Bulgarian businessman and football club owner Iliyan Filipov shot dead in Plovdiv

Bulgarian authorities have launched a murder investigation after prominent businessman Iliyan Filipov was shot dead in Plovdiv on Wednesday morning.

According to official sources and local media, the 53-year-old was shot in the head around 1:00 a.m. at a private property he owned in the city's Hristo Smirnenski district. Filipov died at the scene. In response to the shooting, law enforcement established checkpoints and intensified security controls at major entry and exit routes around Plovdiv.

Filipov was a major figure in Bulgarian business, holding stakes in over 20 companies. He co-owned PIMK, one of the country's leading transport and logistics firms, which also expanded into construction, mining, and green energy. He was also the owner and president of top-flight football club Botev Plovdiv. Police investigations remain ongoing.

Sources: Cumhuriyet, Digi24, Mediapool, Nova TV, TVP info