Bulgarian Bank Teller Gets Bail after Pocketing BGN 21 M

A Bulgarian bank employee was arrested Monday on charges he had stolen millions from his employer. File photo

A Bulgarian bank employee, who had drained over BGN 21 M from Alfa Bank, has been released on bail.

The news was reported Thursday by the Bulgarian National Radio, BNR.

The Sofia City Court released Petko Minevski, who has been involved in the crime since 2008, on a BGN 40 000 bail.

The case has been kept under strong secret along with the perpetrator's Monday arrest. He had been investigated and followed by the authorities since last year.

Sources, close to the case, are quoted saying the information was not officially released to prevent panic among the bank's customers. Mitevski worked as Alfa Bank as head teller, while the exact amount he was able to take away from the bank is listed as BGN 21 201 430.

The prosecutor in the case had refused to offer further details on the grounds it involves classified information.

During the Thursday trial it emerged that Mitevski was covering up for the missing money with false protocols and for this reason he is also charged with document forgery.

The former employee of Alfa Bank had made full confessions.

The defense counsel asked for his release with the argument he had fully collaborated with the authorities and committed with a notary sealed document to refund the missing amount.

The judge, Toni Getov, granted the request, ruling on the bail.

The rule can be appealed with the Sofia Court of Appeals.

Mitevski's family is said to have several bank accounts, real estate and luxury vehicles.

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