The Sofia City Court (SCC) is hearing the case against the businessman Vasil Bozhkov for an organized criminal group, BGNES reported.
Vasil Bozhkov appeared in court in person, accompanied by lawyer Georgi Gatev, regularly authorized.
The defendants Todor Markov, Plamen Georgiev, Ognemir Mitev, Yoanna Cholakova, Elena Dineva, Boris Bekyarov, Alexander Tumbarov, Georgi Popov, Alexander Georgiev also appeared in court in person with lawyers.
The defendant Elena Dineva is represented by lawyer Ina Lulcheva.
The private prosecutors Boyan Naydenov and Tsvetomir Naydenov did not appear. Lawyer Vladimir Ognyanov, regularly authorized, appears on their behalf.
After proceeding with the case, the judge verified the identity of the accused, as this procedure had not been done until now.
The court explained the defendants' rights and informed them of the consequences of the preliminary hearing outlined in the CPC.
BGNES reminds that the businessman Vasil Bozhkov was brought to court as an instigator in complicity with officials from the State Commission on Gambling, who allowed themselves not to be charged and not collected in full due fees under the Law on Gambling.
As a result of the criminal activity, damages were caused to the state budget in the amount of nearly BGN 560 million.
10 people were brought to court. At the last hearing, the court did not agree with the request to return the indictment.
The businessman's request to travel abroad was dismissed as a risk of absconding. I BGNES
