Bulgarian businessman Iliyan Filipov shot in the head: former employee detained
Iliyan Filipov, owner of a large transport group and chairman of Botev Plovdiv football club, was found dead in his apartment in Plovdiv. A suspect has been detained.
Suspect detained after assassination of businessman Iliyan Filipov in Plovdiv
ProTV news reports that Bulgarian police have detained a suspect in the case of the killing of Iliyan Filipov, a 53-year-old businessman from Plovdiv. He controlled one of Bulgaria's largest transport and logistics companies and held the position of chairman of football club Botev Plovdiv.
Filipov was found dead in his personal apartment in the building he owned, located in a residential area on the outskirts of Plovdiv. Witnesses alerted police around one o'clock at night after hearing unusual noises. The victim had been shot in the head.
The area was quickly secured by law enforcement, who deployed teams with tracking dogs. Investigators are analysing images from surveillance cameras in the surrounding area and knocking on residents' doors to identify possible witnesses.
"We can confirm that the victim's death was caused by a gunshot wound. In other words, the crime was committed with a firearm," prosecutor Vanya Hristova said.
The detained suspect is a former employee and business associate of Filipov, previously convicted for another crime committed in the 1990s, according to Bulgarian media.
bTV correspondent Rayna Zaykova reported that "police are conducting an investigation and attempting to find witnesses to this serious crime".
Bulgarian media recall that Filipov had been involved over time in public disputes with other local businessmen, as well as in conflicts related to Botev Plovdiv club and the city's stadium project. In 2023, he stated that he had received telephone threats. Investigators have not confirmed a direct link between those threats and his assassination.
Source: Știrile ProTV