Overview
- A jury found Roman Lavrynovych and Stanislav Carpiuc guilty of plotting arson and they were sentenced at the Old Bailey with Lavrynovych given seven years and Carpiuc two years on Friday.
- The attacks in May 2025 targeted a Toyota RAV4 once owned by Keir Starmer and two north London homes connected to him and occurred at night while occupants slept, prosecutors said.
- Police used CCTV, phone data, a petrol can with DNA, trainers forensically linked to accelerant and Telegram messages to link Lavrynovych and Carpiuc to the scenes and secure convictions.
- Prosecutors say both men were recruited and instructed by a Russian‑speaking Telegram account called 'El Money' that promised cryptocurrency, but CTP London says no person, group or state has been proven to control the account.
- The case highlights how anonymous accounts on encrypted apps can hire low‑level proxies with crypto incentives and signals continued police and media efforts to trace the unverified overseas handler.