Football club owner Iliyan Filipov shot dead in his head in Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Iliyan Filipov, 53, chairman and majority owner of top-division football club Botev Plovdiv and founder of transport and logistics group PIMK, was shot dead in the early hours of Wednesday at a property he owned in Plovdiv’s Smirnenski (Hristo Smirnenski) district, local police and prosecutors confirmed.
Police said they received an emergency call around 1:00 a.m. reporting a man shot at an address in the Smirnenski neighborhood.
Officers found Filipov dead at the scene; initial information indicates he was shot in the head with a single bullet.
The district prosecutor’s office in Plovdiv confirmed the case is being investigated as an intentional (premeditated) homicide, with death caused by a gunshot wound.
As of early reports, there was no public information on suspects being detained, and investigators were working to establish motives and identify the shooter.
Some Bulgarian outlets cited unofficial accounts suggesting the attacker may have fired from a distance—possibly from a nearby wooded area—and then fled, but authorities have not confirmed those details.
Filipov was a prominent businessman in southern Bulgaria, best known as:
Founder and head of PIMK, one of Bulgaria’s largest transport and logistics companies, which expanded into construction and rail operations.
Majority shareholder and president of FC Botev Plovdiv, a historic club in Bulgaria’s top football league.
Club officials said Filipov played a key role in stabilizing Botev after taking control in the summer of 2025 and pledged to continue his work “in his name.”
The Plovdiv District Prosecutor’s Office is leading the murder investigation, treating it as a serious violent crime.
Botev Plovdiv issued a statement mourning Filipov as a permanent part of the club’s history and emphasizing his contribution to saving and developing the team.
This story is developing; further details on motive, possible suspects, and forensic findings are expected as the investigation progresses.