Two Convicted in Arson Plot Linked to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer
In a dramatic court decision, two men have been found guilty of participating in a scheme to set fire to properties associated with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The plot, influenced by an elusive Russian-speaking figure, targeted several locations in May 2025 but resulted in no injuries.
Among the damaged properties were a house previously owned by Starmer, an apartment building he once part-owned, and his former Toyota SUV. The enigmatic mastermind behind the operation, known only as “El Money,” used the Telegram messaging app to enlist Ukrainian national Roman Lavrynovych, offering him financial incentives to execute the arson and capture it on video for online dissemination.
Despite extensive investigations, authorities have yet to unearth El Money’s true identity or motives, leaving the possibility of a state-sponsored attack unproven. Cmdr. Helen Flanagan, head of the Metropolitan Police’s counterterrorism team, commented, “Clearly the tasking was to intimidate and create fear for the prime minister and to attack the U.K.”
Lavrynovych, aged 22, and Stanislav Carpiuc, a 27-year-old Romanian, faced convictions at London’s Central Criminal Court. Lavrynovych was not only found guilty of conspiracy to damage property by fire but also faced two counts of arson that potentially endangered lives. A third defendant, Petro Pochynok, was acquitted.
In his defense, Lavrynovych admitted to committing the arson, driven by a need for £3,000 ($4,000) in cryptocurrency to fund his father’s medical treatment. He claimed coercion by El Money and insisted he was unaware of the property owners’ identities or even who Starmer was at the time of the attacks.
El Money provided Lavrynovych with explicit instructions on preparing incendiary materials and evading capture. Lavrynovych’s phone records contained conversations about the fires and other acts of vandalism for money, such as defacing car windshields and posting anti-Islam messages in London’s Muslim neighborhoods.
Following the fires, El Money assured Lavrynovych of payment and instructed him to use the code word “geranium” if arrested. Despite these assurances, Lavrynovych never received the promised compensation.
Carpiuc was identified as an intermediary, and Pochynok was allegedly tasked with filming the fires to facilitate Lavrynovych’s payment.
The fires occurred late at night, startling residents who awoke to smoke and chaos. Starmer’s sister-in-law, residing in his former home, recounted a terrifying experience as smoke engulfed the stairway, affecting her and her young daughter. In the apartment building, residents sought refuge on the roof amidst smoke-filled corridors.
The sentencing for Lavrynovych and Carpiuc is set for Friday.
