Borisov's name appears officially in a US OFAC document

For the first time, the name of former Prime Minister and GERB leader Boyko Borisov appears explicitly in an official document from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The documentation is part of the case in which Vasil Bozhkov is challenging the sanctions imposed on him under the Global Magnitsky Act before a federal court.

In this case, OFAC is the defendant, and Bozhkov is the plaintiff. The cited document constitutes the agency's response to Bozhkov's request for a court ruling, describing the circumstances that led to the imposition of sanctions against the businessman.

"OFAC determined, and the plaintiff admitted, that he paid money to former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and former Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov in exchange for Borisov and Goranov favoring his business. This falls entirely within the definition and general understanding of a bribe. The plaintiff's actions were an 'offer' of a 'sum of money' with the aim of 'persuading' these government officials 'to act' for the 'benefit' of the plaintiff," states the document uploaded to the electronic file on July 31.

Borisov reacted to the publication two days later, describing the information as untrue. "I do not comment on parts of a document. I have commented on Bozhkov's lies hundreds of times, so do not waste my time with this. I have sworn on my grandchildren regarding everything I have said on this topic, and I have said it in every place where it needs to be said, so I treat what the media specifically published with respect, but otherwise — it is an absolute lie," he stated in Primorsko before the "New Minds" youth academy.

The case was filed by Vasil Bozhkov on October 8, 2025, against OFAC and its director, and it is being reviewed by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. It concerns the administrative review of the decision to impose sanctions on the businessman.

Bozhkov rejects the premise that the payments constituted a bribe, claiming he was extorted by Borisov and Goranov and that he handed over the funds under pressure. OFAC maintains the opposite position — that payments to public officials for the purpose of receiving preferential treatment by definition constitute a bribe.

The new element in the document is the direct naming of Borisov. When Washington announced sanctions against Bozhkov in June 2021, the U.S. Treasury Department stated that he had bribed public officials, including a "current political leader," without publicly revealing his name at the time.

Later, Vladislav Goranov was also included in the sanctions list, with U.S. authorities pointing to his participation in a corruption scheme related to legislation in the gambling sector.

Borisov and Goranov have consistently and categorically denied receiving funds from Bozhkov. Borisov claims that he has not accepted "a single penny" from the businessman, and the only thing he ever received from him was a cigar.

It is important to note that the cited document represents the official position of OFAC in a specific civil case, not a court ruling or a conviction. It reflects the agency's defense strategy for keeping Bozhkov on the "Magnitsky" list — namely, that even if one accepts his version that he paid sums, it was for the purpose of receiving benefits, not the result of extortion.

As early as 2023, Bozhkov was questioned several times by American representatives. According to his lawyer, Stoyan Baumayer, "Vasil Bozhkov was questioned 7 times in Dubai by official U.S. representatives, including regarding former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov."

The interrogations were part of the businessman's efforts to be removed from the sanctions list. "My client has been 100% cooperating with U.S. authorities for more than two years, and every time we had the opportunity, during interrogations, we asked when it would be convenient for him to return, clear his name before the Bulgarian justice system, and end these cases here once and for all," stated the lawyer, hired specifically for the "Magnitsky" case in 2021.

"From the very first minute, Vasil Bozhkov said he would provide full cooperation. To date, we have submitted over 25,000 pages of materials. U.S. authorities know more about Vasil Bozhkov than Vasil Bozhkov knows about himself. I guarantee you that. Personal materials, reports, firms, companies, transfers, withdrawals, transactions, emails, recordings, everything," Baumayer explained at the time.

When asked which Bulgarian politicians were mentioned by Bozhkov to the American authorities, the lawyer replied categorically: "In all of Vasil Bozhkov's testimonies, only Boyko Borisov and Vladislav Goranov appear. There are absolutely no other individuals."