Two Ukrainian Men Were Found Guilty Of Plotting To Firebomb UK PM Keir Starmer's Home

Last Updated:June 15, 2026, 17:56 IST

London court convicts Roman Lavrynovych and Stanislav Carpiuc for arson attacks on Keir Starmer linked properties, plot allegedly directed online by elusive figure El Money.

A London court on Monday convicted two men over a series of arson attacks targeting properties linked to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in a case that investigators say was orchestrated by a mysterious Russian-speaking figure operating online.

The attacks took place in May 2025 and involved fires at a house previously occupied by Starmer, an apartment building in which he once owned a share, and a Toyota SUV that had formerly belonged to the British leader.

No one was killed in the attacks, but prosecutors said the fires endangered lives and were intended to intimidate the prime minister.

Ukrainian National Found Guilty

At London’s Old Bailey court, 22-year-old Ukrainian national Roman Lavrynovych was found guilty of arson offences linked to the attacks. He was convicted of committing arson with intent to endanger life and participating in a conspiracy to damage property by fire.

Stanislav Carpiuc, a 27-year-old Romanian citizen born in Ukraine, was also convicted for his role in the conspiracy.

A third accused, 35-year-old Ukrainian national Petro Pochynok, was acquitted.

‘El Money’ Remains A Mystery

According to prosecutors, the plot was directed by a Russian-speaking individual using the alias “El Money" on the Telegram messaging platform.

Court proceedings revealed that “El Money" allegedly offered Lavrynovych cryptocurrency payments in exchange for carrying out the attacks and recording video evidence that could later be shared online.

The unidentified figure reportedly provided detailed instructions on the targets, methods of setting the fires and ways to avoid detection.

Despite the convictions, British authorities said they were unable to identify “El Money" or establish who may have been behind the operation.

“There is no evidence proving a hostile state orchestrated the fires," Commander Helen Flanagan, head of the Metropolitan Police’s counterterrorism command, said after the verdict.

However, she added that the objective appeared to be “to intimidate and create fear for the prime minister and to attack the UK."

Fires Targeted Starmer-Linked Properties

One of the attacks targeted the north London home where Starmer’s sister-in-law was living at the time.

She told the court that she woke up after hearing a loud bang and struggled to breathe as smoke filled the building. Her nine-year-old daughter was left terrified by the incident.

The attacks also damaged a former Starmer-owned Toyota vehicle and another property linked to the prime minister.

Defendant Claimed Financial Motive

Lavrynovych admitted setting the fires but told the court he had acted because he desperately needed money for medical treatment for his father.

He said he had been promised £3,000 in cryptocurrency and claimed he was threatened by “El Money" into carrying out the attacks.

The court heard that despite completing the arson attacks, Lavrynovych never received the promised payment.

Investigators also uncovered messages indicating he had previously carried out other acts of vandalism for money, including targeting vehicles and putting up inflammatory posters in parts of London.

The convictions conclude one of the most unusual criminal cases involving a serving British prime minister, with investigators still searching for the mastermind behind the plot.

-With inputs from agencies

News world Two Ukrainian Men Were Found Guilty Of Plotting To Firebomb UK PM Keir Starmer's Home

Read More