VZCZCXRO3251
RR RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSL
DE RUEHSF #0508/01 2541056
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
R 111056Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY SOFIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6312
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC 0269
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 SOFIA 000508 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/28/2019 
TAGS: PGOV KCRM KCOR BU
SUBJECT: BULGARIA'S MOST WANTED: THE SKULL, THE BERET, THE 
CHICKEN, AND THE BILLY GOAT 
 
REF: A. REF A: 09 SOFIA 154 
     ¶B. REF B: 05 SOFIA 1207 
     ¶C. REF C: 05 SOFIA 1882 
     ¶D. REF D: 08 SOFIA 192 
 
Classified By: CDA John Ordway for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (C) Summary:  The number and scale of deeply entrenched 
organized crime (OC) groups operating in Bulgaria present a 
tremendous challenge to the new government as it strains to 
enforce the rule of law.  The Bulgarian mafia bosses, better 
known by nicknames such as the Skull, Big Margin, and the 
Beret have under previous governments been considered 
untouchable.  Bringing these ring leaders to justice would be 
a major victory for the new government and demonstrate to a 
skeptical European Commission (and Bulgarian public) that the 
days of impunity are over.  The following list of organized 
crime figures is by no means exhaustive, but represents some 
of the most well-known figures whose prosecution and 
sentencing would signify a major step forward for the 
Bulgarian government and bring us closer to the day when 
mobsters like the "Chicken" are no longer free-range.  End 
Summary. 
 
BACKGROUND 
---------- 
 
¶2. (C) According to a common Bulgarian saying, "all countries 
have a mafia, but in Bulgaria the mafia has a country." Crime 
bosses or "Mutri," who often are popularly known by their 
colorful nicknames, are frequently seen speeding around Sofia 
in their black BMWs or Mercedes SUVs followed by a group of 
thickly built bodyguards.  Bulgarian OC is particularly 
active in international money laundering, drug and human 
trafficking, counterfeiting, and contract killing.  Of the 
134 contract killings Embassy Sofia has followed since 1993, 
73 percent have not made it past the police investigation 
stage; there have only been a handful of arrests, and even 
fewer convictions (Ref A). 
 
THE SKULL 
--------- 
 
¶3. (C) Bulgaria's most infamous gangster is Vasil Krumov 
Bozhkov, aka "the Skull."  Bozhkov founded his first company 
in 1990 before creating his current business empire, NOVE 
HOLDING, comprising over 30 companies and numerous subsidies. 
 Bozhkov, whose wealth is valued at USD 1.5 billion, is one 
of the richest men in Bulgaria and almost made the top 50 
richest Eastern Europeans list in 2008.  He is now slowly 
moving out of the organized crime business and primarily owns 
casinos, hotels, and media outlets.  However, he is still 
reportedly active in money laundering, privatization fraud, 
intimidation, extortion, racketeering, and illegal antique 
dealing.  He maintains close relationships with many former 
government officials (Ref B). 
 
THE MARGIN BROTHERS 
------------------- 
 
¶4. (C) Despite being arrested in a 2005 for planning three 
assassinations and participating in organized crime (Ref C), 
Krasimir "Big Margin" Marinov and his younger brother, 
Nikolay "Small Margin" Marinov, remain free on bail.  The 
brothers lead a well-known organized crime organization known 
as Intergroup (formerly SIC), whose illegal activities 
include drug trafficking (especially heroin), financial 
fraud, car thefts, smuggling, extortion, racketeering, and 
prostitution.  The Marinov case, which has been postponed on 
at least four separate occasions, has become symbolic of the 
inability of the Bulgarian courts to bring about swift 
justice.  And thanks to a legal loop hole in Bulgarian law, 
requiring the physical presence of all codefendants and 
lawyers - who always happen to be too ill to make court dates 
-  the brothers were released on bail in December 2007 and 
remain at large. 
 
THE GALEV BROTHERS 
------------------ 
 
¶5. (C) Plamen Galev and Angel Hristov, aka "the Galev 
Brothers," jumped into the spotlight in 2008 following the 
revelation that then-current Interior Minister Rumen Petkov 
 
SOFIA 00000508  002 OF 003 
 
 
met with them while they were under investigation for 
organized crime activities (Ref D).  The pair was later 
arrested and charged with torture, prostitution, blackmail, 
extortion, and drug running - before being freed and granted 
temporary immunity in order to run for Parliamentary seats 
during the July 5 national election.  Despite losing the 
election and immunity, the Sofia City Prosecutor, Nikolay 
Kokinov, quietly announced that they had been released on 
bail.  Bulgaria's Supreme Court of appeals also ruled in 
mid-July that the Galev case must be tried in Kyustendil 
District Court rather then Sofia - thus allowing them to be 
tried in an area where they have significantly more support 
and have practically ruled for the last decade. 
 
