Damir Šegota, Director of the Office for the Olympic Programme at the Croatian Olympic Committee (HOC), was arrested on Thursday morning alongside his wife, suspected of accepting bribes and money laundering. On the same day, police searched the home of HOC Secretary General Siniša Krajač, who was not arrested but was taken to the Committee’s premises following the search.
According to investigators, businessman Vedran Pavlek paid Šegota at least 160,000 euros in bribes over a period of approximately ten years to influence the redirection of funds from the HOC budget to the Croatian Skiing Federation. Pavlek allegedly also funded the education of a member of Šegota’s family, while Šegota and his wife reportedly used bribe money to purchase investment gold. Investigators from the Croatian Office for the Suppression of Corruption and organised Crime (USKOK) found around 120,000 documents on Pavlek’s laptop, including a payment list featuring Šegota’s name alongside an amount of 30,000 euros.
Krajač told journalists he could not provide details on the investigation: "I cannot say anything until the process is concluded." When asked if he feared arrest, he replied: "I don’t know who told you that... You must ask those who spoke."
Minister of Tourism and Sport Tonči Glavina stated that he strongly condemns every act of corruption that undermines the integrity of sport.
Šegota’s name had previously appeared on the so-called Pavlek list, discovered in January, when investigators detained former Croatian Skiing Federation spokesperson Nenad Eror with a large sum of cash as he attempted to return to Croatia.
