{"id":30340,"date":"2016-04-08T14:05:34","date_gmt":"2016-04-08T14:05:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/?p=30340"},"modified":"2016-10-26T08:01:50","modified_gmt":"2016-10-26T08:01:50","slug":"alleged-sapard-fraudster-took-5-million-in-eu-financing-and-is-bidding-for-30-more-millions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/alleged-sapard-fraudster-took-5-million-in-eu-financing-and-is-bidding-for-30-more-millions.html","title":{"rendered":"Alleged SAPARD Fraudster Took 5 Million in EU Financing and Is Bidding for 30 More Millions"},"content":{"rendered":"

Notorious businessman Mario Nikolov, still on trial for theft of pre-accession European Union (EU) funds in the affair “SAPARD” has prepared projects for about 30 million levs in EU funds in the new programming period from the Rural Development Programme (RDP).<\/p>\n

Notorious businessman Mario Nikolov, still on trial for theft of pre-accession European Union (EU) funds in the affair “SAPARD” has prepared projects for about 30 million levs in EU funds in the new programming period from the Rural Development Programme (RDP).<\/p>\n

Notorious businessman Mario Nikolov, still on trial for theft of pre-accession European Union (EU) funds in the affair “SAPARD” has prepared projects for about 30 million levs in EU funds in the new programming period from the Rural Development Programme (RDP).<\/p>\n

So far he has received about 5 million levs under Measure 121 “Modernization of agricultural holdings” for 2007-2013 by participating in 4 companies: SAMI MEAT BG, HOLID, NICK FUD BG and AGROVAL BG.<\/p>\n

He has taken the same amount under OP Competitiveness with other four companies: EUROFRIGO STAR, INTELLIGENT FOOD SYSTEMS, AVISPAL and SIKAN, Bivol established in a previous investigation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Nikolov is still being tried for the draining of pre-accession funds, but there are no obstacles to apply and win new millions using the same scheme \u2013 dummy frontmen and double invoicing.<\/p>\n

The scheme involves the same companies that pop up in the SAPARD case, but renamed and with new managers. Nikolov\u2019s dummy people have been reshuffled with a listed manager becoming a listed owner and another owner becoming manager, an inquiry of Bivol in the Trade Register showed.<\/p>\n

Mario\u2019s scheme <\/strong><\/p>\n

The theft of EU funds is carried out under the same old and tested scheme almost without variation since 2007, a source familiar with the scheme told Bivol under condition of anonymity.<\/p>\n

In order to obtain EU funding, the company should participate with its own funds. They are supplied with loans from First Investment Bank (FIB) with which Nikolov has a privileged relationship.<\/p>\n

The money from the bank loans goes to companies that have won the projects. Mario Nikolov stands behind each one of these companies.<\/p>\n

The beneficiary companies pay suppliers and construction companies behind which also stands Mario Nikolov.<\/p>\n

If the project is for the supply of machinery and equipment (OP Competitiveness), the supplier imports cheap Chinese machines and produces invoices with German rates. When it comes to construction (duck farms under RDP) the prices of construction works are inflated.<\/p>\n

The European subsidies are paid on the basis of the inflated invoices and with them the companies repay the loan to FIB with interest.<\/p>\n

The machines, what is constructed and 20% of the total amount of the project remain for Mario Nikolov and his partner in this scam – Dimitar Kerelov. Kerelov is known with the nickname \u201cMitko The Flash Stick\u201d from the scandals in the Sofia City Court, where he was in charge of maintaining the computers at the time of the Court\u2019s now-suspended notorious boss Judge Vladimira Yaneva and when the greatest abuse of the random allocation of cases was happening.<\/p>\n

The scheme differs from the SAPARD one only in that the delivered equipment is not old and repainted from Germany, but new from China.<\/p>\n

The same and all over again<\/strong><\/p>\n

Curiously, the defendant Nikolov, who defines himself as “ancestral socialist” has not even applied much effort to hide and participates with the same companies and frontmen.<\/p>\n

