Sensational disclosures of Naydenov brothers –Tsvetomir and Boyan, owners of Efbet about one of the gravest affairs in our recent history. Both lifted the veil exclusively for “Banker Studio”. The charges against the alleged richest Bulgarian are crushing.
Banker studio: Mega collision in gambling. The war – the Naydenovs against Bozhkov. Probably the biggest affair in recent times in BG in my opinion and not only mine. Now, at the very beginning it should be clear that someone is going to be jailed soon. Do you think so. The charges are exceptionally grave. It goes about corruption, blackmail, murder, trade in influence, corrupting prosecutors, policemen, NRA executives, etc. BGN 265 million definite and some 250 mln – just hinted. If you are accused of defamation, some reaction should be expected. That means, you are confident enough in what you are saying, otherwise…
The owners: If we are not 1000% sure, even 1 million% sure, we will not sign these signals, we will not be present in this studio, talking with you.
That means that the opposite side has to prepare for a long stay behind bars.It is not my concept but you are talking about assassinations, enormous amount of money, which are heavy criminal actions.
Well, Mr. Bozhkov said that if we inform the authorities for his intention to kill us the result will be his summoning in the prosecution office and signing some preliminary report. He said he wouldn’t sign it even. I know that if someone does not pay the taxes they are obliged to, the consequences are terrible. Here it goes about 265 million. It is a paradox.
It is a scandal, which could quake the whole country.
Yes, if the authorities take the proper measures and if those guilty are charged…
Yes, but taxes cannot be “saved” without the back up of some revenue agency executives.
According to the last changes in the law, declarations are submitted to the Gambling Agency, then 2-3 of its employees process them by putting them into the archive. And this is the top secret in the State Commission on Gambling.
The question here is: Is there an individual rule which helps Mr. Bozhkov evade these taxes? As you have written our state pays on the basis of some tariffs, which do not correspond to Bozhkov’s tariffs.
Our state demands 15% of the bets submitted for each game, according to Article 30(3) and that’s it, basta, no other interpretations can be made. For lottery – 15% of the bets.
And what does Mr. Bozhkov pay, something like minus 265 million?
About 6,50 – 6,60%. There must not be two taxes for one and the same activity.
How long does it last?
It’s been on since 2015. They even disguise that by not submitting to the Commercial register the annual financial statements. They publish it but it’s full of fake info.
Let’s start with the question: What is the volume of gambling in BG, what is the turnover?
I don’t know exactly but according to data from the Gambling commission the taxes paid per year are around BGN 230 million. If Bozhkov started to pay what he is due, the taxes would jump to BGN 320 million, i.e. with about 40%.
What portion of the business is under Mr. Bozhkov’s control, excluding state lotteries?
Bozhkov controls the two private lotteries – the National lottery and Lottery Bulgaria, Euro football, that is he 100% of the private gambling (non on-line)business in BG. It is done through his companies New games, Euro football and Eurobet – 100% of the operating lisences.
Other countries call that “monopoly”.
His single competitor is the State lottery and this situation has been protected for years. There are two reasons for that, we know him well, he thinks only of monopoly. We, on the contrary, insist that we have market competition. That’s one of the discrepancies between us. And the second reason is that we may ask for a lisence for a swift lottery and if we are given it, we will immediately start to pay what the law demands. So it will be crystal clear that a certain market player pays 15%, but another one – 6,60% only. Unfair competition distorts the market. It damages us, other legal operators and international legal operators. Example: in 2016 we set up our company – Efbet Ltd and submitted to the Commission a portfolio for obtaining a lisence for on-line betting. But we were told by Mr. Bozhkov :”Guys, that won’t happen at all. I become your partner or your firm will not be certified at all. We rejected the offer and decided to wait for the Commission’s respond. And…we waited for 16 months. We didn’t get any answer, having in mind that the official answer has to be received within 2 months. It was violation of law. We also asked for a meeting with Commission representatives to see why this legally determined period of two months was neglected. The answer was: “It is friendly fire. Ask Bozhkov. You’ll wait to the infinity.
Was that the moment when the spark of enmity was lit?
The differences between us started around 2010 when we proposed to set up together on-line betting. To our surprise they said the Internet will go bankrupt, it is a waste of money, etc. By the way, we have noticed other operators here and abroad who keep you waiting or delay a file so as your business to be hampered.
Well, that means, if it is true and you have signed your testimonies that Bozhkov has formed a plethora of state structures in his favour.
We do not know the level which this support has reached, but we suffered enough and were patient enough to sit and wait timidly for a permit. Until we assigned 60% of our business in Efbet Ltd. on him. That’s when we got the resolution of the Commission, although the company has zero activity now.
Once again, a week after the day we transferred 60% to Bozhkov, we obtained our lisence. So, they said we are free to begin work in that company, but we rejected. A prospective firm that has popped down on their head just from the air
What does Bozhkov sentence mean:”I have bought them for 40 million per year”. Is it linked with that company you were talking about?
No, we were informed about this on our last meeting – Sept, 17, we had a previous meeting in May when he threatened us and needed some time to prepare ourselves and our families for the long battle. We showed some misleading appearance to save time and get ready with all these documents.You can imagine what the situation was.
It is an accurately scaled operation with the help of many state structures. It is obvious.
The state itself demonstrates will to tackle the problem. It opened two pre-trial proceedings after our signal. It is carrying out checks. The Minister of Finance initiated subsequent checks. Evidently the state did not know anything, now they are trying to clear it out after the documents we presented to them.
Meanwhile, there were rumours, manipulatively spread in the summer in my opinion, that Naydenov brothers exported millions in suitcases. Even along Sofia streets there was much talking about that.
