site.btaSofia Prison Chief Proposes Evelin "Brendo" Banev for Early Release

The head of the Sofia Central Prison, Borislav Chorbanski, has proposed that Evelin “Brendo” Banev, who has been serving a sentence for drug trafficking and money laundering, be granted early release, the Sofia City Court (SCC) reported to BTA on Monday. At the time the proposal was submitted last week, four years and nine months remained of Banev’s sentence. A hearing at the SCC will be scheduled to consider the proposal.

In the reasoning for his proposal, Chorbanski notes that Brendo has served the majority of his sentence and that it has fulfilled its purpose.

Evelin "Brendo" Banev, known as Bulgaria's cocaine king, had been wanted under Interpol Red Notices since 2018 for participating in an organized crime group for money laundering in Bulgaria and for setting up an organized criminal group and drug trafficking in Romania. Banev was sentenced to 6 years imprisonment for money laundering in Bulgaria, 20 years for cocaine trafficking in Italy, and 10 years for cocaine trafficking in Romania.

He surrendered to the Bulgarian authorities on June 24, 2024. The Sofia Appellate Court finally ruled that Brendo would serve a total sentence of 10 and a half years in Bulgaria under an initial strict regime. From this term, nearly one year spent in detention in Italy was deducted, as well as the time Banev had already spent in the Sofia Central Prison.