Five UK-based Bulgarians accused of spying for Russia to assist with abduction plots are due to stand trial next year, a court has heard.
Bizer Dzhambazov, 41, Katrin Ivanova, 31, Vanya Gaberova, 29, Orlin Roussev, 45, and Ivan Stoyanov, 31, are accused of conspiring to collect information that would be useful to an enemy between August 2020 and February this year.
It is said they formed a network in the UK for “surveillance and other information gathering activities” against target individuals and properties of interest to Russia.
Roussev’s home was allegedly used as a “hub” for the spying operations, while the five are all accused of helping with potential abduction plots.
Dzhambazov and Ivanova were living together in Harrow in northwest London, while Gaberova, from Churchway, in Camden was running a beauty salon called Pretty Woman.
Roussev, lives in Great Yarmouth, in Norfolk and while Stoyanov was residing in Greenford, west London.
All five defendants appeared via prison videolink for a hearing in front of Mr Justice Jeremy Baker on Friday.
The female defendants – Gaberova and Ivanova - are being held in HMP Bronzefield, while Roussev, Dzhambazov, and Stoyanov watched on from links to jails in Belmarsh, Manchester, and Frankland respectively.
“All five defendants appear for a preliminary hearing in relation to a charge brought of conspiracy to commit an offence under the Official Secrets Act”, said prosecutor Alison Morgan KC.
It is said the defendants conspired with a man called Jan Marsalek, the Austrian former chief operating officer of the company Wirecard, in the alleged spying plot.
The court heard their trial is likely to be held next year on a date to be fixed, and is expected to last more than six weeks.
The judge remanded the defendants back into custody until a further hearing at the Old Bailey on November 10.
The defendants have not yet entered pleas.
