Two men were convicted on Monday of a plot last year to set fire to property linked to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The fires in May 2025 damaged the home Starmer moved out of when he became prime minister, as well as an apartment building he once owned a share of and destroyed his former Toyota SUV. Nobody was injured in the blazes.
Ukrainian national Roman Lavrynovych, 22, and Stanislav Carpiuc, a 27-year-old Romanian citizen, were found guilty of a conspiracy to damage property by fire. Petro Pochynok, 35, was acquitted of the charge.
Lavrynovych was also convicted of two counts of committing arson with intent to endanger life or of recklessly endangering life.
Police officers stand outside Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s private home in north London, after it was damaged by fire in a suspected arson attack in May 2025. Photo: Reuters
A Russian-speaking figure who went by the name “El Money” hatched the scheme and offered Lavrynovych money through the Telegram messaging app to torch the properties and get video of the evidence that could be posted online to draw attention to the attack.
El Money’s identity was never revealed and he was not charged. The court heard how he gave Lavrynovych detailed instructions on the targets, how to mix flammable substances and steps to avoid being caught.
Read the full article at South China Morning Post →📄Source document: British Court Proceedings
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South China Morning PostParty-alignedCenter2 days agoTwo men, Roman Lavrynovych and Stanislav Carpiuc, were sentenced to prison for setting fire to property linked to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer as part of a plot organized by an unnamed Russian-speaking individual known as 'El Money'. The men were found guilty of conspiracy to damage property by fire. El Money coordinated the attacks via Telegram but was never identified or charged. Carpiuc acted as a middleman, attempting to arrange payment and recruit someone to film the incidents.
Bias read (Center): The article presents a factual account of a legal case without overtly favoring any political side. It reports on the actions of individuals involved in an alleged arson plot against a UK prime minister, citing court proceedings and official sources. There is no evident framing that leans toward one
Official sources cited
- government British Court Proceedings
South China Morning PostParty-alignedCenter6 days ago London court convicts 2 men of plot to torch houses and car linked to UK PMTwo men, Roman Lavrynovych and Stanislav Carpiuc, were convicted of conspiring to set fire to properties associated with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The fires targeted Starmer's former residence, an apartment building he previously owned shares in, and his former car. A third man, Petro Pochynok, was acquitted. The alleged mastermind, known as 'El Money,' provided instructions via Telegram but was not identified or charged.
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual details of the legal proceedings without overtly favoring any political side. It reports on the convictions and the nature of the charges against individuals involved in an act targeting a high-profile political figure, without using biased language or selectively omitte
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