'I was stunned when cops burst into my home and arrested my ugly but charming boyfriend'

A beautician was left shocked when police burst into her home and arrested her “ugly but charming” lover for spying for Russia. Vanya Gaberova, 30, and charming Biser Dzhambazov, 43, stayed in five-star hotels in Spain, dined at Michelin-starred restaurants, and went clubbing during surveillance operations. Despite finding out Dzhambazov lied about having cancer and splitting up with his partner Gaberova told jurors she never doubted his cover story of being an Interpol police officer.

When officers turned up at her home in Euston, north London, to arrest him for spying, she demanded to know what he had done, the Old Bailey heard. Gaberova said: “I was so scared, shocked. I asked him what had he done, why these people were there. I didn’t know what was going on. I couldn’t believe what these people were talking about. I asked my boyfriend ‘What have you done?'”. Defence barrister Anthony Metzer asked: “Were you knowingly part of any agreement to spy for Russia?” She answered: “No.” Dzhambazov and Orlin Roussev, 46, have admitted plotting to spy for Russia between 2020 and 2023. Fellow Bulgarians Gaberova, Ivanchev and Ivanova have denied involvement.

Earlier, Gaberova’s turbulent relationship with Dzhambazov was laid bare in text messages from January 2023. In them, Gaberova told him she respected herself too much to “let someone treat me like that”. At the time, she suspected he had lied about having brain cancer treatment abroad, after a tracker on a keyring in his bag placed him at work as a medical courier nearby, jurors heard. Mr Mezter said: “It seems the relationship is over. How was it on the day of your arrest he is naked in your bed?” Gaberova said Dzhambazov had called her repeatedly and went to her salon wanting to come clean about what he was “hiding”. She said: “I met him and he says he’s always been living with Ms Ivanova.

"He lied to me, nothing changed, he’s been sleeping on the sofa all the time. He also says some bad things about her. Then he told me surgery has been successful but I didn’t want to listen. Then he started to cry.”. During the tearful conversation, he offered to give her the future she wanted, the court was told. After that, she let him stay at her home, but that did not mean she had forgiven him, the defendant said. Gaberova added that Dzhambazov always slept naked and that was not a sign that “something happened”.

Mr Metzer went on: “The jury may want to know, if you had doubts about his honesty, doubts about him having cancer and whether he was faithful to you, why did you have no equivalent doubts he was telling the truth to you about being an Interpol police officer?”. Gaberova replied: “I never had any doubts in relation to that. Why I should have? In that situation I saw him with another girl… I called the hospital when he told me he was in hospital and none of this was true. He didn’t give me reason not to believe about the job.”.

She added she thought Dzhambazov’s fake Interpol badge and card were genuine. Gaberova denied she had manipulated her ex-boyfriend Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, and ruined his life by entangling him in Dzhambazov’s surveillance. She told jurors: “I just asked him what Biser asked me. I didn’t say to him you have to do it.”. Cross-examining for Ivanchev, Mozammel Hossain KC asserted Gaberova had been “obsessed” with Dzhambazov. He pointed out Ivanchev had been third in the world as an open water swimmer and worked hard as a painter and decorator in London. Mr Hossain said: “That man used to work seven days a week. Your dream at that time – you are the eyelash queen – you wanted to set up a salon. He paid for it.

“He took a £25,000 loan. I put it to you it’s £30,000 altogether. He didn’t want anything, you were the director of the shop. Not only did he do that for you, madam, he loved you so much, he did all the work in the shop, the painting.” The defendant agreed. Mr Hossain said: “If it were not for that man (Dzhambazov) you would still be together today.” Gaberova replied: “I can’t say.”.

Mr Hossain suggested Ivanchev had been left “heartbroken” when Gaberova left him for a man who offered her a “better life”. He suggested: “You left him for a criminal who lied to you. You left him for a man who offered you a better life than your salon. He showed you a life of luxury. You stayed with him at a Valencia hotel with five stars, ate at Michelin star restaurants, go clubbing. The ‘ugly man’, as you called him, offered you a better life?”.