Perdita
01-12-2009, 06:17
It was the terrifying call Dimitar Berbatov has feared since becoming a major soccer star.
Mafia mobsters threatened to snatch the £30million Manchester United ace’s wife Elena and newborn baby daughter Dea unless he handed over £500,000.
The 28-year-old Bulgarian striker was so scared he fled his country immediately with his family after striking a deal with the gang. And Old Trafford boss Sir Alex Ferguson is believed to have sanctioned a private charter jet to fly them back to England.
One family friend said: “Dimi is still very worried for his family and has promised his neighbours money if they notice any suspicious people around his house.”
Berbatov, who was kidnapped as an 18-year-old by the boss of a rival football team, had been back home in Sofia with Elena and little Dea when mob bosses are said to have contacted his mother Margarita with their kidnap threat 10 days ago.
He is believed to have refused to tell the police after underworld sources told him officials from Bulgaria’s Internal Affairs ministry were in on the plot.
It is also understood the star negotiated a deal with gang bosses who agreed to leave his family alone.
But United have beefed up security at his home in England. A club spokesman said last night: “As this is a security matter we have no comment to make.”
Berbatov’s first kidnap ordeal came when he was a rising star at CSKA Sofia. According to a book, confirmed by the player, he was snatched after training by three henchmen of feared gangland chief Georgi Iliev.
The thug was said to be determined to force him to sign for his club Levski Kjustendil. But as he was being taken to meet Iliev, Berbatov managed to make a frantic call to his dad Ivan who intervened and thrashed out a deal.
Talking last month about the incident, the striker said: “It was a horrific ordeal but a long time ago now.”
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/12/01/manchester-united-star-dimitar-berbatov-s-mafia-kidnap-terror-115875-21863535/
:eek: :eek:
Mafia mobsters threatened to snatch the £30million Manchester United ace’s wife Elena and newborn baby daughter Dea unless he handed over £500,000.
The 28-year-old Bulgarian striker was so scared he fled his country immediately with his family after striking a deal with the gang. And Old Trafford boss Sir Alex Ferguson is believed to have sanctioned a private charter jet to fly them back to England.
One family friend said: “Dimi is still very worried for his family and has promised his neighbours money if they notice any suspicious people around his house.”
Berbatov, who was kidnapped as an 18-year-old by the boss of a rival football team, had been back home in Sofia with Elena and little Dea when mob bosses are said to have contacted his mother Margarita with their kidnap threat 10 days ago.
He is believed to have refused to tell the police after underworld sources told him officials from Bulgaria’s Internal Affairs ministry were in on the plot.
It is also understood the star negotiated a deal with gang bosses who agreed to leave his family alone.
But United have beefed up security at his home in England. A club spokesman said last night: “As this is a security matter we have no comment to make.”
Berbatov’s first kidnap ordeal came when he was a rising star at CSKA Sofia. According to a book, confirmed by the player, he was snatched after training by three henchmen of feared gangland chief Georgi Iliev.
The thug was said to be determined to force him to sign for his club Levski Kjustendil. But as he was being taken to meet Iliev, Berbatov managed to make a frantic call to his dad Ivan who intervened and thrashed out a deal.
Talking last month about the incident, the striker said: “It was a horrific ordeal but a long time ago now.”
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/12/01/manchester-united-star-dimitar-berbatov-s-mafia-kidnap-terror-115875-21863535/
:eek: :eek: