Chapter 1
## THE FIRST LOUD NEWS ABOUT "THE KILLERS 2": An August Day in the Palace of Justice
The sun on August 1, 2013, was beating down mercilessly over Sofia, but inside the cool corridors of the Palace of Justice, the tension was even greater. Journalists with damp jackets and heavy cameras crowded in front of one of the press conference rooms. The air was heavy with anticipation – there was a sense that something big was about to unfold. For days, there had been whispers about a massive operation against organized crime, about "cold cases" that would finally see the light of day.
At 14:00, the doors opened, and two men stood before the waiting reporters, their faces both stern and filled with determination. One, with the posture of a statesman, was Borislav Sarafov, newly appointed Deputy Prosecutor General. Beside him stood Svetlozar Lazarov, the new Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, the epitome of the operational spirit. Cameras clicked deafeningly, and dictaphones stretched forward.
Sarafov took a breath and began, his voice clear and resolute, cutting through the buzzing in the room:
"Dear colleagues, today we are here to announce a significant success in the fight against organized crime."
His gaze swept across the attendees, each of whom was already frantically writing in their notebooks.
"We have broken up a criminal group for contract killings and serious crimes, which is extremely dangerous and has been operating for years."
His words echoed in the hall. A hit squad. This was no everyday occurrence.
"Charges have been brought against 15 people," he continued, providing a clear headcount, "with the leading figures in the group being Valentin Yanev-Valyo the Wrestler and Martin Antov."
The names, which had previously been only the subject of rumors and operational intelligence, were now spoken publicly, with the weight of an official indictment. The reporters exchanged quick glances – here they were, "The Killers 2," as many immediately dubbed them.
"The group is responsible for the murders of Yordan Tsonkov-Dzhidzhi in 2009 and of Kocho Mihaylov-Chocho in 2009. There is already sufficient evidence for these two murders."
With these words, Sarafov was not just announcing the solving of a crime, but shedding light on two of the darkest pages of the criminal chronicle from years past. The "cold cases" were coming alive.
"In addition, we managed to prevent a planned hit against two people related to the deal for the purchase of the 'Doverie' pension fund. The contract included breaking limbs and robbery."
Here, his tone became even more serious. These were not just killers, but an all-encompassing criminal machine that stopped at nothing – from physical assault to planned assassinations.
"The group was 'on the market' and accepted contracts for robberies, mutilations, breaking limbs, as well as murders."
Sarafov made it clear how wide the field of action of this criminal structure had been.
"We have witnesses who know the activities of the hit squad in detail. A wealth of evidence has been gathered during the investigation."
This was an important detail. Not just operational information, but concrete evidence and witness testimonies to back up the charges. This gave hope that the case would have a stable judicial perspective.
In conclusion, the Deputy Prosecutor General emphasized:
"I want to note the excellent coordination and joint work between the Prosecutor's Office and the Ministry of Interior, which led to the successful exposure of this extremely dangerous group."
This message was of key importance – the new leadership of both institutions was demonstrating unity and effectiveness.
After these words, commotion broke out in the hall. Journalists rushed to their phones to convey the news. Headlines about "The Killers 2" were already taking shape in the newsrooms. The day was August 1, 2013.
The first public statement, which marked the beginning of the wide media coverage of "The Killers 2" case (related to the group of Valentin Yanev-Valyo the Wrestler and Martin Antov), was made on:
Thursday, August 1, 2013.
On this date, Deputy Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov and the Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Interior Svetlozar Lazarov held a joint press conference at the Palace of Justice.
During this press conference, they announced:
* The dismantling of a criminal group for contract killings.
* The bringing of charges against 15 people, with Valentin Yanev-Valyo the Wrestler as the leader of the group.
* The solving of the murders of the safe-cracker Yordan Tsonkov-Dzhidzhi (2009) and of Kocho Mihaylov (2009), in which Valyo the Wrestler participated.
* The involvement of Martin Antov in some of the crimes.
* The exposure of a planned hit against two people related to the deal for the "Doverie" pension fund, which was thwarted.
This statement was widely reported by all leading Bulgarian media on the very same day, as it concerned a major blow against organized crime and the solving of high-profile murders.
In some media later on, confusion arose with "The Killers 3," which referred to the Pernik group, but the first statement about the group of the Wrestler and Antov was the one on August 1, 2013.
Daniela Popova was an active prosecutor in the Specialized Prosecutor's Office and later the head of the Appellate Specialized Prosecutor's Office, which positioned her to make statements regarding "The Killers 2" case and other significant investigations.
Here is a summary of her statements, given her role in 2013:
* August 2013 (as a prosecutor on the case or deputy head of the Appellate Specialized Prosecutor's Office):
* On August 9, 2013, following a hearing of the Appellate Specialized Criminal Court on the remand measure for the group of the so-called "new killers" ("The Killers 2" case), prosecutor Daniela Popova from the Appellate Specialized Prosecutor's Office commented to the media on certain details. She stated that Ivo Nikolov had been questioned as a witness, and a charge against Martin Antov for preparation for robbery had been reclassified as attempted robbery.