The supplier in the affair SAPARD was the company Hranmehanika Engineering. Since 2008 it has been renamed Technofood and it is once again the supplier for all projects of Mario Nikolov. Dimitar Kerelov, who is a beneficiary of EU funds with the company Intelligent Food Systems, has also worked for Technofood.<\/p>\n

The current manager of “Technofood” is Bogomil Grancharov Illarionov, a former representative of “Eurofrigo” – the company that pocketed the money in the SAPARD affair. Two dummies are listed as owners of Technofood. One of them, Plamen Gevezov, is the owner and manager of Nick FOOD which won a contract for 1,399,538.69 levs for an RDP project: “Building a poultry farm for breeding ducks in the village of Zhivkovo, Ihtiman Municipality.”<\/p>\n

OLAF conducted a preliminary analysis and found no irregularities<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bivol published information on the schemes as early as October 27, 2015, and inquired whether the EU funds anti-fraud office, OLAF, has checked those specific projects.<\/p>\n

The response received from the press service of OLAF and signed by Silvana Enculescu reads as follows:<\/p>\n

In 2015, OLAF conducted a preliminary analysis of the available information regarding this specific matter. After this analysis, in early 2016, the office decided not to open an investigation as there was no suspicion of fraud or irregularities justifying the opening of an investigation.<\/em><\/p>\n

Elated by this indulgence, the ancestral socialist Mario Nikolov has submitted documents for projects in the new programming period, this time for nearly 30 million levs, Bivol learned. The State Fund Agriculture (SFA)has not responded to questions we sent, asking for which projects the firms connected to Nikolov have applied. But after all, why not? As the saying goes – the appetite comes with eating.<\/p>\n

Firms beneficiaries under OP \u201cCompetitiveness\u201d<\/p>\n

EUROFRIGO STAR 202156765<\/p>\n

BG161PO003-2.3.02-0387-C0001 \u201cInvestments in energy saving refrigeration equipment\u201d in EUROFRIGO STAR LTD<\/p>\n

Total budget: 3,879,548 BGN<\/p>\n

Approved budget: 1,939,774 BGN<\/p>\n

Total disbursements: 1,260,853 BGN<\/p>\n

http:\/\/umispublic.government.bg\/srchProjectInfo.aspx?menu=search&id=115234<\/a><\/p>\n

FIB<\/p>\n

Credit: 750, 000 BGN; Contract 000LD-L-000 617\/June 26, 2015<\/p>\n

Bank guarantee: 1,260,853 BGN; Contract 000LG-L-005 171\/June 26, 2015<\/p>\n

====================<\/p>\n

INTELLIGENT FOOD SYSTEMS 201699270<\/p>\n

Energy efficiency investments in \u201cIntelligent Food Systems\u201d LTD<\/p>\n

Project Economy Ministry: 3,840,951 BGN<\/p>\n

Approved budget: 1,920,475 BGN<\/p>\n

Total disbursements: 1,248,309 BGN<\/p>\n

http:\/\/umispublic.government.bg\/srchProjectInfo.aspx?menu=search&id=113108<\/a><\/p>\n

FIB<\/p>\n

Credit: 750,000 BGN; Contract 000LD-L-000 616\/June 26, 2015<\/p>\n

Bank guarantee: 1,248,309.01 BGN; Contract 000LG-L-005 178\/June 26, 2015<\/p>\n

===================<\/p>\n

AVISPAL 201696783<\/p>\n

BG161PO003-2.3.02-0388-C0001 \u201cInvestments in new energy-saving equipment in \u201cAVISPAL\u201d LTD<\/p>\n

Total budget: 3,776,329 BGN<\/p>\n

Approved budget: 1,888,164 BGN<\/p>\n

Disbursed: 1,227,307 BGN<\/p>\n

http:\/\/umispublic.government.bg\/srchProjectInfo.aspx?menu=search&id=115188<\/a><\/p>\n

FIB<\/p>\n

Credit: 750,000 BGN; Contract: 000LD-L-000 615\/June 26.2015<\/p>\n

Bank guarantee: 1,227,306.88 BGN; Contract 000LG-L-005 072\/June 26.2015<\/p>\n

===================<\/p>\n

SIKAN Ltd 175326107<\/p>\n

BG161PO003-2.3.02-0386-C0001 \u201cInvestments in energy-saving equipment\u201d in SIKAN Ltd<\/p>\n

