The Sofia City Court has determined that Evelyn Banev - Brendo will serve a total sentence of ten and a half years in our country. Almost one year in custody in Italy will be deducted from this amount, as well as the time Banev has been in prison in Sofia.
Banev requested to serve a total sentence in Bulgaria from his sentences in our country, Romania and Italy.
His lawyer Silvia Naydenova stated that the Italian court is not competent to rule on these charges, since the acts in question were committed outside the territory of the country. This is the reason why Naydenova requested that this sentence not be recognized in Bulgaria. The prosecutor's office and the court did not agree with this argument.
Banev's sentence in Italy is 20 years in prison for drug trafficking and for leading a criminal group. In Romania, he was sentenced to 10 years and six months. According to Bulgarian law, these crimes require a lighter sentence.
Banev preferred to participate via video link from the prison in Sofia. He stated that he supports everything his lawyer said.
The court noted in its decision that the Italian court did not send reasons for the sentence, communication with the institution was very cumbersome within nine months.
On June 24, 2024, Evelin Banev - Brendo surrendered to the prison in Sofia. He was declared an international wanted person in 2018.