FRAUD ALERT!  Svetozar “Zarko” Palankov

Svetozar “Zarko” Palankov has claimed through social media, recent job applications, and his resume to be the “Founder and President” of The Global Language Network.

At no time did Palankov serve as “President” or “founder” in any capacity. Any claims to the contrary are fraudulent and at variance with GLN’s corporate documents.

The Global Language Network was founded solely by Andrew Brown, in September 2005.

Mr. Palankov began employment with GLN in 2008 and his position from 2008 until his termination in February 2015 was Assistant Director. At no time was he promoted to any other position or title.

The position of President is an elected position on GLN’s Board of Directors and at no point during Mr. Palankov’s time with GLN was he ever elected to the position of President.

Mr. Palankov served as Secretary on GLN’s Board of Directors from 2008 until February 2015. One of the fiduciary duties of Secretary is to maintain accurate records of corporate documents and minutes of the Board of Directors.

GLN Legal Counsel discovered fraudulent Board of Directors meeting minutes maintained by Palankov, inventing meetings that never took place and scripting entire discussions that never happened. One example was a meeting Palankov claimed to have taken place on October 1, 2009, at the home of GLN Founder and CEO, Andrew Brown, in which Palankov’s “meeting” minutes claimed that Brown resigned from his position at GLN, somehow passing authority to Palankov. This conflicts with the fact that Andrew Brown was receiving the Recent Alumni Achievement Award from GWU for his creation and building of GLN–at the same exact time and date that Palankov claimed Brown was resigning from GLN. Palankov invented other “meeting” minutes, including a brief fictional meeting whereby Palankov “adopted” the title of “President” at a fictional meeting with fictional attendees, at a fictional location. Palankov constantly created and communicated a very different public image and reality than what he knew to be true. 

Courtesy of Wikipedia: “Making false statements (18 U.S.C. § 1001) is the common name for the United States federal process crime laid out in Section 1001 of Title 18 of the United States Code, which generally prohibits knowingly and willfully making false or fraudulent statements, or concealing information, in ‘any matter within the jurisdiction’ of the federal government…”

Mr. Palankov strategically and intentionally lied on local and federal government paperwork, often presenting himself as “President.” The main purpose for this chain of willful misrepresentation was in order to “create evidence” to support a fraudulent Green Card Application that he submitted for himself, paid for with money that he stole from GLN. In this Green Card Application, Palankov claimed to be “President of GLN”,  and presented a request that the Department of Labor obligate GLN to raise Palankov’s compensation, commensurate with his claimed work title, to $117,000 per year, an amount that surpassed GLN’s entire annual budget at the time. Palankov knew exactly what he was doing and was deceptive and deliberate. When GLN’s Chairman of the Board inquired about Palankov’s visa status, Palankov responded that there was nothing needed at the time. He deflected attention because he had a friend, who was neither an employee or a Board Director of GLN, falsely signing federal documents to claim that he was Palankov’s supervisor and that this unaffiliated individual was sponsoring Palankov’s Green Card on behalf of GLN, with a proposed salary of $117,000. Upon inquiry, Palankov lied and hid these facts from GLN’s Board of Directors.

Palankov was terminated in February 2015 by unanimous vote of GLN’s Board of Directors. GLN’s President and Chairman of the Board, Andrew Brown, summoned Palankov on behalf of the Board of Directors, and requested certain financial reports as well as answers as to why the website domain had been removed from GLN’s ownership to a private account established by Palankov at some point in February 2015. Palankov refused the meeting and refused to be held accountable to the Board or by DC law. The Board requested access to financial statements and certain accounts belonging to GLN, all of which the Board is entitled to access and required by law to review. Palankov adamantly refused access, and attempted to remove GLN President and Founder, Andrew Brown, from GLN’s bank accounts, and other accounts. He successfully removed GLN President Brown from the GLN web domain and email platform, and transferred that, and other GLN property, to his private, personal accounts.

When confronted with multiple concerns Palankov did not apologize or show remorse, rather, he told the organization “so fire me.”

Palankov was terminated February 2015 and nonetheless continued to claim to be GLN’s Founder and President. Palankov initially refused to return GLN property, office keys, and key documents, until his visa became “out of status.”

GLN still seeks clarification as to why Palankov took over $89,000 from GLN charity funds to his personal PayPal account. Oddly, Palankov requested additional funds upon his termination. As per GLN’s legal obligation, GLN attempted to pay to transport Palankov back to Bulgaria once his visa became out of status, however he did not accept the offer.

Palankov may still be in Washington, DC, misrepresenting his role at GLN in order to gain employment. If you are an employer we urge you to contact us immediately. He may have established a company LeadIn or Lead.In, and may be misrepresenting himself to the public.

Multiple attempts have been made to serve Palankov a subpoena but Palankov avoided service in each instance.

GLN requests that any individual who knows the whereabouts of Mr. Palankov or any details of his actions to contact GLN immediately.

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Andrew Brown
Date: Fri, Feb 27, 2015 at 9:02 AM
Subject: Zarko’s dismissal effective immediately
To:  “All GLN Volunteers and Staff”
Cc: “GLN Board of Directors”, “GLN Legal Counsel”