High-ranking Russian mafia boss Andrei Evgenievich Miroedov He is building a hotel complex in Bulgaria with the wife of a senior government official. He received Bulgarian citizenship probably in 2008.
In our famous spa resort Strelcha, a new complex is springing up, in which tens of millions are obviously invested. The buildings and the land under them are owned by the company ” Attica Holidays“. Its partners are Andrey Miroedov and Tinka Petrova Dimitrova – wife of the head of the Western Branch of the state-owned company “Prevention, Rehabilitation and Recreation“.
At first glance, the story smells of a local conflict of interest, but Miroedov’s presence also makes it important for national security. The institutions called upon to protect it have so far remained silent.
Who is Andrey Miroedov – Mirych?
Andrey Miroedov nicknamed Mirych He is known in Russia as a criminal authority – a “thief in law” and a “supervisor” of the Leningrad region from the recent past, an associate of Ded Hassan and associated with the Russian services. With the help of our colleagues from iStories, he was identified unequivocally as the Bulgarian citizen Andrey Evgenievich Miroedov.
Thus, Miroedov became the second famous Russian crime boss to acquire Bulgarian citizenship. For the time being, it is considered that the most influential Russian crime boss, who is Resided is Konstantin (Kostya) Tsyganov. He is the leader of the criminal group “Uralmash”. He was expelled and his citizenship was revoked by the State Agency for National Security (DANS) after he erected a huge complex near Tsarevo for rough construction. The difference is that Miroedov cannot suffer such a fate, as more than 10 years have passed since he acquired his citizenship.
Andrey Miroedov – Mirych is a Russian gangster of a much more significant caliber compared to Kostya Tsyganov.
He became a well-known underground figure in St. Petersburg in the late 90s of the twentieth century. He is considered one of the youngest “thieves in law” – a term for a crime boss recognized by the criminal community in post-Soviet Russia.
Mirych is said to have started his criminal activities as part of the so-called Komarovskaya organized crime group, and it is currently classified as the Kazanskaya organized crime group.
Connection with Ded Hassan and the Russian services
According to Russian media reports, Miroedov is associated with one of the most influential leaders of Russian organized crime, Ded Khasan. In the course of a gangster war in St. Petersburg in 2004, he miraculously survived an assassination attempt, and many of his crime syndicate were ostentatiously murdered.
It is believed that Mirych inherited his friend and “thief in law” Konstantin Yakovlev – Kostya Mogila as a “supervisor” of the Leningrad region. Overseer (looking at Russian) is an important position in the hierarchy of the Russian criminal world. Within the organization of Ded Hassan, these are the people closest to him who hold the criminal capital in a given geographical area.
Publications in the Russian press also linked Miroedov to the Russian special services. In 2002, he was arrested on suspicion of extortion, but the criminal case was subsequently dismissed. In connection with this accusation, it becomes clear that he is very close to the head of the FSB for St. Petersburg.
In the bloody conflict between Aslan Usoyan – Ded Hassan and other criminal organizations over the years, thousands of people have died. Ironically, after a conflict with Ded Hasan’s men in Yekaterinburg, Kostya Tsyganov’s brother Grigory was also killed.
The war between Russian criminal clans is being waged all over Europe, in much of Asia and in the United States. Active participants in these events are Vyacheslav Ivankov – Yaponchik, who often partnered with Usoyan, and Zakhary Kalashov, known by the nickname Shakro Molodoy, who was Usoyan’s successor, as the head of organized crime in the former USSR. After the murder of Ded Hassan in 2013, Shakro tried, probably under pressure from the Russian authorities, to stop the bloody feuds.
since 2018, according to which he participated remotely in a conference of Russian crime bosses. The topic is the election of a replacement for Shakro Molodoy, while the latter is serving a sentence for extortion. At that time, Miroedov finally had a Bulgarian passport.
Mirich in Bulgaria
We can only guess what brought Andrey Miroedov to Bulgaria after his vicissitudes with the law in Russia. At that time, most Russian crime bosses were looking for a “safe haven” abroad.
Miroedov settled in Bulgaria around 2007 with his Russian passport and opened a business – the company “Neva 1” – EOOD. Since then, the first entries in the Commercial Register with his name have been made. In 2008 and 2009, the Russian acquired two apartments with garages in the Lozenets district of Sofia – 156 sq. m. for BGN 342,270. and 101 sq.m., for BGN 266,063. In 2010, he sold the smaller apartment at a loss for BGN 254,257.
The first entry in the Property Register in Miroedov’s account with his Bulgarian personal identification number is dated 18/06/2008, which means that the Russian criminal authority became a Bulgarian citizen and an EU citizen before that date.
In 2013, Miroedov became a partner in the company “Diva Augusta“, registered in Kazanlak with the subject of activity construction and hotel management, and in 2021 he entered as a partner in the company “Attica Holidays“. None of these companies has generated dividends to explain what income Miroedov lives on in Bulgaria, but he also owns companies in Russia.