THE BERET 
--------- 
 
¶6. (C) On February 6, the Bulgarian police apprehended the 
infamous gangster Zlatomir Ivanov, aka "the Beret," for his 
alleged link to three contract killings and two attempted 
murders.  Many believe that Ivanov was one of the most 
important Bulgarian drug kingpins as well as the mastermind 
behind several of the country's emblematic execution-style 
underworld killings.  The Beret has been charged with three 
murders, including the murder of one of Bulgaria's notorious 
drug lords, Nikola Ivanov, aka "the Beaver," who was shot 
nine times in the chest and head on October 8, 2006 in an 
upscale Sofia nightclub.  He was also charged with the murder 
of Radoslav Velokov, aka "the Unfriendly," who was shot in 
the head upon leaving the Sixth Police Precinct in Sofia 
where he had been interrogated about the attempted murder of 
another mafia leader.  Like the Marinov brothers, Ivanov 
tried to receive immunity by running for a Parliamentary 
seat, but his request was denied since charges were filed 
against him before his Parliamentary bid.  According to local 
press reports, the star witness in his trial has refused to 
testify against Ivanov citing threats to his life.  Although 
Ivanov remains in prison, it is not clear whether he will be 
convicted. 
 
THE RUSSIAN CONNECTION 
---------------------- 
 
¶7. (S/NF)  Todor Batkov, aka "Borat," a Bulgarian lawyer and 
businessman, serves as a proxy and front-man for businesses 
and interests of the infamous Russian-Israeli businessman, 
Michael Cherney, aka "Mikhail Chorny." The Bulgarian 
government labeled Chorny a national security threat, banning 
him from entering Bulgaria in 2000.  Chorny maintains 
influence over his companies - including Levski football 
team, Standart Newspaper, and Bankya Palace Hotel - by 
transferring ownership to Batkov.  Batkov has solid political 
connections - in 2008 Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov 
awarded him the Stara Planina Order, the government's highest 
honor, for his activities in promoting Bulgarian culture, 
arts, and sports.  Batkov donates heavily to charitable 
organizations for seriously ill children, orphans, the 
Pirogov Emergency room, and local universities.  He also 
contributed one million leva to the "You Are Not Alone" 
campaign in 2007 to help free the Bulgarian medics once held 
in Libyan prison and gave 11 cars to the Ministry of 
Interior.  Batkov is still on the board of the Bulgarian 
mobile phone company, MTel, and is managing director of 
Batkov, Stoev, Botev, and Associates law firm.  He was a 
close associate of the late controversial Bulgarian banker 
and former Parvanov advisor, Emil Kuliev, who was gunned down 
in Sofia in 2006. 
 
THE CHICKEN AND THE BILLY GOAT 
------------------------------ 
 
¶8. (SBU) Nikolay Metodiev, aka "the Chicken" is considered 
one of the major smugglers in Bulgaria and has been 
prosecuted several times for the contraband of goods.  His 
nickname dates back to 1998 when he was arrested (and later 
acquitted) for smuggling 11 tons of illegal chicken meat. 
Metodiev was arrested again in 2003 for attempting to coerce 
customs officials to allow the importation of illegal Chinese 
cargo valued at USD 3.5 million.  Instead of the prosecutor's 
recommended 7 year prison sentence, he was fined 700 BGN (USD 
525) for "threatening" government officials.  There is a 
third case pending against him for smuggling contraband, 
scheduled for October 5, in which the court will have to 
 
SOFIA 00000508  003 OF 003 
 
 
interview 128 witnesses.  On February 18, a powerful bomb 
destroyed a popular mafia bar in downtown Sofia owned by the 
Chicken, a bar within walking distance from embassy housing. 
 
 
¶9. (SBU) Yordan Tonov, aka "the Billy Goat" was arrested in 
October 2008 along with 13 others on charges of organized 
crime, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and extortion. 
Tonov, a close associate of the recently convicted 
Burgas-based drug lord Dimiter Zhelazkov aka "Mitko the 
Eyes," allegedly is the leader of a criminal group 
controlling drug trafficking and prostitution in Southwestern 
Bulgaria. Ten of Tonov's accomplices, including the Eyes, 
have pleaded guilty and received reduced sentences of less 
than five years, while Tonov has elected to take his chances 
in the Bulgarian courts. 
 
¶10. (C) Comment: The ruling center-right GERB party - touting 
its leader Boyko Borissov's tough-guy/former cop credentials 
- swept into power this past July on promises to tackle 
corruption and fight organized crime.  The GERB government 
must now show the political will to take on the challenge. 
The August 25 convictions of the Eyes and two Varna 
"businessmen" on money-laundering, pimping, and criminal 
association charges were a start, but the European Commission 
has stressed that prison terms are too short and not enough 
"big fish" are caught.  Bulgaria's organized crime problem 
cannot be solved overnight, but the successful prosecution 
and sentencing of even one of these cases would be a huge 
victory for the new government, and would send a very clear 
and welcome signal to the Bulgarian public.  End Comment. 
 
ORDWAY