The head of the Rheumatology Clinic at the St. George University Hospital in Plovdiv, Prof. Mariela Geneva-Popova, has confessed in the case of the embezzlement of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). This was announced to journalists by the supervising prosecutor Dimitar Pehlivanov before the hearing at the District Court on the measure of non-custodial detention of three of the accused in the scheme. Popova will leave the Clinic and is expected to be released from the post of Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the Medical University in Plovdiv.
The one detainee, aged 82, was released this morning on a "submission" measure due to his deteriorating health last night. The man has two oncological diseases, Pehlivanov said and added that he cannot remain in custody.
At this time, the lawyers of the head of the Rheumatology Clinic, Prof. Mariela Geneva-Popova, and Adrian Belov, an accountant at the “Artmed“ Medical Center and husband of Popova's daughter, are reviewing the materials on the pre-trial proceedings. The state prosecution is requesting their permanent detention. At the beginning of the hearing, the prosecutor and the defense requested that the case be heard behind closed doors, but the court determined that there was no basis for this.
Six people have been charged with criminal liability, and three have been detained for up to 72 hours. The remaining three are on bail of 3 to 5 thousand euros. The indictment is for participation in an organized criminal group with the aim of illegally obtaining funds from the Health Fund budget through fictitious hospitalizations for over 3 million euros. The penalty is three to 15 years of imprisonment and confiscation of property.