Mirich was the first known “thief in law” to become a Bulgarian citizen. This is because Kostya Tsyganov has never been “ordained” in the criminal hierarchy, although he is an undisputed criminal authority.
A key point is the basis on which Miroedov received Bulgarian citizenship. According to our sources, this happened by virtue of a declared Bulgarian origin, since investment except in the apartments is obviously not available. Similar is the case of Kostya Tsyganov, who claimed to have Bulgarian roots.
It is a fact that during the presidential mandates of Georgi Parvanov and his deputy Angel Marin, many “shadowy” Russian businessmen turned out to have Bulgarian roots. Marin gives Bulgarian citizenship to 81,749 people, of which 80,415 are of Bulgarian origin. Apparently, among them are Kostya Tsyganov and Andrey Miroedov.
Several independent sources of BIRD claim that the former director of the National Security Service Todor Kodzheykov and the former Minister of Sports Svilen Neykov helped Miroedov’s passport.
Without a doubt, the three have an intersection – rowing. Mirich has played rowing like Kodzheykov and Neykov. Here is the place to recall that former rowers and wrestlers were the main contingent of the power groups created in the early 90s.
However, the facts hardly correspond to the hypothetical interference of Kodzheykov and Neykov in the process of acquiring Bulgarian citizenship by the Russian criminal authority. In 2008-2009, Todor Kodzheykov was far from being in a “strong position” in the NSO. He is in the team that protects President Petar Stoyanov, but he is not respected by Georgi Parvanov. His name is also mentioned in connection with the scandal with the NSO employees who guarded the late radio host Bobi Tsankov. During Parvanov’s time, Kodzheykov was rather in “survival” mode in the service. Before BIRD, Kodzheykov denied knowing Miroedov and said that there was no logic for him to have anything to do with his Bulgarian passport.
During the same period, Svilen Neykov is already a national coach of the rowing team, but he is definitely not a political factor, or at least our team has no evidence that he was such. In front of our team, Neykov explained that he knew Atanas Dimitrov, but he had never met Miroedov and did not know who he was. It is not clear how the two men – Kodzheykov and Neykov could influence Vice President Angel Marin, who is tasked by Parvanov with being responsible for the commissions for pardons and granting Bulgarian citizenship.
Our team was also able to contact lawyer Stanislav Dimitrov Koev. He is authorized by Andrey Miroedov in several administrative cases. Lawyer Koev stressed that his contact with Miroedov was indirect and said that he did not know what a “thief in law” was. Koev was very surprised that his client was identified as a representative of Russian organized crime. “I have been engaged in various administrative procedures years ago,” the lawyer commented and denied knowing about Miroedov’s business ventures in Bulgaria. “I have contact with this person through a Moscow Qatar,” lawyer Koev said, adding that he had seen him only once. The man undertook to try to make contact with his client for a possible interview. Koev stressed that he could not shed light on the way Miroedov acquired Bulgarian citizenship, because it had nothing to do with his investments or his citizenship. “When I dealt with him, he was a Bulgarian citizen.”
Despite our inquiry to the State Agency for National Security, in its capacity as the successor of the National Security Service, the agency stated that the public has no interest in knowing on what grounds the Russian crime boss Miroedov became a Bulgarian. Our team is attacking this decision in court, but at this stage the case has not yet been announced for consideration.
Mirich’s Bulgarian partners
The investigation of the BIRD.BG in the case started after a signal, accompanied by numerous evidences, that Atanas Dimitrov Dimitrov, who is the director of the Zapaden Branch (at the time of the investigation) in the state enterprise “Prevention, Rehabilitation and Recreation“, is mired in serious abuses and spends public funds in violation of the law.
In the course of the investigation, it was found that Dimitrov’s wife is a business partner of Mirich in a company that is building a hotel in Strelcha.
The sole owner of the missile defense system is the state, represented by the National Social Security Institute. At the moment, there is a pending decision of the Board of Directors of PRO Dimitrov to take over the South Branch of the enterprise. These are 4 hotels – “Bozhur” in Haskovo, Hotel “Stryama” in the town of Haskovo Banya Karlovsko, Hotel “Roza” in the town of Karlovo Strelcha and Hotel “Gergana” – Hisarya.
Dimitrov is not entirely unknown to the general public. His career development in the PRO took place mainly in the era of GERB. Audit reports testify that while he held senior positions in the missile defense system, he assigned hotel activities to companies related to him and his relatives.
In 2009, Dimitrov headed the Banya Branch of the Missile Defense System, which is now called Branch South. He was released from the missile defense system in January 2023. After the arrival of the Assembly, in October 2023 he was returned to the ABM, already as the manager of the Zapaden Branch. As such, he manages hotels in the area of Varshets, Velingrad, Kostenets, Borovets, Bankya, Strelcha and Hisarya. However, the missile defense system has once again been reorganized in the mandate of Minister Ivanka Shalapatova. The structure is changing and now Dimitrov will take over the management of the most popular hotels.
