Vasil Bozhkov Charged with Two More Crimes

Two more charges have been pressed against the embattled gambling mogul Vasil Bozhkov. The spokesperson of the Prosecutor General, Siika Mileva, told a news briefing on Thursday that he has also been charged with trading in influence and unlawful possession of cultural valuables. 

Considered to be the wealthiest Bulgarian with assets worth between 1.5 and 3 billion leva, Bozhkov was first charged with leading an organized crime group, coercion, extortion, attempted bribery of an official and incitement to malfeasance in office. Several days later the law-enforcers said they are also probing him for murder and rapes.

They, however, don't have him as he fled the country days before the first charges were brought against him. He is currently in the United Arab Emirates. He was remanded in custody there and Bulgaria will try to bring him back.

The Prosecutor General's spokesperson explained Thursday that the application for his extradition is over 200 pages long and by the end of this week the Prosecution Office will have a translation of the document is Arabic and send it to the Justice Ministry to forward it to the competent authorities in the UAE.

The prosecution service has also pressed charges against Bozhkov's aides and the two last chairpersons of the State Gambling Commission, who are believed to have provided an umbrella for the gambling tycoon, BTA reported.