Former Bulgarian international Yordan Lechkov, the current deputy president of the Bulgarian Football Union and mayor of Sliven, has been investigated over a malpractice scandal by the local prosecutor's office, reported TRUD newspaper on Wednesday.

Citing the words of the local chief prosecutor Peicho Hitov, the newspaper revealed that, according to the evidences and materials obtained by the local prosecutors, Lechkov was involved in three economic cases due to his malpractice during his mandate.

The cases included illegal cession of public land, unsuccessful cooperation with the European Union's SAPARD plan and exhaustion of the local firewood resource, said Hitov.

The local economic police estimated the "loss " for over 400,000 levs(205,000 euros).

Lechkov issued an official statement later after the probe, explaining and refuting all the charges, and condemned the evil assault to him.

"All decisions involved in the charges were made by the municipal committee," said Lechkov, " the decisions accorded with the root and long term interest of the city and its people. I am quite proud of them."

If the charges prove true, the star mayor will probably face a prison fate for one to eight years.

Legendary Yordan Lechkov was born in 1967 at Straldzha, Bulgaria. He was the biggest hero in the USA World Cup 1994, who led the Bulgarian national football team to the historic 4th place in World Cups. After a brilliant football life Lechkov was elected mayor of the central Bulgarian city Sliven in November 2003 and is super popular among the local citizens.

Source: Xinhua