During the ongoing trial at the Central Criminal Court in London, new details emerged about the case involving Bulgarians accused of espionage in the UK. The BBC reported that one of the defendants, Tihomir Ivanchev, claimed during police questioning that he had already been in contact with the British domestic intelligence agency MI5 prior to his arrest.

In a February 2024 interview played in court, Ivanchev disclosed that he had met and spoken with an MI5 representative multiple times. Alongside Ivanchev, Katrin Ivanova and Vanya Gaberova have denied charges of conspiracy to commit espionage. Two other defendants, Orlin Rusev and Bider Dzhambazov, admitted their guilt at the start of the trial. Notably, Ivanchev was arrested a year later than the rest of the group.

The interview revealed that Ivanchev learned of Gaberova’s connections with Dzhambazov in 2021, stating they had traveled together on several occasions. Jurors were informed that Dzhambazov had introduced himself to Ivanchev as an Interpol agent who needed assistance in his work. Initially, Ivanchev believed his role involved taking photos and videos of "criminals" who would later face arrest.

However, Ivanchev admitted that he began to suspect irregularities in the operation. He described his involvement as a grave mistake, telling police, "This is the stupidest thing I have ever done in my life." He disclosed that he was paid €200 per day, with payments facilitated through Dzhambazov's account.

Ivanchev further revealed that he had traveled to Montenegro and Austria as part of these activities. His first mission, he said, was in Vienna, where the target was journalist and Bellingcat investigator Christo Grozev.

The trial continues, with jurors examining the defendants’ roles and the broader allegations of espionage.

Sources:

• Bulgarian National Radio (BNR)
• BBC