Rashkov leads a large Roma family that has ties to regional organized crime operations. Earlier in the day, a van driven by members of Rashkov’s organized crime syndicate ran over 19-year-old Angel Petrov, killing him. Petrov was Hristov’s nephew.
The event sparked rioting in Katunitsa, where Bulgarian nationalists set some of Rashkov’s property on fire and against Roma people all over Bulgaria. The marches continued through mid-October as Bulgarians complained about the country’s Roma population, saying the state gives them “privileged status,” according to the Sofia News Agency.
Rashkov’s grandson Kiril Rashkov II was sentenced in November to eight months in prison for threatening Hristov. Rashkov II is appealing the verdict.
