Two men have been convicted of conspiring to damage property connected to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. The pair were involved in a series of arson attacks orchestrated by a mysterious Russian-speaking figure known as "El Money."
Details of the Attacks
In May last year, a Toyota Rav4 previously owned by Starmer was set on fire in Kentish Town, north London. Days later, two houses were targeted, including a north London home owned by the Prime Minister and occupied by his sister-in-law and her family. The fires were started in the middle of the night while residents were asleep, posing a serious threat to life.
Verdict at the Old Bailey
Ukrainian Roman Lavrynovych, 22, and Romanian Stanislav Carpiuc, 27, were found guilty of conspiracy to damage property after a jury deliberated for seven and a half hours. A co-defendant, Petro Pochynok, 35, was acquitted of the same charge. The court heard that Pochynok was recruited to assist Lavrynovych with the first fire but claimed he did not know about the plan until it was too late.
Role of El Money
The attacks were ordered by a Telegram contact called El Money, who offered Lavrynovych £3,000 in cryptocurrency if the fires were filmed and reported in the news. Lavrynovych admitted to setting the fires but said he acted under threats from El Money, whom he believed to be powerful with political connections. Commander Helen Flanagan of Counter Terrorism Policing London stated that the motivation was financial gain, not ideology, and there was no evidence the defendants knew they were targeting the Prime Minister.
Arrests and Investigation
Lavrynovych was charged on May 15 last year, and Carpiuc was stopped at Luton Airport two days later while waiting for a flight to Romania. The defendants were arrested within a week of the attacks. El Money had previously tasked Lavrynovych with painting racist graffiti and posting anti-Muslim fliers. His true identity remains unknown, but authorities do not consider him a threat to the state.
- The attacks caused significant fear and disruption in the community.
- The defendants acted for monetary reward rather than political motives.
- Police continue to investigate the mysterious El Money.
