Six Bulgarian nationals have been sentenced to prison for conducting espionage operations in the UK on behalf of Russia, targeting journalists, dissidents, and diplomats in what authorities described as a sophisticated and dangerous spy network.
The group, led by Orlin Roussev, 47, carried out surveillance and intelligence-gathering between 2020 and 2023, posing a significant risk to national security. Roussev, who pleaded guilty, was sentenced to 10 years and eight months at London’s Old Bailey court. His second-in-command, Biser Dzhambazov, 44, received 10 years and two months.
Two women in the group—Katrin Ivanova, 33, and Vanya Gaberova, 30—were deployed as "honeytraps" to manipulate targets. Ivanova was sentenced to nine years and eight months, while Gaberova received six years and eight months, with the judge noting her awareness that her actions benefited Russia.
Two other operatives, Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, and Ivan Stoyanov, 33, were sentenced to eight years and five years and three weeks, respectively. The judge acknowledged Ivanchev’s reduced involvement before the group’s 2023 arrest, while Stoyanov’s late guilty plea factored into his shorter sentence.
All defendants must serve at least half their sentences before parole eligibility, after which they face automatic deportation to Bulgaria.
Prosecutors revealed the group worked under the direction of Jan Marsalek, an Austrian businessman and fugitive linked to Russia’s FSB and GRU intelligence agencies. Marsalek, wanted in Germany over the €1.9 billion Wirecard fraud, fled to Russia in 2020 and allegedly orchestrated operations from abroad.
The spies conducted surveillance on Christo Grozev, an investigative journalist who exposed Russian involvement in the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Court documents revealed discussions within the group about kidnapping or killing Grozev, though no such attack was carried out.
The network operated from a guesthouse in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, where police uncovered an "Aladdin’s cave" of spy gear—hidden cameras in pens, sunglasses, and even a stuffed Minion toy, along with signal-jamming devices and tracking equipment.
Dzhambazov, who falsely claimed to be an Interpol officer, lived a lavish lifestyle funded by Russian payments, taking Gaberova to Michelin-starred restaurants while maintaining a relationship with Ivanova.
Commander Dominic Murphy of London’s Metropolitan Police described the case as "industrial-scale espionage on behalf of Russia," emphasizing the threat posed to individuals and national security.
In a victim impact statement, Grozev said the discovery of the surveillance had been "terrifying, disorienting, and deeply destabilizing," permanently altering how he lives and works.
The sentencing marks one of the UK’s most significant counter-espionage cases in recent years, underscoring the ongoing threat of foreign intelligence operations on British soil.