Three Bulgarian citizens were convicted by a London court on Friday for their involvement in a sophisticated espionage network operating in the UK. Over a period of three years, the group monitored journalists and passed confidential information to Russia.
The Trial and Charges Katrin Ivanova, 33, Vanya Gaberova, 30, and Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, all residents of London, were found guilty of conspiracy to commit espionage. The verdict was delivered by the Old Bailey court following a trial that lasted more than three months. According to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the agency responsible for criminal prosecutions in the UK, the defendants spied on individuals and strategic locations of interest to the Russian government.
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The covert operation took place between August 2020 and February 2023. In addition to the espionage charge, Ivanova was also convicted of possessing false identity documents with criminal intent. Sentencing is scheduled for May, with the defendants facing potential prison terms of up to 14 years.
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Targets and Methods of Espionage The espionage network targeted journalists and a former Kazakh politician, with plans to track and follow their movements across multiple European cities. Investigators also discovered that the group had monitored a US military base in Germany. British authorities continue to examine the case as the trial progresses towards sentencing for those involved.