Approved budget: 1,939,025 BGN<\/p>\n

Approved budget: 1,939,025 BGN<\/p>\n

Disbursed: 1,260,367 BGN<\/p>\n

http:\/\/umispublic.government.bg\/srchProjectInfo.aspx?menu=search&id=115241<\/a><\/p>\n

FIB<\/p>\n

Credit 750,000 BGN; Contract 000LD-L-000 612\/June 26, 2015<\/p>\n

Bank guarantee 1,260,366.50 BGN Contract 000LG-L-005 183\/June 26, 2015<\/p>\n

====================<\/p>\n

Companies beneficiaries under the Rural Development Programme, measure 121 \u201cModernization of agricultural holdings\u201d RDP 2007-2013<\/p>\n

SAMI Meat BG 200303323<\/p>\n

Project for 2,831,952.92; Contract 23\/121\/05720 \/April 26, 2013<\/p>\n

\u201cBuilding a poultry farm for breading turkeys and a domestic-administrative building in the village of Zhivkovo, municipality of Ihtiman\u201d<\/p>\n

Contracted 1,415,976.46 BGN<\/p>\n

FIB<\/p>\n

Credit 1.47 million BGN; Contract with 000LD-L-000 630\/June 26, 2015<\/p>\n

=================<\/p>\n

HOLID 202374415<\/p>\n

Project for 2,878,016.38 BGN; Contract 23\/121\/05700\/March 15, 2013<\/p>\n

\u201cConstruction of a farm with domestic-administrative building for poultry\u201d<\/p>\n

Contracted 1439 008.19 BGN<\/p>\n

FIB<\/p>\n

Credit 1.47 million BGN; Contract 000LD-L-000 614\/June 26, 2015<\/p>\n

=================<\/p>\n

NICK FOOD BG 200303273<\/p>\n

Project 2,799,077.38 BGN; Contract 23\/121\/05606\/March 13, 2013<\/p>\n

\u201cBuilding a poultry farm for breeding ducks in the village of Zhivkovo, municipality of Ihtiman\u201d<\/p>\n

Contracted 1399 538.69 BGN<\/p>\n

FIB<\/p>\n

Credit: 1.47 million BGN; Contract 000LD-L-000 620\/24 July, 2015<\/p>\n

==================<\/p>\n

AGROVAL BG 200303425<\/p>\n

Project 2,114,492.96 BGN<\/p>\n

\u201cPoultry farm for breeding turkeys with a domestic-administrative building in plot 036 055 in the site \u201cKARATOPRAK\u201d, village of Zhivkovo, Ihtiman Municipality<\/p>\n

