Katrin Ivanova, aged 33, and Tihomir Ivanchev, aged 39, were convicted of conspiring to spy at the Central Criminal Court after a trial in London. Despite its aged carpets and quaint Victorian appearance, the Haydee Guesthouse in Great Yarmouth served as an unexpected hub for a Russian-backed espionage network. Over several years, this guesthouse in a rundown British coastal town was the headquarters for a group of freelance spies orchestrating honeytraps, kidnappings, and plots targeting prominent dissidents and sensitive military installations. The dramatic details of this spy ring, reminiscent of a thriller novel, were revealed in British courts recently when three Bulgarians—members of a Russian operation based in the UK—were found guilty of conspiracy to spy. Gabriela Gaberova, a 30-year-old beautician involved in honeytraps; Katrin Ivanova, a 33-year-old lab assistant also charged with improper possession of identity documents; and Tihomir Ivanchev, a 39-year-old painter-decorator and former partner of Gaberova, formed a group of amateur spies who managed to conduct espionage activities for the Kremlin on a large scale, according to prosecutors. Their handler, Biser Dzhambazov, known as “Mad Max,” not only oversaw their operations but also played a role in their intertwined romantic entanglements. Dzhambazov had been in a long-term relationship with Ivanova before developing feelings for Gaberova, leading to the end of his previous partnership. When police searched Gaberova’s flat in northwest London in February 2023, they found Dzhambazov and Gaberova together in bed. The mastermind behind this group was Orlin Roussev, known as “Jackie Chan,” who combined espionage work with IT expertise. Both Roussev and Dzhambazov confessed to espionage charges after their arrest in 2023. Another member, a mixed martial arts fighter using the alias “The Destroyer,” whose real name is Ivan Stoyanov, also admitted to spying for Russia. Meanwhile, Roussev’s accomplices, dubbed after characters from the “Despicable Me” movies, denied the accusations. Vanya Gaberova, aged 30, was convicted of conspiracy to spy at the Central Criminal Court following a trial. These individuals were not part of a fictional villain’s plot but were actual operatives working for the Russian intelligence service known as GRU. Between 2020 and 2023, the group carried out a series of chaotic covert missions targeting individuals such as investigative journalist Christo Grozev, renowned for uncovering Russian involvement in the poisoning of MI6 double agent Sergei Skripal with the Novichok nerve agent in Salisbury, England, in March 2018. Their activities included tracking Grozev across Europe and surveilling journalist Roman Dobrokhotov, with discussions of a potential kidnapping. In a bizarre scheme
A group was discovered engaging in espionage activities aimed at boosting Russia’s reputation. They were found to have tracked a former Russian official, Kirill Kachur, in Montenegro with plans for a kidnapping. Surveillance was also conducted at a U.S. military base in Stuttgart, Germany, focusing on Ukrainian forces. Covert operations against former Kazakh politician Bergey Ryskaliyev were carried out in an attempt to access his residence and gather intelligence.
Investigators uncovered a large volume of messages exchanged between the operatives, along with spy equipment valued at tens of thousands of dollars, such as cameras hidden in pens and ties. Videos were found showing the group surveilling specific locations of interest. In addition to espionage, the group was implicated in broader Russian efforts to influence foreign political climates and destabilize rival nations.
Orlin Roussev, 47, Bizer Dzhambazov, 43, and Ivan Stoyanov, 32, previously admitted to spying offenses. They will remain in custody until their sentencing in May. Commander Dominic Murphy of Scotland Yard’s SO15, which handles state threats, stated that this was one of the largest espionage investigations in the U.K. in the past 15 years.
Prosecutors revealed that the group was allegedly directed by Russian agent Jan Marsalek, an Austrian national with links to Russian intelligence agencies. Marsalek, a former executive of Wirecard, who is wanted in Germany and under an Interpol red notice, had fled to Russia where he reportedly operated the Bulgarian network.
Discussions between Marsalek and Roussev included plans for the kidnapping and murder of Grozev and Kachur. The defendants Gaberova, Ivanchev, and Ivanova claimed they were unaware of whom they were working for and alleged that they were misled by their superiors.
The Crown Prosecution Service stated that the prolonged espionage activities undermined the security and safety of the UK. The defendants were fully aware of the entities they were spying for. Russia has been connected to various covert operations in the U.K. in recent years as part of broader attempts to weaken Western security and influence global politics.
A report released in 2022 by the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament highlighted the U.K. as a target of Russian disinformation. The report described Russian influence within Britain as the “new normal.”
