Prof Mariela Geneva-Popova, head of the rheumatology clinic at St George University Hospital in Plovdiv, has confessed in the case of embezzlement from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), supervising prosecutor Dimitar Pehlivanov told reporters. He said she made the confession last night. See our original report: Six charged, three held over fake hospital admissions at Plovdiv's St. George Hospital.
Six people have been charged, and three of them are being held for up to 72 hours.
Geneva-Popova will leave the clinic. She is also expected to be removed as dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the Medical University in Plovdiv. Prosecutors want her and Adrian Belov to be held in custody permanently. Belov is an accountant at the Artmed medical centre and is married to Geneva-Popova's daughter.
Plovdiv Regional Court is today considering pre-trial restrictions for the three detainees. At the start, the prosecutor and the defence both asked for a closed hearing, but the court found no grounds for one. Lawyers for Geneva-Popova and Belov are reading the pre-trial case files.
The charge is taking part in an organised criminal group to obtain money from the NHIF budget through fake hospital admissions worth more than 3m euros. The penalty is 3 to 15 years in prison and confiscation of property. The other three people charged have been released on bail of €3,000 to €5,000.
An 82-year-old man was released this morning on a written pledge not to leave. Pehlivanov said he cannot stay in custody because of his health. He has two cancers, and his condition got worse last night.