Better known as the “Galevi brothers,” the two Bulgarians vanished days after the Bulgarian supreme appellate court sentenced them for organized crime, racketeering and extortion on May 3. Galev was sentenced to four years, and Hristov to five years in jail.
The two gangsters are popularly called the owners of the first private city [Dupnitsa] in Bulgaria. With the help of corrupt police officers, the pair allegedly controlled businesses and bullied residents in Dupnitsa, located 60 kilometers south of the Bulgarian capital of Sofia.
In addition to their jail sentences, the Court ruled to confiscate 1/3 of Galev’s assets, and 1/4 of Hristov’s assets. This decision came a day before Bulgaria passed a controversial new law on confiscation of illegal assets. Galev was also fined BGN 10,000 (US$6,502), and Hristov BGN 7000 (US$4,551).
The Bulgarian Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov said on Tuesday that there is no indication that the fugitives have left Bulgaria. Despite their nickname, Galev and Hrsitov are not related.
