CPS authorises charges against five people suspected of spying for Russia
Nick Price, head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: “The CPS has authorised a charge of conspiracy to conduct espionage against three men and two women suspected of spying for Russia.
“Orlin Roussev, 45, Bizer Dzhambazov, 41, Katrin Ivanova, 31, Ivan Stoyanov, 31, and Vanya Gaberova, 29, will be charged with conspiring to collect information intended to be directly or indirectly useful to an enemy for a purpose prejudicial to the safety and interest of the state between 30 August 2020 and 8 February 2023.
“Roussev, Dzhambazov, and Ivanova were previously charged on 11 February 2023 with possession of false identity documents with improper intention under section 4 of the Identity Documents Act 2010.
“The charges follow an investigation by the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command.
“Criminal proceedings against the five individuals are active and they each have the right to a fair trial.
“It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.
“The function of the CPS is not to decide whether a person is guilty of a criminal offence, but to make fair, independent and objective assessments about whether it is appropriate to present charges for a criminal court to consider.”
The five defendants will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 26 September.
Notes to editors
- Orlin Roussev [DOB: 06/02/1978] from Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, Bizer Dzhambazov [DOB: 21/04/1981] from Harrow in north-west London, Katrin Ivanova [DOB: 01/07/1991] from Harrow in north-west London, Ivan Stoyanov, [DOB: 22/12/1991] from Greenford, west London, and Vanya Gaberova [DOB: 10/08/1994] from Churchway, north-west London, will be jointly charged with conspiring to collect information intended to be directly or indirectly useful to an enemy for a purpose prejudicial to the safety and interest of the state, contrary to section 1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977.
- All five defendants are Bulgarian nationals.
- The Counter Terrorism Division is responsible for prosecuting terrorism crimes and terrorist related offences in England and Wales. It also prosecutes allegations of incitement to racial and religious hatred, war crimes and crimes against humanity, official secrets cases, piracy and hijacking.