* On August 14, 2013, after the Specialized Appellate Court left all detainees in "The Killers 2" case in custody, Daniela Popova commented to the media that more cases from around the country were constantly being attached to the case materials, and more defendants were yet to be attracted under this case. She and prosecutor Emil Galiponov were designated as prosecutors on the case.
* On August 23, 2013, in connection with "The Killers 3" case (often intertwined with "The Killers 2" in media coverage but referring to the Pernik group), prosecutor Daniela Popova categorically stated that the prosecution was adhering to its demand that all detainees be imposed the heaviest measure, "remand in custody." According to her, all witnesses had identified the defendants and pointed out the place of each one in the hierarchy of the group, which ran a drug trafficking trade. She stressed that almost all participants in the group had a heavily burdened criminal past.
* October 2013 (after her election as head of the Appellate Specialized Prosecutor's Office):
* On October 3, 2013, after being unanimously elected by the Supreme Judicial Council as head of the Appellate Specialized Prosecutor's Office, Daniela Popova made statements promising to work toward removing shortcomings in the specialized prosecution. She explained that she had formed a committee to analyze and summarize the most frequent errors committed by the first-instance specialized prosecution. Popova added that appellate specialized prosecutors would check every indictment of their lower-ranking colleagues for errors, but without interfering in their decisions. She was listed as a supervising prosecutor for the cases against the group of Zlatomir Ivanov-Zlatko the Beret, as well as the investigations into "The Killers 2" and "The Killers 3."
It is important to note that while Borislav Sarafov and Svetlozar Lazarov gave the initial major press conferences regarding the dismantling of the group, Daniela Popova's statements were rather related to the course of judicial procedures, remand measures, the progress of the investigation, and later – her leadership role in the Appellate Specialized Prosecutor's Office, which included oversight and control over such significant cases. She did not participate in the same press conference alongside Lazarov and Galiponov regarding "The Killers 2" case; their statements were given at different times and in a different context.
Prosecutor Emil Galiponov from the Specialized Prosecutor's Office was one of the main investigating prosecutors on "The Killers 2" case (the group of Valyo the Wrestler and Martin Antov) and gave numerous statements to the media, especially in the first weeks following the dismantling of the group in August 2013.
Here is a summary of key statements and comments by Emil Galiponov, as reported in the Bulgarian media at the time:
Main statements of Emil Galiponov (August 2013):
* On August 2, 2013 (Friday) / Comments after a hearing on remand measures:
* Regarding the charges brought: "Charges have been brought against 11 people from the group of the Wrestler and Antov." (Valyo the Wrestler was initially not among them, as he was detained on another case, but shortly thereafter he also received charges).
* Regarding the "contract killings" and crimes: "The group has been operating since 2006. We are investigating them for all contract killings committed from then until now. We are talking about over 20 murders." (Later, the charges became more specific).
* Regarding the murders of Dzhidzhi and Chocho: "The murders of Yordan Tsonkov-Dzhidzhi and Kocho Mihaylov-Chocho were carried out with a distinctive signature." (This was one of the first public confirmations linking the group to specific murders). He revealed that according to witness testimonies, Dzhidzhi was killed because of misappropriating a haul of gold and drugs from a Turkish semi-truck, and Chocho was killed because he was interfering with the drugs and prostitution business.
* Regarding the evidence: "Two 'Kalashnikov' assault rifles with traces of Martin Antov on them were found in a basement."
* Regarding the prevented robbery/assault: He commented on the attempted robbery and assault of Ivo Nikolov, related to a pension fund, pointing out that the charge was for attempted robbery because there was a large sum of money in Nikolov's car.
* Source: "Monitor," "24 Chasa," "Standart" (articles from August 2-3, 2013)
* On August 7-9, 2013 (after Valyo the Wrestler also received charges):
* Regarding the indictment of Valyo the Wrestler: "Prosecutor Emil Galiponov brought charges against Valyo the Wrestler as the leader of the hit and robbery squad, as well as for committing the two murders of Dzhidzhi and Chocho."
* Regarding witness testimonies: "The prosecution's thesis rests on the witness testimonies of Nikolay Genov and Yuriy Vaklev, who participated in the preparation of the murders." He commented that Genov was very close to the group and decided to come "into the light" and enter the witness protection program.
* Regarding witness protection: "Initially, Genov was an anonymous witness; he was afraid to say everything because he feared his identity would be revealed."
* Regarding the hierarchy in the group: "Martin Antov became the leader of the gang after the previous boss Valyo the Wrestler went behind bars in 2009."
* Regarding the number of defendants: "Four more people will face charges."
