The Marsalek Espionage Case: A Web of Intrigue and Agents

In the early morning of December 7, 2024, officers from the Directorate of State Security and Intelligence (DSN) struck. The target was the apartment of a 48-year-old Bulgarian woman in the south of Vienna. The woman, who has lived in Austria for over ten years, is suspected of playing a central role in an agent network that is allegedly coordinated by Jan Marsalek. She is said to have spied on high-ranking civil servants, politicians, and journalists, including DSN boss Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, “Profil” editor-in-chief Anna Thalhammer and the Viennese ÖVP politician Karl Mahrer, as reported by “DerStandard”.

Although the evidence heavily incriminates her, the Bulgarian woman was released from custody after two days. The judiciary justified this with her allegedly subordinate role in the network. Nevertheless, she is considered an urgent suspect, as she admitted during her interrogation that she had carried out surveillance and uploaded evidence.

Marsalek's role as mastermind: directed from Moscow

Jan Marsalek, once a top manager at Wirecard, is at the center of this espionage complex. Following Wirecard's insolvency in 2020, he fled to Moscow via Belarus, where he was allegedly taken in by Russian intelligence services. From there, he apparently controlled a cell of agents consisting of Bulgarian henchmen. This group was uncovered in the UK in the spring of 2023 when several members were arrested. Two have already confessed to their activities and three others are currently standing trial in a London court.

The group on trial in London is accused of spying on the Kremlin-critical journalist Christo Grozev, among others. There are indications that Marsalek and the alleged head of the agent cell, Orlin Roussev, even discussed plans to kidnap and murder Grozev. Grozev's apartment in Vienna was also broken into.

Operation “Airbnb”: insights into the espionage tactics

To better monitor Grozev, the agent rented an Airbnb apartment with a view of his home in Vienna. One of the suspected spies, who is on trial in London, handed over the key to the apartment to the Bulgarian woman in Vienna. There, the suspect regularly changed memory cards from cameras and uploaded the images.

During her interrogation, the Bulgarian woman stated that she believed she was working for Interpol. She had been told that Grozev was a criminal and that her actions were part of an international police mission. She received 700 euros for her services. However, the judiciary doubts this account and considers her explanation to be a veiled claim.

Marsalek's connections to Germany and Austria

The investigations show that Marsalek also had close contacts in Germany and Austria. Particularly explosive is the suspicion that a specially encrypted SINA laptop containing sensitive information from an EU state reached Russia via Vienna. The laptop was intended for highly confidential data of the European security authorities. Marsalek is said to have transferred the device to Moscow with the help of a former Austrian constitutional protector, Egisto Ott, and his network.

Ott, who has already been charged with espionage against Russia, is accused of systematically passing on information from the Austrian security apparatus to Marsalek and the Russian secret services. He is also alleged to have been involved in the handover of the SINA laptop. Marsalek organized the financing of these operations via a network of money launderers.

Insight into the methods of the Marsalek cell

The investigation files show that the agent cell in Vienna not only targeted Grozev, but also other high-ranking personalities. For example, “Profil” editor-in-chief Anna Thalhammer was observed by the Bulgarian, as reported by “DiePresse”. She received instructions to photograph the “Presse” publishing building and to sit in a fish restaurant where Thalhammer allegedly often went to eat. However, Thalhammer never showed up there. The Bulgarian woman later complained about the high cost of the restaurant visits, whereupon 50 euros were transferred to her from London.

ÖVP politician Karl Mahrer and DSN boss Omar Haijawi-Pirchner were also spied on. The aim of the operations was apparently to steal their phones and laptops and pass the data on to Russian intelligence services. The DSN assumes that these operations were part of a larger plan to gather information about Austria's security apparatus and political structures.

Egisto Ott: Marsalek's reliable accomplice

Egisto Ott, a former constitutional protection officer, played a central role in Jan Marsalek's network, as “DerProfil” reports. Ott is accused of providing Marsalek with sensitive information and helping him hand over the SINA laptop. According to investigations, Ott is also alleged to have organized the theft of cell phones and other electronic devices from the Ministry of the Interior. These devices were allegedly handed over directly to Russian secret services.

Ott is currently on trial in Austria. He has close links to former FPÖ politicians and is suspected of being involved in several political affairs. His contacts extended to Germany, where he is also alleged to have passed on information.

A security risk for Europe

The revelations show how deep and dangerous Jan Marsalek's network is. The operations ranged from shadowing high-ranking officials and stealing sensitive data to murder plots against Kremlin critics. The scandal highlights the weaknesses of the European security authorities and shows the need for better cooperation in the fight against international espionage.

The presumption of innocence continues to apply to Jan Marsalek and his alleged accomplices. However, the evidence is mounting and the investigations are likely to uncover even more explosive details. The Marsalek case will keep the European secret services busy for a long time to come and raise the question of how such networks can be prevented in the future.