Why It Matters
Alexander Manolev, a Bulgarian businessman designated by the State Department for corruption, has resumed lobbying in Washington. Washington Global Advisors LLC filed a disclosure report Aug. 14, showing Manolev spent $349,975 in the second quarter of 2026 on efforts targeting Section 7031(c), the provision authorizing visa restrictions on foreign officials implicated in corruption or human rights abuses.
By the Numbers
Philip Bay, identified as Founder/CEO at Washington Global Advisors LLC, led the lobbying work for Manolev in the second quarter filing. The second quarter expenditure dwarfs Manolev's prior activity; the firm reported $40,000 in third quarter 2025 costs for Manolev and zero dollars in both the fourth quarter 2025 and first quarter 2026.
Washington Global Advisors LLC currently has 4 active clients, generating $409,970 over the past quarter.
Broader Context
Manolev has disputed his June 2, 2021 designation under Section 7031(c), which rendered him and his immediate family ineligible for U.S. entry. He maintains the designation rested on inaccurate information supplied by political actors in Bulgaria. The lobbying targets government and law enforcement issues tied to the designation itself, according to the filing.
Manolev faces corruption allegations stemming from an investigation into his use of European Union funds ostensibly for a public guesthouse project but allegedly diverted to build a private luxury villa. However, Bulgarian anti-corruption authorities' sanctions against him over an alleged conflict of interest were later overturned by both the Sofia Administrative Court and the Supreme Administrative Court, which found no conflict of interest.
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