Vasil Iliev
Encyclopedia
Vasil Iliev was a Bulgarian
mobster, businessman and wrestler.
, Bulgaria
. He was a very successful wrestler, becoming a national champion and heading the country's wrestling federation.
and car theft. Eventually he made a substantial amount of money and turned back to Bulgaria
where he set up VIS
(Viarnost,Investicii,Sigurnost( it is not VasilIlievSecurity)
). The company's official business was in insurance
and security
, but this was really a front for criminal activity including extortion
, selling stolen cars and contract killings and so on. The company was declared illegal in 1994 but its activities continued under VIS-2
, yet another front for Iliev's criminal empire.
Iliev later made millions smuggling petroleum
into Serbia
during the UN
-imposed embargo
. By this time, Iliev was arguably the most powerful crime boss in the Balkans
.
. Unidentified gunmen opened fire on his Mercedes-Benz
as he left his favorite restaurant, creating a fake automobile accident to seal off the road. Iliev's death was so high profile that the Minister of the Interior arrived at the crime scene in minutes. Iliev's bodyguards, who were traveling in a separate car unarmed, remained unharmed. One of them defecated from the shock
The next boss of VIS
was his brother Georgi Iliev
. He was shot dead by a suspected sniper
in Sunny Beach
, Bulgaria
, little more than 10 years after his brother.
Bulgarians
The Bulgarians are a South Slavic nation and ethnic group native to Bulgaria and neighbouring regions. Emigration has resulted in immigrant communities in a number of other countries.-History and ethnogenesis:...
mobster, businessman and wrestler.
Background
Vasil Iliev was born in 1965 in KyustendilKyustendil
Kyustendil is a town in the far west of Bulgaria, the capital of Kyustendil Province, with a population of 44 416 . Kyustendil is situated in the southern part of the Kyustendil Valley, 90 km southwest of Sofia...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
. He was a very successful wrestler, becoming a national champion and heading the country's wrestling federation.
Criminal career
After the end of socialism, Iliev and a number of associates moved to Hungary, where they were engaged in some low-level criminal activities such as burglariesBurglary
Burglary is a crime, the essence of which is illicit entry into a building for the purposes of committing an offense. Usually that offense will be theft, but most jurisdictions specify others which fall within the ambit of burglary...
and car theft. Eventually he made a substantial amount of money and turned back to Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
where he set up VIS
VIS (criminal organisation)
Vasil Iliev Security, or VIS, is a security and insurance company in Bulgaria thought to be a front for a criminal organisation dealing in extortion, car theft, drug trafficking and more. Set up in the early 1990s by Vasil Iliev. The company was declared illegal in 1994 but continued operating...
(Viarnost,Investicii,Sigurnost( it is not VasilIlievSecurity)
). The company's official business was in insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
and security
Security
Security is the degree of protection against danger, damage, loss, and crime. Security as a form of protection are structures and processes that provide or improve security as a condition. The Institute for Security and Open Methodologies in the OSSTMM 3 defines security as "a form of protection...
, but this was really a front for criminal activity including extortion
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
, selling stolen cars and contract killings and so on. The company was declared illegal in 1994 but its activities continued under VIS-2
VIS (criminal organisation)
Vasil Iliev Security, or VIS, is a security and insurance company in Bulgaria thought to be a front for a criminal organisation dealing in extortion, car theft, drug trafficking and more. Set up in the early 1990s by Vasil Iliev. The company was declared illegal in 1994 but continued operating...
, yet another front for Iliev's criminal empire.
Iliev later made millions smuggling petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
into Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
during the UN
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
-imposed embargo
Embargo
An embargo is the partial or complete prohibition of commerce and trade with a particular country, in order to isolate it. Embargoes are considered strong diplomatic measures imposed in an effort, by the imposing country, to elicit a given national-interest result from the country on which it is...
. By this time, Iliev was arguably the most powerful crime boss in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
.
Death
Vasil Iliev was murdered on April 25, 1995 in SofiaSofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
. Unidentified gunmen opened fire on his Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
as he left his favorite restaurant, creating a fake automobile accident to seal off the road. Iliev's death was so high profile that the Minister of the Interior arrived at the crime scene in minutes. Iliev's bodyguards, who were traveling in a separate car unarmed, remained unharmed. One of them defecated from the shock
The next boss of VIS
VIS (criminal organisation)
Vasil Iliev Security, or VIS, is a security and insurance company in Bulgaria thought to be a front for a criminal organisation dealing in extortion, car theft, drug trafficking and more. Set up in the early 1990s by Vasil Iliev. The company was declared illegal in 1994 but continued operating...
was his brother Georgi Iliev
Georgi Iliev
Georgi Andreev Iliev was a Bulgarian businessman, best known for his ownership of a top Bulgarian football team, Lokomotiv Plovdiv....
. He was shot dead by a suspected sniper
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
in Sunny Beach
Sunny Beach
Sunny Beach is a major seaside resort on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria, located approximately 35 km north of Burgas in Nessebar municipality, Burgas Province. It is the biggest and most popular holiday resort in Bulgaria, and is home to over 800 hotels with more than 300 000 beds. There are...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, little more than 10 years after his brother.