Bulgarian Mobsters 'Galevi' Get Jail Sentences in Dramatic Trial Twist

Angel Hristov (left) and Plamen Galev (right), aka the Galevi Brothers, pictured after they heard their sentences of 5 and 7 years in jail respectively. Photo by BGNES

The Sofia Appellate Court has surprising reversed the trial against two of Bulgaria's notorious gangsters, Plamen Galev and Angel Hristov, known as the Galevi Brothers, sentencing them to a total of 12 years in jail.

After several months ago, the Regional Court in the southwestern city of Kyustendil acquitted the Galevi Brothers of all charges – including the heading of an organized crime group, racketeering, and extortion, on Wednesday, the Sofia Appellate Court sentenced Plamen Galev to 7 years in prison, and Angel Hristov – to 5.

In addition, Galev was sentenced to a fine of BGN 10 000 and confiscation of 1/3 of his properties and assets, and Hristov – to a fine of BGN 7000, and confiscation of ? of his properties and assets for the benefit of the state.

Four other men were also sentenced as belonging to the organized crime group led by the Galevi Brothers. Georgi Gradevski, aka Conan, got a 5-year suspended sentence, Vladimir Angelov received 4 years in jail, Apostol Chakalov, aka Totsi, got 4 years in jail, and Georgi Blatski received 3.5 years in jail. One other man, Krasimir Okov, was found not guilty.

The defendants have refused to make any comments before the media. The ruling of the Sofia Appellate Court can be appealed before the Supreme Court of Cassation.

Back in November 2010, the Galevi Brothers were acquitted by the court in Kyustendil with the argument that they are being tried on rumors and there is no real evidence against.

In May 2011, when the court in Sofia took over the case, the prosecution demanded the maximum 10-year sentence for each of the gangsters. One of the witnesses told the court the mobsters had threatened him that he "will be pissing blood."

In February 2011, the Chair of the Regional Court in the southwestern Bulgarian city of Kyustendil, Miroslav Nachev, published his motives for the acquittal of the notorious pair of alleged mafia bosses from the town of Dupnitsa listed on 108 pages.

The publication was released after Judge Nachev was called by the Supreme Judicial Council (VSS) to give explanations about the delay of writing the motives. He had had a December 4 deadline, as provided by the Penal Code.

Nachev has offered the explanation that case has been very cumbersome with 150 interrogated witnesses and 12 volumes of documentation and that as the Court Chair he also had to prepare the annual report at that exact same time – the end of 2010.

The two alleged mafia bosses are believed to hold the citizens of Dupnitsa on a leash, as their jobs and prosperity depend on the two burly former policemen with shady background and businesses.

The Galevi trial, launched in September last year, came in the wake of a large-scale and flashy raid by what appeared to be the state army, which rummaged offices, auto-houses and apartments in the capital Sofia, Pernik and Dupnitsa.

In mid-June last year, the Galevi brothers walked out of jail after both were allowed to run at the general elections and thus receiving immunity from prosecution. They failed to win seats in the 41st General Assembly, but were still free on bail.

In the aftermath of the rule, a journalist from a Bulgarian newspaper, who has exposed the criminal activities of the pair, told Novinite.com she feared for her life following their acquittal.

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