Two women and a man have been found guilty of spying for Russia in a huge espionage operation from a guesthouse in Great Yarmouth- Sky news

The group were dubbed “the Minions”, Despicable Me’s yellow sidekicks. Instead of a cartoon evil mastermind Gru, the defendants acted as spies working for the Russian intelligence service, also known as GRU.


Two women and a man have been found guilty of spying for Russia in a huge espionage operation from a guesthouse in Great Yarmouth.

Katrin Ivanova, 33, a lab assistant from Harrow, north London, Vanya Gaberova, 30, a beautician from Acton, west London, and Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, a painter and decorator from Enfield, north London, have all been convicted of spying for Russia.

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The group were dubbed “the Minions”, Despicable Me’s yellow sidekicks. Instead of a cartoon evil mastermind Gru, the defendants acted as spies working for the Russian intelligence service, also known as GRU.

Vanya Gaberova. Pic: Duncan Gardham/MPS
Image:
Vanya Gaberova. Pic: Gardham/MPS
Katrin Ivanova Great Yarmouth spying Russia. Pic: Duncan Gardham/MPS
Image:
Katrin Ivanova. Pic: Gardham/MPS
The women were both involved in relationships with Bizer Dzhambazov, 43, a medical courier who ran the ground operations of the spy ring.

The spy ring was run by Orlin Roussev, 46, a former City worker who set up a freelance espionage operation from a 33-room guesthouse in Great Yarmouth.

Vanya Gaberova and Bizer Dzhambazov in Montenegro in December 2021. Pic: Duncan Gardham/MPS
Image:
Vanya Gaberova and Bizer Dzhambazov in Montenegro in December 2021. Pic: Gardham/MPS
Biser Dzhambazov (left) Orlin Roussev (right). Both have admitted spying charges. Pic: Met Police
Image:
Biser Dzhambazov (L) Orlin Roussev admitted spying charges. Pic: Met Police
The spy ring’s contact in Moscow was an Austrian man called Jan Marsalek, 44, the former chief operating officer of a major finance and tech company called Wirecard which collapsed in 2020 amid allegations of a £1.6bn fraud.

All are Bulgarian nationals with EU-settled status after living in the UK for a number of years.

Katrin Ivanova, 33, a lab assistant from Harrow, north London, Vanya Gaberova, 30, a beautician from Acton, west London, and Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, a painter and decorator from Enfield, north London, have all been convicted of spying for Russia.
The women were both involved in relationships with Bizer Dzhambazov, 43, a medical courier who ran the ground operations of the spy ring.

The spy ring was run by Orlin Roussev, 46, a former City worker who set up a freelance espionage operation from a 33-room guesthouse in Great Yarmouth.Roussev and Dzhambazov both pleaded guilty to espionage charges but the three others denied the charges. Wanted by the German authorities, Marsalek fled to Russia, where he allegedly ran the network.

Two women and a man have been found guilty of spying for Russia in a huge espionage operation from a guesthouse in Great Yarmouth.

The group were dubbed “the Minions”, Despicable Me’s yellow sidekicks. Instead of a cartoon evil mastermind Gru, the defendants acted as spies working for the Russian intelligence service, also known as GRU.

By Duncan Gardham, security journalist

Friday 7 March 2025 16:07, UK

Vanya Gaberova, Katrin Ivanova, Tihomir Ivanchev. Pics: Duncan Gardham/MPS
Image:
Vanya Gaberova, Katrin Ivanova and Tihomir Ivanchev. Pics: Duncan Gardham/MPS
Why you can trust Sky News
Two women and a man have been found guilty of spying for Russia in a huge espionage operation from a guesthouse in Great Yarmouth.

Katrin Ivanova, 33, a lab assistant from Harrow, north London, Vanya Gaberova, 30, a beautician from Acton, west London, and Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, a painter and decorator from Enfield, north London, have all been convicted of spying for Russia.

Sponsored link
Promo per Forfettari: Solo €4/Mese
Fatture in Cloud IT

Could 2025 become the turning point for CCUS?
Sponsored | MHISpectra
The group were dubbed “the Minions”, Despicable Me’s yellow sidekicks. Instead of a cartoon evil mastermind Gru, the defendants acted as spies working for the Russian intelligence service, also known as GRU.

Vanya Gaberova. Pic: Duncan Gardham/MPS
Image:
Vanya Gaberova. Pic: Gardham/MPS
Katrin Ivanova Great Yarmouth
:
Katrin Ivanova.
The women were both involved in relationships with Bizer Dzhambazov, 43, a medical courier who ran the ground operations of the spy ring.

The spy ring was run by Orlin Roussev, 46, a former City worker who set up a freelance espionage operation from a 33-room guesthouse in Great Yarmouth.



Biser Dzhambazov (L) Orlin Roussev admitted spying charges. Pic: Met Police
The spy ring’s contact in Moscow was an Austrian man called Jan Marsalek, 44, the former chief operating officer of a major finance and tech company called Wirecard which collapsed in 2020 amid allegations of a £1.6bn fraud.

All are Bulgarian nationals with EU-settled status after living in the UK for a number of years.

Katrin Ivanova, 33, a lab assistant from Harrow, north London, Vanya Gaberova, 30, a beautician from Acton, west London, and Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, a painter and decorator from Enfield, north London, have all been convicted of spying for Russia.
The women were both involved in relationships with Bizer Dzhambazov, 43, a medical courier who ran the ground operations of the spy ring.

The spy ring was run by Orlin Roussev, 46, a former City worker who set up a freelance espionage operation from a 33-room guesthouse in Great Yarmouth.Roussev and Dzhambazov both pleaded guilty to espionage charges but the three others denied the charges. Wanted by the German authorities, Marsalek fled to Russia, where he allegedly ran the network.

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