This was a typical media attack aiming at crippling our business. If we had any millions abroad they would be given to you as a gift, we would double the sum if you found some. A typical Bozhkov’s scheme to misinform the people . He thought and said Efbet is his but turned to be Naydenov brothers’. How is that possible. His sense of private property was kind of smashed.He’s got an issue of reputation.
How did he count so exactly that he bought you off for 40 million?
He didn’t say, we also asked him whom did he buy us from – no answer. Silence.
So it was not clear who possesses Naydenov brothers.
Yes, we don’t know whose slaves we are
A very strange form of feudalism – feudals and serfs in the 21 c.
Well, was he affected when you met him in June, when he threatened you ?
Yes, a lot, he was trembling, I haven’t seen him so exasperated for over 30 years.
Why then, why in June, which was the spark that lit the fire?
The situation got worse after our father’s health began to decline. Then the first marks appeared that he was trying to rob us of our business.
But they seemed good friends and business partners.
We are his last partners. Before that, in this very way, he parted with about 10 other partners – Stoine Manolov, Toni Naumov, Bore Halachev, Orlin Hadjiyankov, Ognyan Enchev, Dimitar Geshev. After the death of Plamen Manov, all his shares were taken hold of.
So who is his copartner now?
Tumparov and Bekyarov with 2-5%.
Does it bind to the idea that he is the wealthiest Bulgarian?
We know too much – enough to publish a book. It will be a bestseller. We’ll share about his path during the years. People are afraid of him, let’s remind you his nickname – the Death’s head. Throughout the years some events happened which instill fear too.
For instance?
Assassinations and other stuff.
Murders are not stuff. It is frightful. Business partners or business rivals?
Business adversaries. Physically removed. If we have any proof, we’ll deposit them where we have to, we are not afraid, still we have come to that spot, we did’t want confrontation, we were forced to protect ourselves after he threatened to seize our business. He wanted 51% of our business, otherwise he said he would eliminate us. What should we do? He would kill us anyway, even with our money after handing in half of our business to him.
You say you have a record of his threat of murder.
We have many records. Records of our meetings. He has records of our talks as well.
Nevertheless, Bozhkov feels somewhat protected.
Yes, he said he can do anything and if we do something, he will shoot himself. He thinks he is almighty, above the state and everything.
The name of Kiril Domustchiev was implied in your exchange of words?
Yes, his words were:” I’ll kill you both and Domustchiev, as I did with Manol Velev, Iordan Dimov, Toni Naumov and someone called Zanev. He has a record of his own words, he knows that all was recorded. He did not know we were recording it as well. We asked him why he added Domustchiev to us and he said because he knew we were going to do business with him. We have known Domustchiev since 2000, but 3 years ago we became sponsors of Ludogorets, we sponsor many BG football clubs , we are advertisers in Nova TV and this is it.
You were sponsors of Levski.
Yes, but we were expelled by Bozhkov after the threat, no matter we had 5-year contract. Since Vasil does not want to work with us, we don’t object.
Bozhkov applied to buy the authentic, old CSKA. You delivered the documents. It was on behalf of Efbet or Nove holding.
It was Nove. I submitted the files because all know I am a CSKA fan.
Yes, you are reviving this club now. But who is who in this play? Your solid family is subject to pressure, insinuations and open lies by some yellow tabloids, which is disgrace to our profession.
Bozhkov told us he ordered these publications but said he would stop them right away. He offered a meeting with us, we refused. This invitation was tabled before my post in Facebook. We don’t want to talk with him.
Is it possible for you to rethink, to have a meeting with Bozhkov in a secret room and settle the issue quietly, as often happens here and abroad? And the state will be left in the cold with 265 million?
Well, we signalized, we delivered documents for those 265 million, we face you and other social media, we are not criminally charged persons, our company is unblemished.
This publicity is useful for you now, for your security, not only for disclosure of the affair. What is the ratio between you and your competitor Euro football?
In fact we are still associates in that company. It was set up by our family, I was the manager up to July,3, when I was dismissed not by the Board. As if the 90s have come back. So we are still officially minority owners, not aware what is going on in the company. No factual participation.
Isn’t there a danger for you to be held financially responsible for some shady deals since you were partners?
The accountancy in the companies we have run is accurate, nothing shady, nothing dark, the big money is in Bozhkov’s private companies, run by him. The violations are there. That’s why he accepted no competition.
For example, if you are a foreign operator you read the gambling law and see the 15% tax on the turnover. Then you see the P ALTS in gambling industry – around 67%, then you start to calculate and it is clear to be better for you not to deal with that business at all. That’s why all are wondering what’s going on, there is something strange. You want to set up moment lottery, it is free by the law but still there is something unusual.
The manager of the National lottery was interviewed for “Mediapool” and the reporter said the Lottery burned coupons in the town of Zlatna Panega.The manager said the company plays fair, its profit is 100 million, the sales – around 300 million. I have been in gambling for 30 years, I compared the two numbers and thought – someone is lying here. Their sales are 300 million per year, multiplied by 60% (not 67%) is equal to 180 million profits for the participants. We subtract 180 million from 300 million, the result is 120 million. Then we subtract the tax of 15% on the sales of 300 million , which is 45 million and we get 75 million. From the third line of these calculation is clear that he is lying. The profit is 75 not 100 million. Then we must subtract 25 million for Nova TV advertising and 25 million for distribution, we get 25 million. 25 million minus 15 million for printing=10 million, minus 15 million for salaries, other additional costs and the result is – they are minus 5-10 million. It is simple arithmetic. This could be easily calculated even by a pupil of 4th grade.
We explained that to the journalist we talked with and she admitted these are simple calculations but the result is somehow wrong. We discussed the matter with a top lawyer, specialized in criminal law and he said he hadn’t seen such a boorish theft.
That’s the end of part one of the mega scandal. The following second part will display the origin of the matter concerned.
