Bulgarian police on Friday arrested oligarch Vasil Bozhkov, sanctioned by the US and the UK for corruption, upon his return from exile.
The gaming and lottery tycoon, who was one of Bulgaria’s richest men before falling out with ex-premier Boyko Borisov, fled to Dubai in 2020.
Charged in absentia with multiple crimes, he returned Friday, triggering his immediate arrest.
Prosecutors and one of his lawyers, Stoyan Baumeyer, confirmed his detention for questioning.
Baumeyer said his client returned voluntarily “to clear his name in court”.
Upon his arrival at Sofia, police escorted the black-T-shirt-clad 67-year-old out of the airport and into a police bus.
The tycoon had posted a short message on Facebook early Friday, saying that he was on a flight to Sofia, with the announcement drawing throngs of journalists waiting for his arrival on a regular flight from Dubai.
Bozhkov has accused conservative long-time premier Borisov publicly of robbing him of his business in order to transfer it into the hands of another oligarch.
The tycoon has also alleged he paid as much as 67 million leva (34 million euros) in a slush fund to Borisov and his finance minister Vladislav Goranov. Both have denied the accusations.
Borisov lost power in 2021 following massive anti-corruption demonstrations.
After fleeing, Bozhkov was charged in absentia with numerous crimes, including murder and leading an organised crime group, as well as for tax evasion, attempted bribery and money-laundering and illegal possession of cultural artefacts.
In 2021, the US Treasury department blacklisted Bozhkov for corruption. In 2023, the UK also sanctioned Bozhkov.
A lover of cigars and cars and former owner of the Levski Sofia football club, Bozhkov owned a vast archeological collection of more than 3,000 ancient history artefacts, which the authorities confiscated after he fled. — Agence France-Presse
