Bulgarian mafia

History

Much of the post-Communist Bulgarian mafia originated from professional sportsmen, especially wrestlers of the Communist period (1944–1989). The Iliev brothers, Krasimir "Big Margin" Marinov, and Iliya Pavlov were students of the school for future champions "Olympic Hopes". After 1990, the word борец ("wrestler") came to denote a mafia man, and мутра (mutra) became a common synonym. The typical image included a sturdy build, black suit, sunglasses, shaved head, and gold jewellery.

Wrestlers controlled much of Bulgarian business, and the word "businessman" acquired similar undertones. They also infiltrated politics; SIC and VIS were allegedly connected to the Bulgarian Socialist Party and the Union of Democratic Forces. During the UDF government (1997–2001), registration of criminal insurance businesses became more difficult, leading to integration into legal firms and a shift toward smuggling, trade, and privatization. Under the government of National Movement Simeon II (2001–2005), assassinations became especially common.

Evidence has surfaced of close ties between criminal networks and politicians, including UDF chief prosecutor Ivan Tatarchev allegedly recreating with Ivo Karamanski, NMS-II finance minister Milen Velchev photographed playing cards with Ivan "The Doctor" Todorov, and BSP interior minister Rumen Petkov negotiating with the Galev brothers.

Organized crime groups and activities

Bulgarian organised crime traces its roots to the 1960s, with import-export companies such as Kintex, owned by Bulgaria's secret police, profiting from illegal export of weapons and contraband goods like amphetamines and cigarettes to terrorists and political groups in the Middle East and North Africa. Kintex's smuggling activities were covered in the Turkish press and mentioned in CIA documents after the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II.

During the late communist period, figures such as Ilia Pavlov and Ismet Turkmen Shaban "The Big Fatik" conducted contraband activities and set up smuggling channels across Europe and the Middle East with state security protection. After the fall of the communist regime in 1989, mobsters who dominated Bulgaria's business elites are presumed to have inherited these channels and were puppets of former secret service members such as Lyuben Gotsev. The men recruited as direct overseers of drug trafficking and contraband routes after 1989 included former wrestlers, security personnel, special forces, policemen, and low-ranking secret service members.

The transition to a market economy was marked by quick wealth for some and violence for most, with constant contract killings and turf wars. In 2020, Italian and Bulgarian police dismantled a Bulgarian gang operating in Tuscany and Bulgaria, specialized in theft and responsible for over 40 thefts between September 2018 and April 2020. The Italian police reported that the Bulgarian mafia is among the most dangerous foreign criminal groups in Italy and cooperates with the 'Ndrangheta.

Notable members

Vasil Iliev (1965–1995), known as "The Emperor", founded VIS1 and VIS2 and was considered the most powerful crime boss in the Balkans. His brother Georgi Iliev (1966–2005) became head of VIS2 after Vasil's death. Ilia Pavlov (1960–2003) founded Multigroup and was the wealthiest individual in Bulgaria, widely considered one of the most powerful underworld bosses. Konstantin Dimitrov (1970–2003), called "Samokovetsa", was a major figure in Balkan drug trafficking connected with VIS.

Ivan Todorov (1964–2006), known as "The Doctor", was a major smuggler in the mid-1990s and a defendant in major money laundering cases. Evelin Banev (born 1964), called "Brendo", was referred to as Bulgaria's "cocaine king" and convicted of drug trafficking and money laundering in Bulgaria, Romania, and Italy; he was responsible for smuggling an average of 40 tons of cocaine annually into Italy. Ivo Karamanski (1959–1998), known as "The Godfather", was a key figure in the early post-communist underworld.

Rumen Marinov (1963–2003), called "The Narcissus", was a main partner of Vasil Iliev and co-founder of VIS1. Milcho Bonev (1961–2004), known as "Baj Mile", was a founder of SIC and an important link in Balkan drug trafficking. Krasimir Marinov (born 1964), called "Big Margin", co-founded SIC, a criminal group involved in drug trafficking, fraud, car theft, smuggling, extortion, racketeering, and prostitution. Nikolay Marinov (born 1972), called "Little Margin", co-founded SIC with his brother and Mucho Bonev. Mladen Mihalev (born 1964), known as "Madjo", was considered one of the biggest crime bosses in Bulgaria in the 2000s.

Contract killings

Since the fall of communism in 1989, more than 250 high-rank mafia-style contract killings have occurred in Bulgaria, often in central Sofia in broad daylight. At most one conviction has been made in these cases, though sources differ; this is frequently blamed on widespread corruption in the judicial system. The cost of contract killings by professional snipers has been estimated at £5,000 to £500,000. Prominent assassination targets include Vasil Iliev, ambushed on 25 April 1995; former prime minister Andrey Lukanov, killed on 2 October 1996; Ivo Karamanski, shot at a birthday party on 20 December 1998; Pantyu Pantev, a drug smuggler rumoured to have stolen half a ton of cocaine, shot dead on Aruba on 9 March 2001 after several attempts; Iliya Pavlov, shot in front of his office on 3 July 2003; Konstantin Dimitrov, shot in Amsterdam on 7 December 2003; Dimitar Hristov, killed in a cafe on 4 June 2004 with his bodyguards by hitmen disguised as Orthodox priests; Milcho Bonev, shot in a garden-restaurant on 20 July 2004 with five bodyguards; Georgi Iliev, shot at his club at Sunny Beach on 25 August 2005; Anton Miltenov, shot in a Sofia cafe on 30 October 2005 with two co-workers; and Ivan Todorov, shot on 22 February 2006 after surviving a previous attempt.