Assessing the totality of the evidence, we have considered that there is currently sufficient evidence and have prepared an indictment against 10 individuals. Four of them are officials from the now closed Gambling Commission. Two of them held the position of chairman of the commission, one of them was director of a directorate, one was an expert in the commission.
Prosecutor Angel Kanev said this to journalists on the occasion of the indictment submitted earlier today against Vasil Bozhkov and officials from the closed State Gambling Commission. The total damage caused by official crimes is over BGN 550 million in unpaid state taxes from four commercial companies – gambling operators.
Over 250 witnesses were questioned in the case, the indictment is over 3,000 pages long. “We have brought all the evidence, including the classified ones, to the Sofia City Court, and we are expecting the scheduling of an injunction hearing. We believe that at the moment there are no circumstances that require the court hearings in this case to be held behind closed doors. We believe that in an open process, we will be able to defend our thesis according to the law,” Kanev said.
He specified that in the case there are accusations of extortion and racketeering in relation to several individuals who are owners of two commercial companies that were competitors of some of the defendants. In response to a question, the magistrate confirmed that Vasil Bozhkov’s wife, Elena, is among the defendants in the case. The accused persons are the same ones who were initially brought to criminal responsibility, explained Angel Kanev.
