Headline: Bulgaria‘s Court Keeps Fuel Smuggling Suspects Free on 25,000 Lev Bail Each
In a stark revelation, a Bulgarian court has maintained a 25,000 lev (approximately 12,800 EUR) bail each for two suspects, Boris Ivanov and Yordaki Terziev, accused of a decade-long fuel smuggling scheme worth over 9.5 million levs (around 4.8 million EUR) to the Bulgarian budget. Ivanov, the transport provider, and Terziev, a former boss of the Petroleum and Gaz Association, have been freed by thePlovdiv District Court despite prosecutors’ appeal for higher bail.
The elaborate scheme, exposed last July, involved Ivanov’s company trucking fuel from Terziev’s tax-free warehouse but never delivering it to the U.S. military base at Novo Selo polygon. The fuel was intended for American forces stationed in Bulgaria, granted dispensation from VAT and excise duties under a bilateral agreement between the U.S. and Bulgaria.
Terziev, who has traded fuels for 30 years and claimed familiarity with the industry’s challenges, initially didn’t suspect foul play. He only raised doubts in late 2024 when customs officials halted one of Ivanov’s tankers mid-transfer, hinting that the fuel wasn’t reaching Novo Selo. Upon inquiries with the U.S. Embassy and Bulgaria’s chief prosecutor, Terziev realized he was entangled in a deception orchestrated by Ivanov and a third party, Stanislav Moralov, who’d initially contracted Terziev for fuel supplies.
While appealing the court’s decision, prosecutors argue that the defendants pose a flight risk, given their substantial resources. The defense, however, maintains that the suspects are not attempting to evade justice. The Plovdiv Appellate Court has sent the case back to the initial court for further deliberation, while the suspects remain free on bail.
Stay tuned for updates as we continue to monitor this evolving story.
