Katrin Ivanova, Dzhambazov's partner, was jailed for nine years and eight months by Judge Justice Hilliard. Three others were jailed for between eight and six years. Watch live: Judge hands down sentences to six Bulgarians convicted of spying for Russia All had been convicted in March, after the court heard that they had conducted operations in the UK, Austria, Spain, Germany and Montenegro. They targeted investigative journalists Christo Grozev and Roman Dobrokhotov, as well as Russian dissidents and political figures. The case against them, which has been described as "one of the largest" foreign intelligence operations in the UK, focused on six of their assignments. They were directed by Dzhambazov, the senior judge said. He said the defendants were "motivated by money", with "substantial" sums of up to €1m (£840,000) discussed. Judge Hilliard added that the sums of money paid to the spies demonstrated the "value" of their covert activities to Russia. For the first time in a UK criminal court, the inner workings of a Russian operational spy cell were exposed in thousands of messages organising surveillance, photos and videos of their targets, and talk of plans to kidnap and kill. Evidence placed before the court this week revealed new details about Jan Marsalek, the ring's controller for Russian intelligence services. Marsalek, an Austrian, is currently on the run and is wanted in Germany for alleged fraud linked to the financial services company Wirecard. The spy ring referred to themselves as the "minions", inspired by the yellow sidekicks of the villain Gru in the Despicable Me children's film franchise. The group also frequently referred to the Russian GRU agency - its military intelligence service - in Telegram messages. When police raided the Norfolk guesthouse housing the operation, they found a "treasure trove" of gadgets, including a Minion cuddly toy containing a camera. During sentencing, Roussev was ordered to pay a confiscation order of £180,768 in ill-gotten gains by August 2025. Tihomir Ivanchev, Ivan Stoyanov and Vanya Gaberova, the other three members of the gang, received shorter custodial terms of eight years, five years and three weeks, and six years and eight months respectively. Gaberova's sentenced was reduced to six years, eight months and three weeks following mitigation. Her defence barrister Anthony Metzer KC said Gaberova, 30, was "controlled, coerced into this conspiracy by Mr Dzhambazov," who was her lover and also involved with Ivanova. The court was told she had been diagnosed with depression, panic disorder, claustrophobia and anxiety. Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met's Counter Terrorism Command, said the case was "a clear example" of the increasing threat of state espionage. He added that this case "highlights a relatively new phenomenon whereby espionage is being 'outsourced' by certain states". How spy ring did Russia's dirty work from the UK Bulgarians convicted of spying for Russia face 'double figure sentences'
Daily Mirror
12-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Putin's 'honeytrap' scheme sees six Bulgarians jailed for passing info to Russia
Six Bulgarians have been jailed after being convicted of spying for Russia on an industrial scale using "honeytrap" agents. Ringleader Orlin Roussev, 47, who led the spy ring from a rundown guesthouse on the east coast of England, was sentenced to 10 years and eight months on Monday. He had admitted his role along with his second-in-command, Biser Dzhambazov, 44, who was jailed for 10 years and two months and Ivan Stoyanov, 33, who was handed five years and three weeks in prison. Female 'honeytrap' agents Katrin Ivanova, 33, and Vanya Gaberova, 30, and competitive swimmer Tihomir Ivanov Ivanchev, 39, were found guilty at the Old Bailey in March of activities which police have said put lives and national security at risk. Mr Justice Hilliard jailed Ivanova, of Harrow, north-west London, for nine years and eight months, saying she had 'thrown in' her lot with her partner Dzhambazov and become an 'enthusiastic' participant. Gaberova, of Euston, north London, was jailed for six years, eight months and three weeks, having found spying for Russia to be 'exciting and glamorous', the judge said. Her ex-boyfriend Ivanchev, of Acton, west London, was sentenced to eight years in prison. Earlier in mitigation for 'naive' beautician Gaberova, Anthony Metzer KC said her case was 'tragic' as she would never have got involved but for her infatuation with Dzhambazov, who had falsely claimed to have cancer and be working for Interpol while retaining his relationship with partner Ivanova. He told the court: 'We say she was controlled, coerced into this conspiracy by Mr Dzhambazov. 'She fell in love with him and continued on her evidence to have feelings for him, not only on the date of her arrest but continued to have feelings for him even as she gave evidence, even though she was shocked, appalled and manipulated by him.' In a televised sentencing, Mr Justice Hilliard commended officers for their 'extremely thorough and determined investigative work'. He noted the defendants were 'motivated by money' and lived 'very comfortably' on the substantial sums they were paid. Victims targeted by the spyring had been left 'deeply concerned' and been forced to enhance their security, the judge said. He said the risk to them was obvious and Roussev would have been aware of the 'extreme actions' Russia had taken against those it regarded as an 'enemy' of the state. Using the UK as a base to plan spy operations against the safety and interests of the nation was a 'very serious offence', Mr Justice Hilliard added. The court had heard that the spies were directed by alleged Russian agent Jan Marsalek, 44, an Austrian businessman wanted by Interpol after the collapse of German payment processing firm Wirecard. Marsalek acted as a go-between for Russian intelligence and Roussev, who led the operation from a former guesthouse in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. When police moved to arrest the spies in February 2023, they found Dzhambazov naked in bed with his lover Gaberova in Euston, rather than at home with his partner Ivanova. Police pieced together six operations dating back to August 2020 from more than 100,000 Telegram messages on Roussev's phone in which he and Marsalek made light of their dangerous plans. In the chat, Roussev was referred to as Jackie Chan, Dzhambazov went by Mad Max and Jean-Claude Van Damme, and referred to his spies as The Minions. The spy ring, which operated over at least three years, is believed to have been one of the 'largest and most complex' enemy operations to be uncovered on UK soil. The network engaged in a series of surveillance and intelligence operations targeting people and places of interest to the Russian state. The defendants' spy activities ranged between the UK, Austria, Spain, Germany and Montenegro. They discussed deploying 'lashes queen' Gaberova as a honeytrap to snare a high-profile journalist, dropped 100 litres of pigs' blood on the Kazakhstan embassy in London by drone, and kidnapped a man in the UK. Spyware was recovered from the seaside hotel, described by Roussev in messages as his 'Indiana Jones garage' – including audiovisual spy devices hidden inside a rock, men's ties, a Coca-Cola bottle and a Minions cuddly toy. Kit to make and test counterfeit identity documents was recovered from Roussev's address, with a stash of fake passports also found at the one-bedroom flat in Harrow that Ivanova and Dzhambazov shared. After his arrest, Roussev initially denied spying for Russia, telling police: 'No James Bond activity on my end, I guarantee you.' Mr Justice Hilliard made a confiscation order for Roussev to pay £180,768 in ill-gotten gains. , , , , or visit homepage.
