American, European and Bulgarian services are investigating financial transactions related to antique items leading to the Bulgarian businessman Vasil Bozhkov, reported “Around the World and at Home“. By the end of the month, a meeting is planned in a country outside the European Union to discuss the ownership of the businessman's antique collection, confiscated by the Bulgarian prosecutor's office in early 2020, when investigations were launched against Bozhkov and he temporarily settled in Dubai.
Foreign services have intercepted three transactions worth a total of $5 million, made in the period December 29-31, 2020. The money was transferred from a fund associated with the 50-year-old billionaire and financial broker – Andrew Budzhinsky, an Australian citizen known for his contacts with Russian oligarchs and living in the United Arab Emirates, and Vasil Bozhkov was named as the recipient.
Because of this, the services have begun checks on the connections between Budzhinsky and Bozhkov in the field of antiques trade, including the holding of fictitious auctions, for the purpose of money laundering. It is believed that antiques from the Bulgarian businessman's collection are currently in the United States. Vasil Bozhkov claims that his collection of antiques has been illegally seized and held for five years by the prosecutor's office. The businessman is trying to get the antiques back by appealing the confiscation through the courts.
In 2021, Vasil Bozhkov was included in the US sanctions list under the global “Magnitsky“ law. Criminal cases are being conducted against the businessman in our country – one for non-payment of gambling-related taxes and the second related to abetting murders and other crimes.
The Bulgarian prosecutor's office neither confirmed nor denied that they will participate in a meeting with American and European services related to the businessman in the coming days.