Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Investigation under way of construction businessman over extortion charges

Police presence near the house of Veliko Zhelev
Photo: BGNES

The Bulgarian businessman Veliko Zhelev and two other persons are being investigated by the Sofia District Prosecutor's Office for causing bodily harm to a former employee of theirs and extortion. There is evidence that they forced the person to sign a document with false content about unsettled relations, Deputy District Prosecutor Borislav Georgiev said at a briefing.

Zhelev is a former head of the Bulgarian Road Agency and adviser to a regional minister. He is the owner of significant construction companies. 

Zhelev was detained late at night on March 6 in Sofia. The police searched his office in Sofia and a property in Varna. 
The former employee was questioned repeatedly. He was forced to assume a property obligation, said Georgiev.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Social Minister Borislav Gutsanov

Children will be able to report signals of violence from their mobile phones

Children will be able to report if they or their peers become victims of violence through the CyberKidz Patrol mobile application , announced Social Minister Borislav Gutsanov. It will be available for download in early October. The only information..

published on 9/18/25 2:38 PM

USA and Bulgaria join forces to stop fentanyl trafficking

The US Drug Enforcement Agency, in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior, held a two-day training in Bulgaria to improve Bulgaria's ability to detect and neutralize the trafficking of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids , BGNES reported...

published on 9/18/25 1:41 PM

Possibilities of private companies to work in the railways have been expanded

The parliament has adopted changes to the Railway Transport Act. The amendments transfer the requirements of the European directives to the sector after the European Commission initiated a procedure against the country over..

published on 9/18/25 11:50 AM