According to BBC News Investigations reporters Chris Bell and Tom Beal, six Bulgarian individuals convicted of spying for Russia are awaiting sentencing at the Old Bailey in London. These individuals, Orlin Roussev, Biser Dzhambazov, Katrin Ivanova, Tihomir Ivanchev, Ivan Stoyanov, and Vanya Gaberova, were involved in a spy ring orchestrated from a guest house in Great Yarmouth. Prosecutors have stated that double-figure sentences are appropriate for many of the defendants due to the endangerment of lives and harm to national security caused by their actions.
In court, evidence was presented revealing new insights into the activities of the spy cell and the elusive life of their Russian intelligence services controller, Jan Marsalek. Marsalek, who is an Austrian fugitive wanted for fraud in Germany, was in communication with Roussev, the leader of the UK spy cell. Their exchanges in August 2021 disclosed their involvement in organizing an evacuation flight from Kabul airport following a suicide bombing. It was later revealed that this operation was driven by financial motives, rather than any ideological beliefs.
The legal teams representing the convicted individuals presented mitigating factors during the sentencing proceedings. Ivanova’s lawyer mentioned that she was misled and manipulated by her partner, Dzhambazov, while Ivanchev was described as an “ultimate minion” who played a peripheral role. Stoyanov expressed remorse for his actions and acknowledged his selfish behavior. Additionally, messages not previously disclosed during the trial implicated Marsalek and Roussev in a scheme to trade weapons for diamonds, indicating the extent of their illicit activities.
Despite being the subject of an Interpol Red Notice and undergoing plastic surgery to alter his appearance, Marsalek remains at large, seemingly embracing his status as an international fugitive. The spy ring’s surveillance operations, aimed at investigative journalists, Russian dissidents, and political figures, had a significant impact on their victims, as highlighted by statements read in court. These revelations shed light on the complex network of espionage orchestrated by this group and the far-reaching consequences of their actions
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