Sofia. The Special Prosecutor’s Office has seized another BGN 500,000 in the Arabadjiev case, three people were arrested for 24 hours, said the Appellate Prosecutor’s Office.
As part of a pre-trial investigation into alleged tax evasion and money laundering, on 11 September 2018, police in Burgas stopped a SUV with three passengers. Two of them were carrying paper bags containing about half a million levs. It was found that one of the persons, who was carrying over BGN 298,000 in cash (withdrawn from a bank), was directly related to the management of one of the investigated companies. The other person carried BGN 200,000, which was also seized. The three suspects were detained for 24 hours, as per the law, their vehicle was seized. The investigators are establishing their possible involvement in crime and participation in a VAT-fraud organised crime group.
Major hotel owner Vetko Arabadjiev and his wife Marinela are wanted on a European Arrest Warrant after the police raided hotels, offices, homes and safe deposit boxes belonging to them on 31 August, finding and seizing BGN 10 million in cash. According to the prosecutors, Arabadjiev's companies have evaded VAT in huge amounts using different schemes. Their son Valcho Arabadjiev is in custody on charges of involvement in an organised crime group, money laundering and tax evasion.