A mysterious Russian-speaking individual identified as “El Money” orchestrated a series of deliberate fires targeting properties associated with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, according to court proceedings.
Roman Lavrynovych, 22, stands accused of setting a Toyota Rav4 ablaze in Kentish Town on May 8 last year, followed by igniting the front doors of two neighboring homes in subsequent days. Allegedly, Stanislav Carpiuc, 27, recruited Lavrynovych and Petro Pochynok, 35, both Ukrainian nationals, to assist in executing the plan, as detailed at the Old Bailey.
During the trial’s commencement, Duncan Atkinson KC informed the jury that the fires were interconnected and posed a threat to the occupants of the targeted residences. Notably, all three incidents involved properties associated with the same individual, indicating a deliberate pattern.
Evidence presented suggested that Lavrynovych received monetary incentives from a contact known as “El Money” to carry out the arson acts. Telegram conversations between Lavrynovych and ‘El Money’ revealed explicit instructions and assurances of payment for the fires.
The prosecution alleged that Lavrynovych intentionally endangered lives by setting fires at the front doors of the properties late at night when occupants were likely asleep. Atkinson emphasized that the defendants’ knowledge of the properties’ connection to the Prime Minister was irrelevant to their criminal intent.
Throughout the trial, the court reviewed numerous messages exchanged between Lavrynovych and “El Money,” dating back several months before the initial arson incident. The prosecution refuted claims of coercion, emphasizing the defendants’ pursuit of financial gain as the primary motivation behind the crimes.
Lavrynovych, Carpiuc, and Pochynok, who hail from various parts of London, have pleaded not guilty to the charges. The trial, presided over by Justice Garnham, is slated to continue until the end of May.