A sixth individual has been charged as part of a Metropolitan Police investigation into alleged spying offenses linked to the Russian state.
Tihomir Ivanov Ivanchev, 38, residing in Acton, west London, has been remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, February 28. Ivanchev, a Bulgarian national, faces charges of conspiring to collect information intended to be directly or indirectly useful to an enemy for a purpose prejudicial to the safety and interest of the state, contravening section 1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977.
The arrest of Ivanchev occurred on February 7, 2024, as part of an ongoing investigation led by the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command. Following his arrest, he was subsequently bailed before being charged on February 27.
Commander Dominic Murphy, who heads the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, commented on the latest development, stating, “A sixth suspect was identified and arrested as a result of enquiries made following the previous five arrests in this investigation, and working with the Crown Prosecution Service, a charge has now been brought.
He emphasized the importance of upholding Ivanchev’s right to a fair trial and urged the public to refrain from publishing anything that could substantially prejudice the ongoing criminal proceedings, whether on social media or in the news media.
In addition to Ivanchev’s case, five individuals were previously arrested and charged in September 2023 with similar offences under section 1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977. These individuals are currently in custody awaiting trial, scheduled for October 2024.
The charge against Ivanchev alleges that between August 30, 2020, and February 8, 2023, he conspired with Orlin Roussev, Bizer Maksimov Dzambarov, Katrin Nikolayeva Ivanova, Ivan Iliev Stoyanov, Vanya Nikolaveva Gaberova, and others unknown to obtain, collect, record, publish, or communicate documents or information intended to be directly or indirectly useful to an enemy for a purpose prejudicial to the safety and interest of the state.