Meanwhile, his wife is developing a project for a hotel in the town of Strelcha. In practice, it develops a competitive activity of Hotel “Roza” in the town of Sofia. It is unlikely that Dimitrov will try to make sure that the state hotels offer better conditions than those of his wife.
The history of the project is traceable. In 2019 ” Attica Holidays” acquired a plot of land in the town of Strelcha. At that time, the owners of the company were Tinka Petrova Dimitrova and, who is the wife of Atanas Dimitrov and Ekaterina Atanasova Kyurkyulos. Двете дами си партнират и в управата на спортен клуб Дате. Продавач на парцела е “ Sigma 2003“. The company is owned by the businessman from Veliko Tarnovo Nikolay Shirokov. Площта на парцела е 15120.000 кв. м. Имотът е прехвърлен с намиращите се върху него сгради за 350 000 лв.
Probably due to lack of financial resources, the ownership of the company is changing. On February 25, 2021, Ekaterina Atanasova Kyurkyulos left the company. It transferred half of its shares, 1250 in number, to Andrei Evgenievich Miroedov. For her part, Tinka Dimitrova also transferred 416 shares to Miroedov. Ekaterina Kyurcullos the other 1250 shares of Borislav Hristov Donchev. Той също получава 416 дяла от Димитрова.
After the end of the transfers, each of the three owners of the capital in the company holds 33%. A small but essential detail is that the company ” Bodomex 2“, which is owned by the family of Borislav Donchev, signed a contract in February 2020 with the Banya Branch of the PRO, managed by Atanas Dimitrov, for the supply of furnishings for the hotel rooms. The value of the contract is BGN 94,784. excluding VAT.
Later, the same Borislav Donchev, who was a contractor of the branch of the missile defense system managed by Dimitrov, became a partner of his wife.
Miroedov also became a partner with the wife of a senior government official, and apparently impressive sums were invested in the project.
“Rower, don’t drink, don’t smoke, exemplary parent”
Our team made efforts to contact Mirych himself, but without success. However, we managed to get a comment from Atanas Dimitrov, according to whom the money for the complex was not from Miroedov.
Dimitrov denied knowing that he was a “thief in law” and announced that in fact he did not even know what this concept meant. The two knew each other from rowing:
Atanas Dimitrov: He was a rower, so I was introduced to him as a person who was engaged in rowing. We know each other from there. But I don’t know such things at all, so I don’t want to comment on them. And I can’t comment on something I don’t know.
BIRD: Could you make me a contact for an interview with Mr. Mirovedov? After all, he is the highest-ranking representative of the Russian underground living in Bulgaria.
Atanas Dimitrov: I have seen him three times. He does not drink, does not smoke and has three children. He is engaged in business and is an exemplary father and parent. Infinitely serious, and for the rest, to tell you the truth, I have not heard. I am not interested in such things.
BIRD: Yes, but he obviously invests serious funds in this complex that you are building.
Atanas Dimitrov: The complex, it is being built very slowly. We are waiting for a loan and we have an approved loan from a bank (the complex is apparently after ACT 14 – the rough construction is completed and the finishing works are being worked on.) If this man had given us money, he would have already been built.
BIRD: Obviously, he enters when you acquire the plot.
Atanas Dimitrov: Yes, yes, there is nothing secret. The whole deal was for 300 and a few thousand. There the land is 7-8 category.
BIRD: This is urbanized land, it is not agricultural. Atanas Dimitrov: Yes, yes, but Strelcha is a place that is yet to begin to develop.
After the first conversation with Atanas Dimitrov, we have an appointment for a meeting, which fell through because Dimitrov organized a world championship in rowing in open waters in the Black Sea.
Outside of the topic Miroedov, Dimitrov also commented on the audit report, which lists a bunch of violations and can be seen here. According to him, all this was an attack by his ill-wishers.
National Security Issues
According to our foreign sources, Miroedov has Romanian citizenship in addition to Bulgarian, and the Finnish special services were keenly interested in him. Certainly, it has been the subject of a study by the security services of several European countries. Even the Russian services at one point showed moderate interest in his personality and his affairs in Bulgaria.
In view of his status as a thief in law, Miroedov-Mirich is a potential threat to our national security. Naturally, in view of the new realities, the war in Ukraine and the fact that Russia declared Bulgaria an enemy state, today the reading of the Russian’s personality would probably be different compared to 2007-2008. She was also known for information that Shakro owns a significant part of the shares of Lukoil. Zahary Kalashov – Shakro Molodoy, the leader of the criminal organization to which Miroedov is assigned, is already at large
. Украинските медии свързват решението на съда за предсрочното освобождаване на гангстера от язидски произход с помощта, която той е оказал на руските власти при the recruitment of prisoners about the war in Ukraine. It is an open question whether Zakhary Kalashov and his structure, to which Miroedov is assigned, work for the Russian government? And is the new Bulgarian Miroedov doing anything other than educating his children and leaving them a spa hotel?
Материалът A Russian mafia boss became a Bulgarian. He is building a spa hotel for millions in Strelcha е публикуван за пръв път на BIRD.