* Source: "Standart," "Maritsa," "Moreto.net," "PIK" (articles from August 7-9, 2013)
* On August 14, 2013 (after the decision of the Appellate Specialized Court on the remand measures):
* Regarding the detainees: "All detainees from the organized criminal group 'The Killers 2' remain in custody." (This was a joint comment with prosecutor Daniela Popova, who was also present).
* Regarding the evidence: "The state prosecution believes that witness testimonies provide a clear picture of the hierarchy in the criminal group and the exact role of each of the arrested. Witnesses have described who supplied cars, who supplied weapons, and how they studied their future victims. There are sufficiently detailed descriptions of the crimes that can serve as evidence."
* Regarding the "scheme": "The scheme is a wide spectrum of acts; as the witness said and we quoted him repeatedly, everyone was used according to their wits and abilities, people are different - you see that there are respectable defendants of a more serious age, and there are also younger boys who are just entering now."
* Source: BNT News, Novini.bg (articles from August 14, 2013)
Emil Galiponov's statements are characterized by greater detail regarding specific charges, witness testimonies, and the progress of the investigation, as he was directly engaged in the pre-trial proceedings. He was the face of the prosecution who most frequently provided operational information on the case to the media, particularly during court hearings for remand measures.
I will gladly describe specific articles and statements of prosecutor Emil Galiponov on "The Killers 2" case (the group of Valyo the Wrestler and Martin Antov) from August 2013, based on the information found:
Statements of prosecutor Emil Galiponov on "The Killers 2" case (August 2013)
Prosecutor Emil Galiponov from the Specialized Prosecutor's Office was one of the main prosecutors leading "The Killers 2" case and gave numerous detailed statements to the media, especially during the court hearings on remand measures for the detainees. His comments often provided more concrete information about the charges and evidence gathered in the case.
Here are key articles and statements:
* Article: "Associate of the new 'Killers' sang about two murders"
* Source: Novini.bg / Monitor
* Date: August 4, 2013 (published on 04.08.2013, 10:00:00 AM)
* Galiponov's involvement: In this article, prosecutor Emil Galiponov is cited, reporting before the Specialized Criminal Court that a person from the circle of the dismantled group had revealed details about the executions of Yordan Tsonkov-Dzhidzhi and Kocho Mihaylov-Chocho.
* Key statements:
* "Both murders were carried out with a distinctive signature" - says prosecutor Galiponov.
* He points out that witness Nikolay Genov told investigators about the organization of the murders, including how the weapon was delivered days before the shooting of Dzhidzhi in the "Lyulin" residential district on January 22, 2009.
* Galiponov also reveals the motives for the murders: Dzhidzhi was liquidated because he misappropriated a haul of gold and drugs from a Turkish semi-truck, and Chocho was killed because he was interfering with the drugs and prostitution business.
* The article also mentions that two "Kalashnikov" assault rifles with traces of Martin Antov on them were found in a basement.
* Article: "Prosecutor Galiponov to PIK: We brought charges against Valyo the Wrestler for the murders of Dzhidzhi and Kocho"
* Source: PIK
* Date: August 5, 2013 (published on 05.08.2013)
* Galiponov's involvement: In this interview/statement, prosecutor Emil Galiponov confirms that Valentin Yanev-Valyo the Wrestler was charged as the leader of the group for contract killings and robberies, as well as for committing the murders of Yordan Tsonkov-Dzhidzhi and Kocho Mihaylov-Chocho.
* Key statements:
* Galiponov confirms that the investigation has gathered sufficient evidence to bring charges against the Wrestler for these two murders.
* He emphasizes that the indictment is based on the testimonies of witnesses who revealed the scheme and the role of each participant in the group.
* Article: "The new killers remain in custody"
* Source: BNT News / Novini.bg
* Date: August 14, 2013 (published on 14.08.2013, 10:00:00 AM)
* Galiponov's involvement: Prosecutor Emil Galiponov (along side prosecutor Daniela Popova) comments after a seven-hour hearing of the Appellate Specialized Court, at which 11 of the members of the organized criminal group "The Killers 2" were left in custody.
* Key statements:
* Galiponov confirms the court's decision and emphasizes that the state prosecution believes witness testimonies provide a clear picture of the hierarchy in the criminal group and the exact role of each of the arrested.
* "Witnesses have described who supplied cars, who supplied weapons, and how they studied their future victims. There are sufficiently detailed descriptions of the crimes that can serve as evidence" - the prosecutor points out.
* He describes the "scheme" of the group, saying that "everyone was used according to their wits and abilities, people are different - you see that there are respectable defendants of a more serious age, and there are also younger boys who are just entering now."
* Article: "Valyo the Wrestler charged as the boss of the New Killers"
* Source: Moreto.net / Monitor
* Date: August 9, 2013 (published on 09.08.2013)
* Galiponov's involvement: In this article, Emil Galiponov is cited again, confirming that Valentin Yanev-Valyo the Wrestler was charged as the leader of the group for contract killings and robberies, as well as for committing the murders of Dzhidzhi and Chocho.