Contracted 1057 246.48 BGN<\/p>\n

FIB<\/p>\n

Credit: 980,000 BGN; Contract 000LD-L-000 631\/July 27, 2015<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Notorious businessman Mario Nikolov, still on trial for theft of pre-accession European Union (EU) funds in the affair “SAPARD” has prepared projects for about 30 million levs in EU funds…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20615,"featured_media":28413,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"_crdt_document":"","_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","kia_subtitle":"OLAF: No 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SAPARD Fraudster Took 5 Million in EU Financing and Is Bidding for 30 More Millions"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en#website","url":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en","name":"Bivol!","description":" Mind the 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authorities are hunting Mario Nikolov over 8 European projects.\u00a0They acted after an inquiry of Bivol","author":"\u0415\u043a\u0438\u043f \u043d\u0430 \u0411\u0438\u0432\u043e\u043b\u044a","date":"4 May 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"After two publications (see\u00a0here\u00a0and\u00a0here\u00a0) and Bivol\u2019s inquiries under the Access to Public Information Act (APIA) about projects through which companies associated with Mario Nikolov absorbed millions, the institutions stopped his money and started probes.\u00a0This emerged from the response under APIA of the Ministry of Economy and a response of Rumen\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Investigations"","block_context":{"text":"Investigations","link":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/category\/investigations-en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/mario-nikolov.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/mario-nikolov.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/mario-nikolov.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":30823,"url":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/why-olaf-refused-to-investigate-mario-nikolovs-new-schemes.html","url_meta":{"origin":30340,"position":1},"title":"Why OLAF Refused to Investigate Mario Nikolov\u2019s New Schemes?","author":"\u0415\u043a\u0438\u043f \u043d\u0430 \u0411\u0438\u0432\u043e\u043b\u044a","date":"26 May 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"After several persistent inquiries by Bivol, the Bulgarian State Fund Agriculture (SFA) disclosed the names of the companies in whose projects under the Rural Development Program (RDP) the authorities established irregularities and fraud. These are precisely the four companies linked to businessman Mario Nikolov about which Bivol wrote last October\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Comments"","block_context":{"text":"Comments","link":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/category\/comments-en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/olaf-kessler.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/olaf-kessler.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/olaf-kessler.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/olaf-kessler.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":28421,"url":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/infamous-bulgarian-fraudster-is-back-in-the-business-with-eu-projects.html","url_meta":{"origin":30340,"position":2},"title":"Infamous Bulgarian Fraudster Is Back in the Business with EU Bids","author":"\u0415\u043a\u0438\u043f \u043d\u0430 \u0411\u0438\u0432\u043e\u043b\u044a","date":"27 October 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"7,687,438 levs have been approved and 4,996,836 levs have already been absorbed by several companies under the European Union Operational Program \"Competitiveness\". According to sources of Bivol, controversial businessman Mario Nikolov is the person behind these companies. If we add another four projects from the Rural Program for 5.1 million\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Investigations"","block_context":{"text":"Investigations","link":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/category\/investigations-en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/mario-nikolov.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/mario-nikolov.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/mario-nikolov.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":30771,"url":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/state-fund-agriculture-asks-sapard-fraudster-to-return-millions-in-eu-financing.html","url_meta":{"origin":30340,"position":3},"title":"State Fund Agriculture Asks SAPARD Fraudster to Return Millions in EU Financing","author":"\u0415\u043a\u0438\u043f \u043d\u0430 \u0411\u0438\u0432\u043e\u043b\u044a","date":"19 May 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The State Fund Agriculture has carried out probes and found \"proven lack of operation at the existing investment and breach of commitments for the required number of animals\" under four projects for \u201cModernization of agricultural holdings\u201d \u2013 this is what is said in a SFA press release, published today. \"There\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Comments"","block_context":{"text":"Comments","link":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/category\/comments-en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/mario-nikolov.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/mario-nikolov.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/mario-nikolov.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":38844,"url":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/marios-ducks-attack-new-rural-program-as-well.html","url_meta":{"origin":30340,"position":4},"title":"\u201cMario\u2019s Ducks\u201d Attack New Rural Program as Well","author":"\u0415\u043a\u0438\u043f \u043d\u0430 \u0411\u0438\u0432\u043e\u043b\u044a","date":"20 March 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Thirteen nearly identical projects for duck farms are hoping for European funding under the European Union (EU) new Rural Development Program (RDP). The target is BGN 46 million, risking to sink into a bluntly scandalous scheme for draining EU funds linked to the infamous businessman Mario Nikolov. So far, not\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Investigations"","block_context":{"text":"Investigations","link":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/category\/investigations-en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/mario-nikolov.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/mario-nikolov.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/mario-nikolov.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":39660,"url":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/embezzlement-by-bulgarian-state-fund-agriculture-continues.html","url_meta":{"origin":30340,"position":5},"title":"Embezzlement by Bulgarian State Fund Agriculture Continues","author":"\u0415\u043a\u0438\u043f \u043d\u0430 \u0411\u0438\u0432\u043e\u043b\u044a","date":"20 May 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Two years ago, Bivol published an expert report describing the mechanisms for misappropriating European money. The report matched a series of investigations into theft from road construction, guesthouses, and other schemes that drain European taxpayers' money under the so-called \"Rural Program\" (Rural Development Program, RDP). These publications also echoed in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Comments"","block_context":{"text":"Comments","link":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/category\/comments-en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/dfz.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/dfz.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/dfz.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30340","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20615"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30340"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30340\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28413"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30340"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30340"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30340"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}