Bulgarian Court Releases Alleged Top Mafia Boss

Krasimir Marinov, aka The Big Marguin is among the six men charged with plotting three gangland murders. Photo by BGNES

After spending five months behind bars, Krasimir Marinov, one of the notorious brothers called the Marguins, who are believed to be Bulgaria’s top crime bosses, has been placed under house arrest.

The defense demanded the release of Krassimir Marinov, claiming that the evidence collected so far fails to prove the charges raised against him. According to the lawyers his release under house arrest is a safe measure, since he is not likely to go into hiding or commit another crime.

The ruling of the concerns the allegation for leading an organized crime group, involved in drugs distribution.

The Marguin Brothers together with Veselin Toshev, Stefan Rangelov, Ivo Karageorgiev, and Biser Iliev are also charged with plotting the murders of Nikola Damyanov, Ivan Todorov, aka The Doctor (a large-scale mafia boss specialized at international cigarettes contraband), and General Lyuben Gotsev (who survived the attempt on his life).

The case has been dragging on for nearly five years already and has been postponed on several occasions over the ailing held of one of the defendants, Ivo Georgiev. Meanwhile, Georgiev's brother, Svetlin, who was also tried in the same case, passed away.

The prosecutor asked last week for a record-high verdict – 22 years behind bars for all 6 defendants, who are charged with plotting 3 murders. The minimum sentence for similar crimes is 15 years, but the verdict has been upped by 7 years – half of the minimum over the seriousness of the crime.

Krasimir Marinov aka the Big Marguin pleaded not guilty on Monday while Nikolay Marinov, the Little Marguin, is tried in his absence because he disappeared in January and his whereabouts remain unknown.

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