Ukrainian set fire to Starmer’s old car after threats by ‘powerful Russian-speaking figure called El Money'

Roman Lavrynovych, 22, is accused along with Ukrainian Petro Pochynok, 35, and Romanian Stanislav Carpiuc, 27, of arson attacks on a vehicle and two houses in north London linked to Sir Keir Starmer last May.

On May 8 2025 an old Toyota which used to belong to the Prime Minister was set ablaze. It was only treated as suspicious a few days later after two more attacks on properties linked to Sir Keir.

The construction worker said he was offered £3,000 cryptocurrency for the job by El Money, who described himself as a "person in power".

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He said he initially refused the offer but El Money became threatening, telling Lavrynovych he had “better do this job” because he knew where he lived.

Lavrynovych, who told jurors he had done other jobs for El Money before, relented because he needed the money and “because I felt that there is a threat towards myself and my family. My fear was genuine.”

James Scobie KC, defending, asked: “What made you conclude that he meant business?”

Lavrynovych replied: “Because I was asking who this person was, I was curious.

“He told me he is a high-profile person. Maybe he had some connections, maybe he is connected to politics. He said he is like a person with a high status. He just told me he is a person in power.”

The deal Lavrynovych struck with El Money was for him to set fire to the vehicle, film it and provide proof, the court heard.

Describing El Money’s reaction to receiving the video he filmed, he said: “I thought he will be happy to receive information that he was expecting and he will pay me.

“He told me that I didn’t do the job properly because it was not on the news and he wanted it broadcasted.”

The construction worker told jurors he was having financial difficulties at the time and payment was “essential” to why he agreed to do the job.

The defendant said he had been instructed to mix white spirit and cooking oil in a bottle, break a side window on the car and throw it in to start a fire.

Fearing the sound of breaking glass might alert residents, he opted to pour liquid on the front of the Toyota and set light to it using paper and his lighter, he said.

Having never done anything like it before, the car caught fire on his “first attempt”, the court heard.

Lavrynovych told jurors he had agreed to do other “jobs” for El Money because he was in desperate need of funds.

In December 2024, the defendant said he sprayed graffiti on an Islamic community centre in south London for the cost of materials and £20.

Afterwards, he reported back to his contact: “Graffiti worked like clockwork,” the court heard.

Mr Scobie asked if it had been the kind of “offensive, racist, unpleasant graffiti” jurors had seen on a similar building.

The defendant replied: “Yes, something like that.”

In April 2025, El Money asked Lavrynovych to put up posters on a road in Southall, west London, with a message connecting mosques with crime, the court heard.

Lavrynovych said: “I realised it was illegal because he instructed me to work at night and use a facemask and gloves.”

He did not go through with the job because he thought it was “propaganda” and he “might be caught”, jurors heard.

Up until that point, there were no issues with El Money if he chose not todo the jobs he was given, the defendant said.

But when it came to setting the car alight, El Money talked in a “different way” and changed “tactics”, Lavrynovych added.

The Old Bailey trial continues.