Estranged Wife Exonerates Father of Staviiski Crash Victim

Krasimir Gorsov, pictured entering the courtroom Thursday, has already admitted gambling away his daughter's charity fund, but Court proceedings also revealed he had spent additional money on the lease of a Mercedes automobile. Photo by BGNES

Krasimir Gorsov had not violated the interests of his daughter Manuela, his estranged wife Diana told the magistrates Thursday.

The Sofia City Court convened to try the case against Gorsov, who is charged with draining over BGN 130 000 form his daughter's charity fund.

Manuela Gorsova was left in a coma after a fatal car crash caused by world ice-dancing champion Maxim Staviiski on August 5, 2007. She is now back at home in Veliko Tarnovo after being given special clinical care in Israel and is expected to slowly recover from her comatose state.

Gorsov and his wife Diana have been separated for years, but the mother's written statement submitted with the Veliko Tarnovo District Court, and red in Sofia Thursday, exonerates Gorsov with explanations that he is a caring father and no one can replace him. Gorsova had provided written testimony because she could not travel to Sofia over the need to constantly care for Manuela.

The mother said the two charitable accounts for their child's treatment were opened under the initiative of both parents and both had rights to manage the money, adding Gorsov traveled to Israel twice a month and always brought the entire amount needed for the hospital stay (about USD 1 000 per day) with him.

Krasimir Gorsov was sentenced by the Sofia Court to a 2,5-year suspended jail time, a fine of BGN 132 287 – the amount he spent from Manuela's charity fund, 2 years of community service and paying the Court expenses in the amount of BGN 6 000. He is appealing the verdict.

The probe against him began after August 19 2008, when the Bulgarian TV channel bTV aired an investigative report showing Gorsov gambling huge amounts of money and simultaneously feeding several slot machines with BGN 100 bills.

Gorsov has admitted misusing his daughter's accounts and has stated that he was gambling BGN 4,000-5,000 each night, sometimes loosing as much as BGN 6,000 in a matter of hours.

Gorsov stated Thursday that he will speak only after all evidence is collected. The magistrates postponed the case for April 19 when Petar Hristov, the businessman who was the moving force behind the charity donations, is summoned to appear on the witness stand.

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