Prominent Bulgarian businessman Iliyan Filipov, the majority shareholder of top flight football club Botev Plovdiv and owner of transport and logistics company PIMK, has been shot dead at a property in Plovdiv. Police have restricted major routes into and out of the city as investigators pursue multiple lines of inquiry.
By Open Chronicle with agencies | September 30, 2026
PLOVDIV, Bulgaria — Bulgarian businessman and football club owner Iliyan Filipov was shot dead at a property he owned in Plovdiv early Wednesday, according to Bulgarian media reports.
Filipov, the owner of PIMK, one of Bulgaria’s largest transport and logistics companies, was also the majority shareholder of FC Botev Plovdiv.
The shooting reportedly occurred at around 1 a.m. local time.
Authorities launched a major operation following the killing, with police restricting the main entry and exit routes around Plovdiv as investigators searched for those responsible.
Police launch major investigation
Details surrounding the circumstances of the shooting remained limited in the immediate aftermath.
Plovdiv District Prosecutor Vanya Hristeva said investigators were examining different possibilities as they worked to establish what happened and identify whoever was responsible.
“We are actively pursuing all possible leads,” Hristeva told reporters during a briefing.
Authorities had not announced a motive in the information available, and no suspect had been publicly identified.
Police measures around Plovdiv indicated the scale of the operation underway following the killing.
The city is located approximately 90 miles southeast of the Bulgarian capital, Sofia.
Prominent figure in Bulgarian business
Filipov was a significant figure in Bulgaria’s transport and logistics industry through his ownership of PIMK.
The company has developed into one of the country’s major businesses in the sector.
His business profile extended into Bulgarian football through his position as majority shareholder of Botev Plovdiv.
His death therefore immediately attracted attention beyond Plovdiv, reaching both Bulgaria’s business community and its football world.
Majority shareholder of Botev Plovdiv
Botev Plovdiv is one of Bulgaria’s prominent football clubs and competes at the highest level of the country’s game.
Filipov’s majority ownership made him an important figure in the club’s leadership and financial structure.
His killing creates immediate uncertainty for the club as investigators focus on establishing the circumstances surrounding his death.
No information provided so far indicates whether the shooting was connected to Filipov’s football activities, his business interests or another matter.
Authorities have therefore cautioned against narrowing the investigation to any single motive at this early stage.
Plovdiv under heightened police attention
The decision to restrict major routes around Plovdiv suggests investigators were attempting to prevent potential suspects from leaving the area while gathering evidence.
Police activity continued through Wednesday as officers examined possible leads.
Investigators are expected to focus on the scene of the shooting, surveillance footage, witnesses and Filipov’s recent movements as they reconstruct the events surrounding the attack.
The available information does not establish whether Filipov was specifically targeted because of his business or football activities.
For now, Bulgarian authorities are treating the killing as an active criminal investigation.
With one of Plovdiv’s most prominent businessmen and football figures dead, attention will remain focused on the police operation and the search for a motive behind the shooting.