Alexei Petrov, born in 1962, served for many years in the National Security Services (NSS), then resigned his commission from the special forces "berets" unit in the early 1990s and became a "special adviser" at the State Agency for National Security, during the time that it was headed by Petko Sertov.
 
There was an attempt on his life on August 15 at Spartak swimming pool, when he was shot twice in the chest and leg as he was leaving his office at the Spartak swimming pool facility.
 
He was one of the "godfathers" of the Bulgarian insurance industry, having been in the management boards of Apollo & Balkan, Spartak, Sredets and later at the 3D Levski Spartak insurance companies.
 
He met current Prime Minister Boiko Borissov while working as a karate instructor.
 
Petrov left SANS in August 2009. While he was at SANS, experts and politicians said he "worked efficiently against organised crime and was useful for the country". Meanwhile Petrov himself openly said he was supportive of Yane Yanev's party.
 
Before being sacked from SANS, Petrov was accused of working covertly with old security service colleagues. Reportedly, he personally tailored the meeting between then interior minister Roumen Petkov and the Galevi brothers, which led to Petkov losing his job.
 
Petrov personally handed the "missing SANS dossier" to Borissov, for which Borissov branded Petrov "a honorable citizen".
 
Then the prosecution launched the investigation against Sergei Stanishev and Petko Sertov. Shortly after the arrest of the Insolents, Ataka leader Volen Siderov said that Petrov was the "umbrella of the gang responsible for the kidnappings" while his insurance company "insured people against being abducted".