Iliyan Filipov was shot at around 1:00 in Plovdiv. The report was filed by phone 112, and his death occurred on the territory of a property he owned. The Plovdiv District Prosecutor has determined the case as a premeditated murder. Teams from the Regional Directorate of Internal Affairs - Plovdiv and the General Directorate of the "National Police" are working on the investigation. Video recordings are being checked and witnesses are being sought.
The motive for the crime has not been announced. The prosecutor's office states that at the moment there is no information that Filipov has received threats. "We are working on specific data that arise during the processing of operational data", it was stated at the briefing, without revealing details about the version of the investigation. The Ministry of Interior has taken control and security measures in Plovdiv, neighboring districts and along the border.
The business behind the name PIMK
Filipov was the public face of PIMK - a group of companies developing transport, railway and construction activities. “24 chasa“ describes him as the head of a business with over 1,000 trucks, private trains and construction projects. The company was the main contractor in the construction of the “Hristo Botev“ stadium in Plovdiv.
In March 2025, the police carried out actions in PIMK offices on “Rogoshko shose“. Then Filipov told “24 chasa“: “They are checking the guys, everything is fine, let them do their job“. He denied that the inspection was related to cigarettes and said that it was about foreign trucks. The police did not provide details about the actions at the time. There is no public data that this inspection led to an indictment against Filipov.
„Botev“ Plovdiv and the public conflicts
Filipov was among the main financial figures around „Botev“ Plovdiv, and in June 2025 he announced that he was taking over the club along with debts of 6,871,000 leva. In August 2026, he was listed as the chairman of the club's Board of Directors.
Over the years, public disputes have arisen around the stadium and the club's management with fans, representatives of the football authorities and businessmen. In 2023, Filipov reported telephone threats from a person who presented himself as a BFU employee, in connection with the “Hristo Botev“ and “Lokomotiv“ stadiums. The claim was publicly announced by him, but is not equivalent to an officially established threat under the current investigation.
The conflict with Ivan Petleshkov
In 2025, Filipov made harsh public accusations against businessman Ivan Petleshkov, the security company “Trafik SOT“ and related structures. He claimed that a pressure campaign had been launched against his business after the termination of an advertising contract and insisted that the institutions check signals of pressure, public procurement and influence on local government.
These allegations are part of a public conflict between businessmen and are not evidence of a connection to the murder. So far, the prosecutor's office has not announced a suspect, motive or specific version related to Filipov's business, football, political contacts or previous conflicts. There is also no officially confirmed data that he was a member of a political party or held a political office.
Sources: BNT, 24 Chasa Plovdiv